Øyvind Østlund - It's that time of year again:

It's that time of year again:

Tuesday, 17. June 2008, 09:46:03

At least when you are young, end of the spring means you need to chose your next move. And this year is no exception for me. Destinations this year will be either Denmark, or hopefully once again Norway.

I have spent the last year and a half in Norway now. It has been nice being back to what I am used to, and most of all meeting friends I have not seen in a while and of course meeting family again.

My next plan was to go to Denmark to do a Master in Game and Graphics programming. But lately I have been leaning more towards staying here in Norway working in a company I really care about. So after accidentally stumbling into the Communications Director for this company* for the second time about two weeks ago. I decided that I will apply and see how it goes, and if I get it, I will stay in Norway for sure. After all, this is the job of my dreams.

A few days after I sent the application they invited me for tests and interview. I worked until quarter past midnight yesterday to get some time off today so I could leave around noon to join the tests and hopefully get an interview.

The tests went really well. It was much shorter and less complicated than I had thought up front. For the 2-3 days of preparation I had read 24 tutorials on C++ to fresh up everything from STL to advanced data structures which I didn't get much use for at all really. But I like to be too well prepared compared to not being prepared at all. After all this is something I have really wanted for a long time.

They told me I will find out about the outcome in a week or so. So until then I just have to cross my fingers, and if all go wrong then Copenhagen will be a good number two...

* I don't want to tell what company I sent my application for, at least not before I know if I got it or not. Maybe I will tell in a later post when I know more.

- Øyvind Østlund -

When the sun is shining :The story about my avatar and good friends:

Comments

kumenova # 17. June 2008, 21:27

keep my fingers crossed for you...

P.S. you look very professional on this pic btw ;-)

NoteMe # 17. June 2008, 21:33

Thanks. I AM very professional

For some reason I have an idea that it was you who helped me find out what to wear

Thanks for the help

- ØØ -

kumenova # 17. June 2008, 21:53

it was funny to chat through the third person's chat)))

melnichuck # 18. June 2008, 06:52

you both are so funny i must say!

btw, Øyvind you look so cool with the myriad of different belts on the background!

really serious business guy... are you standing on the skate down there?

vetler # 18. June 2008, 17:03

A company you care about in Norway. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

NoteMe # 18. June 2008, 17:34

A company you care about in Norway. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

It must have been a Fun-Company for sure

BTW I thought you had left us for good. Now when I got your attention: "Get your blog up and running again"

btw, Øyvind you look so cool with the myriad of different belts on the background!

I have no idea where I got all those belts and shoes from :/ True

- ØØ -

vetler # 19. June 2008, 07:44

Btw: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7460870.stm

... and: "95% of video gaming degrees are simply not fit for purpose. Without some sort of common standard, like Skillset accreditation, these degrees are a waste of time for all concerned."

NoteMe # 19. June 2008, 13:13

I did pretty thorough check in various countries about this. And my friends at Cambridge told me that all those gaming degrees I found in England where at "universities" that was really just old "polytechs" witch isn't really worth it.

I found nothing in Sweden, Belgium, Spain or France that was worth it either. In Holland there is a rather interesting degree in AI. I have a dutch friend studying there at the moment, and he seems thrilled. They try to start up something at NTNU at the moment, but it's way to early to say if it will be worth it. Although a few of those from Fun-Com I have spoken to doesn't seem to impressed.

And then you have the ITU in Copenhagen witch to me seems pretty awsome. I spoke to some people at spiludvikling.dk and those who had been there recommended it. And also had only nice things to say about the DADIU initiative you can do if you are enrolled to ITU game and graphics technology where you get togheter with students from various backgrounds and degrees to make games. It's a whole other story than the UK really.

But now I'm just talking, still hoping for the job in this nOrwegian or was it Fun-Company

BTW: You never told us what your next move is...
- ØØ -

vetler # 20. June 2008, 15:44

Oh, I went back to the company I worked for before starting at Opera, Enonic (http://www.enonic.com/). I know the founders there and several others, so it's almost like I'm returning back home (then again, Opera is also my home).

