How to afford a G35 right out of college (aka how to get what you want and never be unemployed)

[ajayjuneja]

So, I didn't want my prior thread on the G35 to get hijacked, but by popular request, I'll explain the general methodology to getting what you want in life.


1. Always ask for what you want. When you don't get what you want, ask again in a different way or to a different person.
2. Failure breeds success. As do adverse situations. Never let failure get you down -- always be resiliant and bounce back.
3. Don't ask for jobs. Let the jobs find you.
4. Learn and grow every day.
5. Always make friends, never just business contacts.
6. Don't just ask for things from people, offer them something they can use, too.
7. Always be friendly. A big smile and a warm batch of chocolate cookies can go a long way. My site-visit to cookie ratio is one to one.
8. Always reach, never settle. Not getting the job you really want? Well, consider taking what's offered to you, but if you do that, don't stay there a long time, and use that to pay the bills while you try to pivot yourself to what you really want. If you can, keep looking.. If no one bites, figure out how to make yourself stand out so that someone does.

 

[ElFenix]

next up: ajayjuneja's how to get women

 

[ajayjuneja]

What I had posted but took out from my old thread:

Oh, well, I'm graduating from CMU in Computer Science with nearly no debt, because I left during 2000-2001 and worked at IBM for a year with a rather high salary (made 104K gross that year, ~ 55K after taxes and living expenses -- I made a deal with them for a product I was working on for content delivery to wireless devices, some of which ended up in the IBM websphere transcoding publisher), that enabled me to pay for most of the rest of school.

Last summer I had two jobs, one at an audio company in Berkeley working on speakers that adapted to your living room and listening location, and one as a non-testifying expert witness for a major legal case involving audio encoding patents. That, paid for the rest of school

Legal work is really fun, but my heart tells me to innovate rather than litigate.

I have a site visit with BeVocal in Mountain View, CA in two weeks, and an interview over the phone with ScanSoft (the 600lb gorilla in speech) tomorrow moring. I have about 2.5 years of natural language research under my belt, and got into the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in May 2002. Neither position I am interviewing for is an entry level position, both should pay in the realm of 85K+ which, while less than IBM paid me, is pretty good post dot-com bubble, even in Silicon Valley.

My success rate in interviews with a non-targeted job search (meaning stuff I am not necessarily interested in) is 1 offer per 6 interviews. For a targeted search, the success rate is 1 offer for every 2 interviews. So statistically, one of ScanSoft or BeVocal at least should net me an offer. Of course I do speech and NLP, so statistics and linguistics are my life

So, I'm really a specialist now more so than your typical, "I just finished college and I need to find something to do with the rest of my life type." I've spent 5 years building up a solid name for myself and building up connections and contacts. I don't really look for jobs, in fact the less I look, the more I find.

For everyone in college, if you're wondering, here's my trick to success:
Don't look for a job. But always get to know everything and everyone you can in the field that you are going into. I want to produce a cutting edge NLP - Navigation system, and Bosch, for example, has a research office near CMU. Their entire office knows me well, yet I'm not likely going to be working there. At the last job fair, Jill, their very sweet HR manager (and a good friend of mine) came up to me and gave me a hug, and we chatted for 30 min., while there were 20 students standing in line, whom she blissfully ignored (Note, I didn't stand in line at all, I just was walking around and socializing). Boy did I get some glaring looks from the kids standing in line.

That's one example of several where, while I may not be working at the place, they know me really well, and if I were to be doing something directly of interest to them in the future, they know they can call me about it and bring me in. I help them out with recruiting too. I also have helped out IBM with recruiting. EVERY single person I've referred to Extreme Blue has gotten an offer there.

So really, it's all about building a reputation and a name for yourself. Then you never look, except around the corner at your friends. And when you do want something, you approach them with a "here's what I can bring to you." rather than a "gee, I have a degree in CS, and I'm looking for a job after graduation."

The key to getting what you want is to ask for it. And ask for it a lot. Cause there are loads of rejections along the way. The key to success lies in failure. I've fallen flat on my face several times, and hit plenty of roadblocks to get to where I am now. But I'm aggressive, driven, and really love what I do. And it shows, even on my cooky resume, when I hug people at the job fair, and when I wear propeller beanies to it too (I did that last year).


-----------------------------------------
Update: Got the ScanSoft Site Visit! w00t!!

 

[boyRacer]

9. Be a spoiled little b!tch.

That worked for my friend. $47k... G35 sedan... right after HS graduation. Yep... $47k to be paid off in 6 years... the salesman had a field day with him and his parents. :frown:

 

[ajayjuneja]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
next up: ajayjuneja's how to get women

Actually, speaking of which, I have a really cute Stanford Gal I'm taking to Tamara's wedding in 3 weeks

Still mastering the women thing... got a little burned by a certain chic at Microsoft (the_good_guy knows about this), last fall.

 

[ajayjuneja]

Originally posted by: bR
9. Be a spoiled little b!tch.

That worked for my friend. $47k... G35 sedan... right after HS graduation. Yep... $47k to be paid off in 6 years... the salesman had a field day with him and his parents. :frown:

OMG, what an idiot!!
I am going to go for getting one with the premium package and aero for $31K.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: ajayjuneja

Originally posted by: bR
9. Be a spoiled little b!tch.

