Re-Employed?
I had an interview for and engineering position with a pretty big player in my area last week. I thought the interview went well. After about an hour of the typical interview speak it disintegrated into small talk about funny stuff we've seen during our careers and other typical workplace conversation. The managers I interviewed with were both men that I have worked for in the past (former customers) who were familiar with my work ethic and skill set. It was a good meeting and I left feeling a bit upbeat but I wasn't about to get my hopes up. I'm currently 16 weeks away from becoming just one more forgotten and abandoned '99er' and after scores of interviews and no call-backs, I've become a bit jaded regarding the current job market.
Today I finally got a call-back. The engineering manager wants me to come in on Monday to discuss money and benefits. He didn't make me an offer on the phone. I am assuming he wants to do it in person. It's a one year contract position but this is their standard hiring practice. It's a multi-national corporation and I can expect to do a bit of traveling, much the same as my last job. I haven't been hired yet so I'm still don't want to get my hopes up - but it does look very promising.
I also got a call Wednesday from a very large, privately owned company that is interested in interviewing me for the same type of position. It's on the west side of MI, just north of Clavis Land and would require a relocation but they sounded very interested in my resume. When I researched the company and their product line, I understood why, they have their hands into everything I have listed on my resume. It was the VP of the the company and the VP of HR that contacted me, so that one looks promising as well. I'm expecting a call for an interview today or Monday, based on the last conversation with them.
It's funny how things can seem hopeless for almost two years and then suddenly just flip-flop like this.
Anyway, things are looking up.




Aug20 '10
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meep yeah, good luck...
Aug20 '10
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that's awesome. i hope it pans out.
Aug20 '10
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My wife just went through some similar meep. Months of sending out resumes. She finally got one response and ended up nailing the interview and scoring a decent job.
Hope meep goes just as well for you.
Aug20 '10
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but what about the chickens? with the "Great Egg Recall 2010" I figured you were in position to take over the market. Good luck on the job offer, I hope it all pans out for you.
Aug21 '10
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good stuff, man.
Aug21 '10
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+7
May the best company win.
Aug21 '10
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Good news, and good luck.
Aug21 '10
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"Praise Allah!", exults LinkSwarm's groaning comment box.
Aug21 '10
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Good luck and don't end up with egg on your face.
Aug21 '10
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Best of luck, man.
Aug21 '10
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Wotak,
Glad to hear of this.
Hope you land the local job.
Aug21 '10
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BUT WHAT OF THE CHICKENLDREN!?!?!
Aug21 '10
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Sounds good mate, keep pushing back.
Aug22 '10
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Hallelujah!
BTW: Can you put in a good word for Dismas, that meep needs a job too it would seem.
Aug22 '10
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Cool,man.
Which one is making your willy wiggle the most?
Aug23 '10
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Congrats on your probable employment. I always wanted to be an engineer and to travel. Just the thought of tearing down the tracks and blowing the whistle gives me goosebumps.
Aug23 '10
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Capital news, Holmes.
Keep us posted.
Aug23 '10
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Welp, it looks like I got the job. We discussed compensation and benefits and when I was willing to start. He told me to expect a call from the contract house and said he'd like to get me started this week if possible. Then we talked at length about the products and programs I was being brought aboard for.
Barring any major, unforeseen issues, I should be among the employed again by the weekend. Cheers, meeplets, I are having a beer.
Aug23 '10
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glad things are looking up for you
Aug24 '10
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Right on man.
Don't get all drunked up and start posting meep pics,kthx.
Aug25 '10
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I have to hit the contract house in the morning to sign the relevant paperwork and I start my new jorb on Thursday.
Wheew! It's been a tough one. Thank GORD linkswarm was there to keep me meeping sane. I'd like to offer you all an bowl of all-you-can-eat haterape.
Thanks for putting up with me, niglets.
Aug25 '10
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f'n w00t!
Aug25 '10
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SNOOPYDANCE
Aug25 '10
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Congrats Wotak!!!
The number of new Linkswarm material just dropped by 45%.
Aug25 '10
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Congrats!!
Aug25 '10
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grats man, I bet Mrs Wotak is happy to get your meep out of the house.
Aug26 '10
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Kewl. Thanks all.
I talked to the new boss tonight. I start at 8AM tomorrow. I'm already scheduled to travel to Lexington KY next week to visit one of the facilities that I'll be supporting. Any Swarmers in that area, speak up. Looks like I'll be there for a couple days.
Am stoked.
Aug26 '10
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Congrats bro. I'd also like to congrats the linkswarm server as it will no longer overheat from you repeatedly pressing F5 all day long.
Aug26 '10
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Give a shout when you pass through Clavotopia, Cpt. meeples. I'll buy ya a beer or 6 to celebrate.
Aug26 '10
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Congrats on being able to find a place back in your field Wotak. Good luck to you and your sprog.
Aug27 '10
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Well, meep, that puts an end to unemployed meepgots arguing on the internet.
Having passed the point of the 99rs but being among the felonious unemployable I got a fortuitous opportunity doing some handyman stuff for $15/hr (a fortune for one with NO bills) for an ER nurse friend of the family. It feels good to work again really, semi-retirement is kinda boring.
Congrats on the new position. Love you man, textwar follow.
