Well, as of this evening, I am a number -- unemployed. A fifteen-year veteran of engineering.
Some will recall that I went to work for a friend's (then) budding and prospering engineering consulting outfit, now nearly five years old. I was there for a little more than two years, and we built some very impressive industrial automation. Since about spring of this year, the projects/contracts slowed to a trickle, no doubt due to our wonderful economy.
At the beginning of September, I took a 15% pay cut since I was by far the highest paid of the five of us. Knowing that things were not good, I have had a couple of interviews but nothing has become of them yet. Now, this evening, we met and I was let go due to lack of work. I hope the place makes it, but I don't have a good feeling about it as the other guys will probably flee like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship.
My friend is devastated. He is convinced our friendship is in the shitter now, but I cannot blame him for trying to keep his dream alive. I think a good drunk is in order.
I do not regret leaving the comparatively 'gravy' corporate environment to pursue this, as I feel it was an incredibly valuable experience. Tomorrow I start to make calls like mad to try and get back on the corporate grid and sign up for 'unenjoyment' benefits. :P
I am going to go insane, since I am used to working 45-50 hour weeks. So you folks better be ready for rampant posting, something for which I have not had much time for lately. ;)
Anybody in MN need a mechanical engineer that can (and has) design(ed) just about anything and everything?
Any tips, advice, porn, encouragement are appreciated. :)
Son of a Biscuit! >:(
I really don't think you will be unemployed for too long.
Chin up, you'll be fine.
I think you may be the first of many on the unemployed list.
Move to Australia, we need engineers. [thumbsup]
Look into energy companies. Companies like Schlumberger put people all over the place, pay well, and are hiring.
Shoot me a PM
We have a couple of opportunities in Service Engineering in the northern burbs.
Fortune 500 company having a good year despite the economy and the stock price.
Sorry to hear. Good on ya for not blaming your friend.
My guess is, in spite of the economy, there will still be work for MEs that can make things work. Ah, proof one post above!
sorry to hear the news, man.
I will knock one back for you tonight [beer]
OK..where did that 2+ years go?! I remember when you took the job.
Good luck..I"m sure you'll have a new position in no time!
Quote from: ato memphis on October 12, 2008, 08:43:16 PM
Look into energy companies. Companies like Schlumberger put people all over the place, pay well, and are hiring.
One of the two places I interviewed with is involved with wireless public utility metering. I have high hopes for this one. :)
Quote from: IZ on October 12, 2008, 09:08:29 PM
OK..where did that 2+ years go?!
I know!!! Two years and three months of my life flew by like it was nothing!
Hey Dave...if we need to go sit at the bar at Whiskey River for a day or so, let me know. Maybe we can get Pete to buy again...
Sorry to hear an but everything happens for a reason. Besides, if things get REALLY tight, you could always sell off that Harley for 15% more than you paid. ;D
Quote from: ZLTFUL on October 13, 2008, 06:17:12 AM
Hey Dave...if we need to go sit at the bar at Whiskey River for a day or so, let me know. Maybe we can get Pete to buy again...
Sorry to hear an but everything happens for a reason. Besides, if things get REALLY tight, you could always sell off that Harley for 15% more than you paid. ;D
I'm game for a return trip to the River. Head on up! [thumbsup]
Can't sell the Street Rod, it's my only running bike at the moment! I need it for sanity preservation!
Sorry to hear, you could always come to South Africa lots of opportunities here, although most companies are forced to apply reverse racism when employing new staff [thumbsup]
Any CAE experience? Every worked for a software company? Send me your resume if you have.... good luck!!
Also, if you are into HVAC stuff, jump on the ASHRAE bandwagon and peruse the sights of Lennox, York, Trane, Carrier and the like. There are tons of different blower manufacturers out there. Similarly, I've heard Alfa Laval is a good employer. Everybody needs pumps: Regardless of what the economy is doing, stuff breaks.
Quote from: ducducgooseme on October 13, 2008, 02:01:40 PM
Any CAE experience? Every worked for a software company? Send me your resume if you have.... good luck!!
Nope. :(
Just mechanical design, product design, process engineering, stuff like that.
Last ditch effort: Corp of Engineers.
Quote from: ato memphis on October 13, 2008, 03:01:18 PM
Last ditch effort: Corp of Engineers.
Funny you mention it - something like that crossed my mind earlier today.....