Enonic isn't the only company I've worked at twice, I've also worked two times at Opera.

Enonic makes a content management system (who doesn't?) and they're pretty successful in the Norwegian market, with customers such as Statens Vegvesen, Vinmonopolet, Norsk Tipping, Tine and others. While working somewhere they make a CMS isn't exciting as working at the largest browser factory, I needed a change and perhaps Opera was getting too big for me. Enonic only has around 20 employees.

LorenzoCelsi # 21. June 2008, 07:56

Then?

NoteMe # 21. June 2008, 14:20

Originally posted by vetler:

Enonic isn't the only company I've worked at twice, I've also worked two times at Opera.

So in a couple of years, you are back at Opera again

Just kidding.

BTW, your PDA version of your web page is down with a 500 error.

Originally posted by LorenzoCelsi:

Then?

The person that interviewed me was on his way to a conference so he said it might take some days to get back to me. The person I spoke to at HR said a about a week, so I guess one of the first days after the weekend I will know more.

I heard from one of my references that the company had contacted her yesterday, so they have at least not forgotten about me.

BTW I found out by chance while asking for references that my supervisor at CERN worked together with the CTO of "said" company about 10-15 years ago and told me to say hello. Crossing my fingers hoping I will be able to pass on the message one day.

- ØØ -

NoteMe # 27. June 2008, 19:00

I am in

So Norway it is then.

LorenzoCelsi # 27. June 2008, 19:25

Congratulations.

melnichuck # 27. June 2008, 19:37

I knew you'll get this job! See you soon!

kumenova # 27. June 2008, 21:59

congratulations

NoteMe # 2. July 2008, 16:13

Back from holiday 1 and home for a few days. Just wanted to say thanks everyone, and to confirm that Vetle guessed right the first time

even though I tried to put him off with some hinting in the other direction

Nice to see Opera did their work on googling me while I was away as well:

More of an honor it was to see Jon S. von Tetzchner adding me as his friend

Although I am not sure if this was a coincidence or not. But I am honored and added him as well

More of a puzzle is why someone over at Redmond also googled me the last few days ago. I don't think I know anyone working over there and can't remember this happening since I was nominated as an MVP a few years ago (didn't get it though

)

Thanks again, all of you. Looking forward to join Opera later on this month,
- ØØ -

kumenova # 2. July 2008, 19:12

great! see you soon!

Anonymous # 15. July 2008, 20:54

Wossy writes:

ØØ You are about as professional as my left buttock. I don't know how you've managed to pull the wool over these good people's eyes but I can see through you!

Don't listen to him!.

NoteMe # 15. July 2008, 21:01

Haha, Wossy. Long time no see. You should move your blog over here so I can see you more often.

PS: I am making a D# album these days to show the world our love for code prettier than any girl can ever get

- ØØ -

Anonymous # 15. July 2008, 21:27

Wossy writes:

D# is a constant source of torment to my soul. How could we neglect it so?

You have my undying support if you need anything compiled / run.

selurus # 27. July 2008, 17:04

congratulations on getting in.
guess i'll see you around more often now.
what do you do at opera?

NoteMe # 28. July 2008, 16:50

Thanks

I am a developer on the Desktop team (Windows). So I guess the answer to your question would be "I'm having fun"

Everyone here is really kind, and I love the challenges and the freedom I get.

- ØØ -

kumenova # 28. July 2008, 21:13

Happy for you! Show up on friday beers)))!

NoteMe # 29. July 2008, 07:51

No, YOU should show up there. I was there this Friday nearly melting away in the sun. I left early though, because I was pretty exhausted after my first week at Opera as well as looking for an apartment every evening.

- ØØ -

kumenova # 29. July 2008, 20:31

I was there too, haven't seen you though

Ok, see you there some other time... I'm leaving for work and vacation, gonna be back on the 13th on August!

melnichuck # 30. July 2008, 08:07

Why don't you Skype each other, for example, before meeting?

Like:

[05:55:00 PM] Øyvind Østlund: Hi sweety, I'm going to go to the beer party right now. How about you?
[05:55:15 PM] Uliana Kumenova: Oh dear, meet you there then :*