That worked for my friend. $47k... G35 sedan... right after HS graduation. Yep... $47k to be paid off in 6 years... the salesman had a field day with him and his parents. :frown:

OMG, what an idiot!!
I am going to go for getting one with the premium package and aero for $31K.

He has the aero and 18inch wheels... automatic though with no navi... i don't know what else the salesman sold them... he basically took the car without even haggling ... ...knowing him... he probably read the papers they signed but had no clue as to what they meant since he brings over pre-approved credit card applications for me to read and explain to him what it means... wtf...

 

[Fatdog]

Thank you Tony Robbins.

 

[ivol07]

Wow, you sure like talking about yourself.

 

[LAUST]

Is Mommy and Daddy buying this for you?

 

[virtuamike]

Originally posted by: ivol07
Wow, you sure like talking about yourself.

Seriously, who you know matters just as much as what you know. Realized that 3 years too late though, I should've been networking years ago when I actually didn't have debts and could've afforded to invest.

Read the thread before you pass judgement people.

 

[zimu]

wow. never knew i could hate someone i know from one post.
well. actually i did.

but all the same, i hate you.

 

[bigdog1218]

You state the obvious but make it seem like you're the only person on earth who knew it, nearly no debt is not that bad, you should try harder next time.

 

[The Sauce]

Sounds more like you want "aka how to get what you want and never be employed"

 

[ajayjuneja]

Originally posted by: bigdog1218
You state the obvious but make it seem like you're the only person on earth who knew it, nearly no debt is not that bad, you should try harder next time.

Look, I got like 5 PM's asking about this, and given the job market as it is now, I thought people wouldn't mind a bit of help.

 

[ivol07]

Originally posted by: virtuamike

Originally posted by: ivol07
Wow, you sure like talking about yourself.

Seriously, who you know matters just as much as what you know. Realized that 3 years too late though, I should've been networking years ago when I actually didn't have debts and could've afforded to invest.

Read the thread before you pass judgement people.

I read his post. And by reading his post I came to the conclusion that he sure likes talking about himself.

 

[ajpa123]

Interesting!
Confucious says .. Man with cookie recipe that good, is in the wrong business!

j/k ... Would you share your cookie recipe with us? (If the cookie thing was a metaphor, plz fill me in, thanks!)

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ivol07

Originally posted by: virtuamike

Originally posted by: ivol07
Wow, you sure like talking about yourself.

Seriously, who you know matters just as much as what you know. Realized that 3 years too late though, I should've been networking years ago when I actually didn't have debts and could've afforded to invest.

Read the thread before you pass judgement people.

I read his post. And by reading his post I came to the conclusion that he sure likes talking about himself.

He's still young. He'll learn.

 

[SuperTool]

So I am guessing you are getting a masters at CMU?
I really don't see what the big deal is. Masters from top school and almost 3 years of research under your belt means you are in good shape. I think 85K is a reasonable salary for that expertise even now in Silicon valley.
I salute you for choosing the G35 over the 325i, because there are about as many 3 series as accords in our parking lot, and the G35 is a more rare and unique looking car. But you've lived here, so you know the drill. Unfortunately great career and nice car just doesn't impress anyone in this giant engineering quad we call home

 

[SKC]

I found this a great reminder and an inspiration to keep my head up when everything seems tough. As a soon-to-be graduate from an undergrad program, I'd like to thank you.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

You could always be a male prostitute. </Viper Reference>

- M4H

 

[ajayjuneja]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
So I am guessing you are getting a masters at CMU?
I really don't see what the big deal is. Masters from top school and almost 3 years of research under your belt means you are in good shape. I think 85K is a reasonable salary for that expertise even now in Silicon valley.
I salute you for choosing the G35 over the 325i, because there are about as many 3 series as accords in our parking lot, and the G35 is a more rare and unique looking car. But you've lived here, so you know the drill. Unfortunately great career and nice car just doesn't impress anyone in this giant engineering quad we call home

I didn't see the big deal either, but a lot of people asked... so I figured might as well prevent more PM's.

I'm actually finishing up *undergrad* not a masters. Everyone thinks I am doing a masters for some reason. I do have about 50% of a masters' completed for our Language Technologies Institute, and as much research completed as the masters' students do. I don't want to stick around for a masters' because I wouldn't be able to double count my research work -- I'd be forced to do different research entirely for a masters' degree here.

Dirty secret about masters' / PhD. research here: you are really a low paid (stipend) employee for your advisor basically. Some PhD's last 11 years here -- the average is 7 -- not because the students can't complete it faster, but because the professors want to extract more work out of you.

I'd rather commercialize on what I like to do now, rather than twiddling around for a phD as a professor's slave. And the masters' in LTI is pointless for me, since I've done most of it.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

I think your just bloody smart.

Now I appreciate your post, because I have sent you PMs previously asking about your research and how you got about doing it; it's nice to see some background on what you've done.

But back to you being smart. Not many people can go about developing a natural language/speech system in undergrad. Especially doing it outside of required coursework.

I have quite a few ideas of my own (mostly related in vehicle stability systems & intelligent transportation systems, specifically broadcast data in cars - PM me if you'd like to know more <by that I mean help me figure out how to nurture my ideas -- hey you said make it seem like I have someting to offer >).

 

[BooGiMaN]

you bring cookies to your interviews?

 

[ajayjuneja]

Originally posted by: BooGiMaN
you bring cookies to your interviews?

I have, several times. And no, not giving out the recipe.

Works wonders