I ought to rephrase that though, its not really a last-ditch (or shouldn't be) - the work conditions are good, the work itself is just not likely to be "cutting edge". However, its a long term employer, it is not the kind of employer that cuts a bunch of people. Some of the Corp of Engineers places are pretty neat. Just another option on the table.
I'd suggest laying out all the options you can possibly think of, and then "shotgun" approach it. Send out lots of resumes and cover letters, and hope something sticks.
Long-term is always preferred. This downtime blows.
I sent out a barrage of resumes today. Got one response back from an HRM that made it sound like they wished I had applied a month ago since my experience was better than the guy they hired that started today.
Argh.
crapola :(
odd economy related thing.
I'm not sure what to make of it ....... but our business took a dive when the housing market hit it's peak, almost two years ago. It was a steady downhill slide. But, for the past few months it's been steady and slow.
Last week.... when all the news people were reporting that the world is about to cave in on itself, and everybody is watching the stockmarket tank..... our store has been crazy busy. The worse the reporting...the better our days.... it's very very strange.
it's way to early to tell, but I'm hoping that it's an indication that things are turning around.
that being said...... pm me if there is anything needed or anything lm and I can do to help.
Quote from: Speedbag on October 12, 2008, 07:39:28 PM
Well, as of this evening, I am a number -- unemployed. A fifteen-year veteran of engineering.
Anybody in MN need a mechanical engineer that can (and has) design(ed) just about anything and everything?
Any tips, advice, porn, encouragement are appreciated. :)
Okay, I know you're looking for work in MN, but you might want to check this out:
https://jobs-zebra.icims.com/jobs/search?ss=1&searchKeyword=&searchLocation=US-CA&searchCategory=8670&searchRadius=5&searchZip=
Zebra also has offices in Illinois. I know the HR manager at the Camarillo, CA location. If you are really that qualified, send me a PM, let me know how long you've been in the biz, what specific quals you have, and I'll call my friend and let her know what's up. Of course you'd have to relocate, but it's a GREAT company. I know a lot of the people there. If you really need a job, lemme know and I'll see what I can do to help.
Hang in there.
:)
Quote from: bobspapa on October 13, 2008, 03:20:23 PM
that being said...... pm me if there is anything needed or anything lm and I can do to help.
Thanks mang. You could always send me something neato in the mail to cheer me up. :) How's the Happy Fun Ball?
River, thanks much for the offer! For now however, I'm looking to stay where I'm at (unless I could work remotely, have an equipped home office). The wife unit has a fairly decent job, and that counts for something. We will survive, unless something goes haywire with her gig. Then I might take you up on it. ;)
It just kills me to have poured my heart and soul into this and have it all be for naught. But, again, it was a learning experience you cannot get in school.
Quote from: Speedbag on October 13, 2008, 03:52:33 PM
Thanks mang. You could always send me something neato in the mail to cheer me up. :) How's the Happy Fun Ball?
River, thanks much for the offer! For now however, I'm looking to stay where I'm at (unless I could work remotely, have an equipped home office). The wife unit has a fairly decent job, and that counts for something. We will survive, unless something goes haywire with her gig. Then I might take you up on it. ;)
It just kills me to have poured my heart and soul into this and have it all be for naught. But, again, it was a learning experience you cannot get in school.
I got's just the thing ;D
Sorry man. Sounds like you're committed to MN, but if you'd be willing to try South Louisiana, it's still in boom down here - Oil baby! You could ride year round and you won't find nicer people anywhere. You will gain weight tho - the food's ridiculous.
Look into the Corps of Engineers or other government jobs, but from the civil service employment side.
here check this out.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/jobsearch.asp?q=&jbf571=9&salmin=&salmax=&paygrademin=&paygrademax=&FedEmp=N&tm=&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=82&SUBMIT1.y=18 (http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/jobsearch.asp?q=&jbf571=9&salmin=&salmax=&paygrademin=&paygrademax=&FedEmp=N&tm=&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y&SUBMIT1.x=82&SUBMIT1.y=18)
my company is looking for an ME right now, we are in southern michigan. send a pm...
Sorry to hear that.
Been there done that from October '98 to January '03, rode a similar rollercoaster but it was 2 years gangbusters growth and then 2 years of watching the ship sink.
Keep hammering out the resumes, and best of luck!
Quote from: Speeddog on October 14, 2008, 01:18:39 AM
Been there done that from October '98 to January '03, rode a similar rollercoaster but it was 2 years gangbusters growth and then 2 years of watching the ship sink.
