It is a small world after all

In my travels I have met all sorts, people that mope, people that smile, people that bully. I have met people all over the personality spectrum including some folk that lie on the outskirts on either end of the spectrum. I have run into some unusually kind people, the folk that make you wonder if they are trying to pull something over on you - like they can't possibly be real. I have also run into some unusually cynical and bully types, individuals who for what ever reason, are hell bent on thinking that everything sucks and because it all fucking sucks your life has to suck too.

Why is this interesting?

Over time I have been exposed to the following idea over and over again:

You never do know who is listening

Now the people that told me this were attempting to instill a word of caution. Those individuals were trying to get me to see that the world was smaller than it looks. They were attempting to let me know, without being paranoid, that the person you talk to today may be the person to give you a job tomorrow. That someone listening in on a conversation may be the individual in control of some portion of your future life.

I was young, and stupid, and often driven by spite and certainly by revenge. Some of that is still true today. What I don't do as much anymore though is be spiteful, or seek revenge actively. It doesn't serve me, it doesn't serve others and it only leaves a minor impression a small uptick in my personal pleasure. It isn't a long term play, being spiteful and revengeful is a short term gain and doesn't look for the long benefits that can be had.

A manager once said to me...

Right, always wins. Eventually you'll be in the position...

He was absolutely right - as the situation that he was commenting on came to pass where I was the hiring manager in a position to provide or deny a job to someone who was at the time a complete dick.

"Anyone ... to show my skills can go fuck themselves."

So here is a thought, no matter how bad the interview, no matter how terrible the conversation - don't leave a note telling the hiring manage to 'go fuck themselves'. You just don't know who is reading, watching, listening and the tech community is just a little too small to burn bridges, or in this case toss some C4 into the middle of.