Aug28 '10
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We can still argue, meepgot.
Aug28 '10
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I'm game, miss you man. Current topic?
Aug28 '10
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Did you get fired yet for masturbating on the job?
Aug28 '10
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Maybe he got lucky and blew the right guy to start with.
Aug28 '10
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Um, Big D was talking to you.
Aug28 '10
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So how many guys did you have to blow to get the job? Are you gainfuuly employed now, how's it lookin' really?
Aug28 '10
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Oh, I get it!
Aug28 '10
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Aug28 '10
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This is gonna turn out awesome
Aug29 '10
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You don't wanna know how hard it is to find horses actually meeping horses,.
Aug29 '10
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Sorry about your journal, wotak.
Aug29 '10
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LOLOLOLl ! Ha fukin LOL, thx John, you've earned your keep for the week.
Aug29 '10
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Aug29 '10
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Congrats again, Wotak. Its been a good month for the unemployed. Sorry to get in late after the horsgy.
Aug31 '10
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SO HAPPY FOR YOU!
Sep01 '10
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Congrats dude. I just went to a different company too. The old place didn't want to loose me so they kept me on at a contract price for as much as I am willing to work for them. lol.
What type of engineering are you? Software? If you have any interest is AZ, my new company is pretty meepin sick.
Sep05 '10
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I'm a manufacturing engineer. I do a lot of design and product development work. This job is cool because I'm not directly involved in manufacturing and the day-to-day stress and hassles that go along with manufacturing support. Instead I work out of the corporate headquarters with a team of engineers that design, layout and commission the building of production lines that will go into production with future contracts as they come online.
Basically it's a prototype engineering position that extends into the actual launch and customer sign-off. I get to design machines and introduce improvements to material flow through complicated assembly and testing processes. It's meeping cool as meep. Tons of robotics and custom built automation. I wish I could share more because the swarm would be really interested in some of the equipment I get to play with... alas, I cannot for obvious reasons.
And although I was born in Yuma, I have no real desire to return to AZ.
Sep06 '10
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Happy for you, nice work.
So, considering your free time, angst and engineering/robotics knowlege, why didn't you create a Linkswarm subsidised meepbot or a malice juggernaut during your nonemployment period?
Sep27 '10
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Well, I've started to really fit into this new thing now and I'm really still digging it. I'm sure the honeymoon feeling will wear off in time but right now I'm on top of the world so I thought I'd update this journal with a little good news.
Since I started this new job I've been initially tasked with the design of a production line that will go online next year. The secondary goal of that job is to create a production line that can be standardized and used as a new model for all of our lines in the future. My department head wanted me to bring some new ideas into the game but he wanted me to get a good long look at where all of their current production lines were, so he tasked me with benchmarking a handful of the production lines we currently have running. I Chose to benchmark 6 lines (out of more than 50) based on their success and versatility. My job was to isolate what was good about them and what was bad and to draw up a proposal that would become the evolution of a new standard. I just completed that proposal and reviewed it with my supervisor this morning in preparation for a presentation to our group manager on Wednesday.
He meeping loved it. Now I get to spend the next 24 hour trying to rip this proposal to shreds, looking for holes and creating notes to address any possible 'devils advocate' questions that our group manager might have during my presentation. I'm feeling pretty confident right now based on my supervisors feedback.
Will update Wednesday night.
Sep27 '10
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Basically it's a prototype engineering position that extends into the actual launch and customer sign-off. I get to design machines and introduce improvements to material flow through complicated assembly and testing processes. It's meeping cool as meep. Tons of robotics and custom built automation. I wish I could share more because the swarm would be really interested in some of the equipment I get to play with... alas, I cannot for obvious reasons.
How about you just come right out and say its a meep factory?
Sep28 '10
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Phsst, meep's, I wish!
My company makes auto parts (HUGE SURPRISE). I would guess that half of you (or more) own a car with my companies product in it.
We supply all of the auto makers. Anyone that is mass producing cars is buying products from us. Chinese, Japanese, Americanese and all the othereses. My company holds 45% of the market in our perspective product line and we're growing rapidly as much of our competition is comprised of smaller corporations that are failing in this stagnant economy. I hate to think of people being put out of work in this economy, but each competitor that closes up shop sends more work our way and we are positioned to pick up as much of it as possible.
Having worked in manufacturing for most of my life and having been through some dark times with some great companies that just couldn't keep up, this is an extremely awesome position to be in. It's certainly a first for me.
Sep28 '10
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When you design a new machine, please do not forget about us techs who have to fix it when it breaks. LEAVE US SOME ROOM TO ACCESS THE meepING THING. There is nothing worse than trying to dis-assemble and rebuild something that you cannot see and can only reach with three fingers (no thumb).
Oct01 '10
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Presentation went very well. Our manager loved the concept and is currently doing his best to find fault in it. I haven't seen a revised plan, so that's good news.
DS, we design machines in this manner for exactly this reason.
Oct01 '10
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Yeah, support the economy and buy a new one ya cheapskate. :Trying to keep a straight face:
Oct03 '10
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Spankerchief, the economy does better when I have money to spend.
'Tak, I always knew designers were meeps. Thanks for the confirmation ;)
Oct03 '10
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I am meep for you. :)