it feels damned good, doesn't it, whether you're validating a troubleshooting approach or just instincts?

Oh, yes. It was a great stride forward when I learned what all those story problems in school were trying to teach me--find the essential problem, discard the extraneous stuff that confuses the issue. 7 years in this job finally pays off.

edit: of course, sometimes it's linked issues that feed into each other--fix one thing, a new problem says "my turn!", but I at least recognized all of it. It wasn't SQL database configuration throwing new and exciting error messages at me.

I have a hivemind business question. I go in for a second interview on Friday. It's with the owner and COO of the company, and I REALLY WANT this job. During the first interview, I was told about issues with the previous HR person and also about some specific employee relations problems the Co. is having. She also told me that the owner wasn't even sure they NEEDED an HR person and had to be talked into it last year.

Should write up a one or two page bullet point thingie, detailing how I'd be able to help with their problems and what I would do, to be all proactive and shit? Or should I just go in and talk about it? It's a post-production house and the person who interviewed me had blue hair, so it's new school in culture. I want to sell myself and make the best case possible for hiring me, but I don't want to seem like I want to come in and take over either. What say you?

What say you?

I'd take in the bullet pointed list and refer to it when discussing the issues, and if they seem interested offer them a second copy of it.

That way you're prepared but not pushy.

My gut says to write up the bullet points but not actually present that to them, just have it in mind.

I have edged the front lawn! This come home from sitting at a desk all day, work in the yard for a while, then have a beer on the porch thing is pretty nice, I must say.

Yeah, I think showing you've thought about what you heard in the first interview is never a bad idea! And what David said.

It sounds like they need to have someone come in and take over.

You could write it up and, in the interview, talk about what you could do. If they sound interested, you can then hand them what you wrote.

I think what Ginger thinks.

And, interestingly enough, I am drinking bourbon which, iirc, is what Ginger DRINKS.

That reminds me that when I was looking at vintage flatware on eBay, a LOT of the listings said the pieces had no disposal damage. Which kind of made me laugh and also feel better about my own disposal-damaged flatware!

I keep a hair-catcher-type drain cover over the kitchen sink drain to keep flatware from falling into the disposal. The idea of having to reach into a disposal to fetch out a spoon? Scary. Nuh-uh.

Work is eating me from my bottom.

"I've thought about the issues you described, and have some ideas on a plan of action, if you are interested.." Start talking, at some point pull out your 'notes,' maybe?

Disclaimer: My last real interview was 16 years ago. Everything else has been in-house handwavium.

Pumpkin is snoring.

Now that there's no Devi (sob) curled up behind my knees, she's taken over the spot regularly. Also, when she was being a creeper-cat, hanging out on my neighbor's deck and windowsills and staring inside, the Punk was TALKING with me. Made me cry a bit, but also, aw. Devi and I totally had a call & response conversational-nonsense thing that would go on and on and on, but P&L pretty much only converse with me when they want something. AKA demand/whine. And while I knew that, I didn't realize how much I'd miss the stupid nonsensical convo. Which I have. And tonight, yeah, thanks Pumpkin.

Aww, Pumpkin, good kitty.

My folk band people sell albums that way. I was all, "I have this cash from your merch sales. Where is your lockbox?" And they were all, uh, see this tin can that we usually just leave out?