Friday, December 29, 2006

Norman Rockwell understood....

A new year a new job....

So I really haven't had the time to expound upon the goings-on in my professional life to every one of late.

In an effort to catch you all up, I'll use this little bully pulpit of mine here to regale everyone of the saga that was the last 2+ months of 2006.

Back in late October I was laid off from what probably was the best job I've had since working at Prosensing in Hadley, MA. It was devastating to me personally, as I thought things were going very well.

I had a small cushion to absorb the financial effects of the event, but it was clear to me I had to find gainful employment very quickly. After two weeks I secured a contract position at Billerica company "A".

Now, I'm going to try to paint a picture for you here. Try to imagine the job that you would least like to do. Something so mind-numbingly boring and against everything that you consider good and wholesome. Now imagine doing that job 8 hours a day. I liken this contract job to making 'tofu'. Those of you who know me are quite aware of my feelings about soybean curd, so you can imagine my pain. Luckily for me during this spell interview requests kept rolling in.

I was offered and accepted a position with much better work and prospects at an Andover start-up company "B". This company is making a system that will keep donated organs alive and viable for long periods of time outside the donors body. Pretty cool concept actually. I got to see one of these systems with a beating heart in it! Unfortunately, however this company was not interested in hiring me as a permanent employee for months if ever. As I am a family man medical, dental and insurance are very important. So I continued to go on interviews as they presented themselves to me.

Side note here:

I have been functioning for the last 10 years or so as a sort of hybrid electronics technician/engineer. Basically this means i do the work of an Engineer and I get paid as a Technician. This was the exchange at a recent interview:

Interviewer: "Well i would say you have vast and very impressive skill-set Robert!"

Me: "Thank you. I have done my best to learn new skills and processes in every position I have held."

Interviewer: "I have to be honest with you. I have no doubt that I could hand you any design task and you would do as well most likely better than any junior Engineer I employ. Unfortunately I cannot hire you as Engineer until you have an expensive piece of sheepskin that says you too spent $50K on an Engineering degree. Until then you will max out at $X an hour.... while someone just out of engineering school with ZERO experience will make (2 times X) an hour. It's heinous, it's ludicrous but it's how things are here."

This is when I decided that I had to finish the damned degree! Even if it kills me!

End side note.

Now during my last week at company "A", just before I took the position at company "B", company "C" now calls me! They say that they got my resume and want to schedule an interview the following week! At the time I was growing tired & disillusioned with the whole interviewing process.

My wife, ever the voice of my conscience says: "Go and hear what they have to say."

So off I went to a 6 HOUR interview!

I have never been grilled so much in one interview in my life! It was tough but as it turns out I aced the interview on all counts.

So by this time I was working for company "B" for less than a week and had prospect of an offer from company "C"! Sure enough 3 days before Xmas...the offer comes and it's a doozy!!!

- more $ per hour
- med. and dental benefits immediately
- semi-annual bonus structure
- college tuition reimbursement!!!!
- a HUGE sign-on bonus

How can refuse this!?

I can't!!!

So I'm writing my Letter of Resignation to be left on my supervisors desk today at 5pm.

Question is does company "B" allow me to give them the 2 week notice or do they show me the door toot-sweet?

Either way I will be starting a new job at company "C" January 15th or sooner if things don't go as planned here at company "B".

Best yet, I will be returning to university this fall, to continue my studies in pursuit of that holy grail: "The Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree".

When that's done...they'll probably tell me I need a Master of Science in Engineering Degree.........DOH!!!!

R

How was my Christmas....?

That's always a loaded question when your home is host to FOUR children...

Clearly this is NOT a holiday for wifey and I.

I think this Garfield comic sums up what Xmas morning is like!


R

Thursday, December 28, 2006

My new favorite book....

"Papa, why are people from the south such narrow minded Neanderthals?"

Because son that's what happens when friends let friends vote Republican!

R

Welcome....

So MySpace sucks ass....

This is why I am here:

You see, I am a control freak, as most of those of you who know me can duly attest.

I don't like anyone telling me what I can and cannot post or how to do it!

Here I will be free to be ME!!!

And Oh will I be me!!!

R