Yep - sucks, don't it? :P
A couple more surfaced locally. The fingers are crossed.
Perhaps the worst part is the waiting to hear something. At least I have a bunch of fall yard work to contend with. If this had happened in the dead of winter I would probably get trucked off to the loony bin.
Time to invest in that 240 in wall you always dreamed about...
I know...I am not helping. ;D
Geez, Dave. Sorry to hear that your company is folding up. Sounds like you've got a good attitude about finding another gig, though. I've done my share of job-hunting, and it's not easy to 'wait around'. I tried to spend 20hrs / week on the job search - about 4 hours per day of resumes, calls, online searches, networking, etc. IMO, if you exceed 20hrs/week, there's a diminishing return on the job search efforts... Spend the rest of your time on the 'honey-do' list so your house is a happy place to be. ;D
Quote from: ZLTFUL on October 13, 2008, 06:17:12 AM
Hey Dave...if we need to go sit at the bar at Whiskey River for a day or so, let me know. Maybe we can get Pete to buy again...
I'm game. Pick a nice day, and I'll ride down to St Peter. It would be fun to get together with you guys again. [thumbsup] [moto]
The forecast looks pretty nice for the next week. :)
Quote from: bluemoco v2.0 on October 14, 2008, 08:31:06 AM
Spend the rest of your time on the 'honey-do' list so your house is a happy place to be. ;D
I was just measuring to see how much trim I need to buy to finish the staircase down to my basement bar area (the rest of which has been done for over a year). ;)
Quote from: ato memphis on October 12, 2008, 08:43:16 PM
Look into energy companies. Companies like Schlumberger put people all over the place, pay well, and are hiring.
+1
I work offshore as a mechanic.
What they can do downhole this days is mind boggling.
And they always send at least one engineer out to baby sit their multi million dollar gadget.
It seems I have a second interview on Friday morning. 8)
Wish me luck peeps!
[thumbsup]
We need an update, Speedbag! Hope the interview went well [moto]
I think it did. It's always sort of hard to tell though. :-\
However, my salary expectations were right in line with theirs, which is good. It was very positive but I have no clue how many others I am up against. One big feather in my cap is that I worked once in a company producing similar product with a high degree of automation, so I have an edge in that I know a lot of the lingo and wouldn't need to start from Square 1.
Those in charge of making the final say are to meet up and compare notes early next week and I am to get a call one way or another shortly afterward. Let the nerves run high!!!
Keep channeling those positive vibes my way, ladies and gents! :)
Where's the fingers crossed smiley? Positive vibes!! [thumbsup]
(http://planetsmilies.net/happy-smiley-638.gif) good luck!
Quote from: Speedbag on October 12, 2008, 07:39:28 PM
Well, as of this evening, I am a number -- unemployed. A fifteen-year veteran of engineering.
Some will recall that I went to work for a friend's (then) budding and prospering engineering consulting outfit, now nearly five years old. I was there for a little more than two years, and we built some very impressive industrial automation. Since about spring of this year, the projects/contracts slowed to a trickle, no doubt due to our wonderful economy.
At the beginning of September, I took a 15% pay cut since I was by far the highest paid of the five of us. Knowing that things were not good, I have had a couple of interviews but nothing has become of them yet. Now, this evening, we met and I was let go due to lack of work. I hope the place makes it, but I don't have a good feeling about it as the other guys will probably flee like the proverbial rats from a sinking ship.
My friend is devastated. He is convinced our friendship is in the shitter now, but I cannot blame him for trying to keep his dream alive. I think a good drunk is in order.
I do not regret leaving the comparatively 'gravy' corporate environment to pursue this, as I feel it was an incredibly valuable experience. Tomorrow I start to make calls like mad to try and get back on the corporate grid and sign up for 'unenjoyment' benefits. :P
I am going to go insane, since I am used to working 45-50 hour weeks. So you folks better be ready for rampant posting, something for which I have not had much time for lately. ;)
Anybody in MN need a mechanical engineer that can (and has) design(ed) just about anything and everything?
Any tips, advice, porn, encouragement are appreciated. :)
damn dude, I remember when you were making the leap, we all encouraged you to go for it. That sucks and I think most people are in the same boat, except for maybe the repo companies.
Hopefully after the elections things will start to turn around.
I hear the repo companies are having a hard time too now because many banks dont want the cars back... holy crap!
Quote from: ducducgooseme on October 20, 2008, 09:43:18 AM
I hear the repo companies are having a hard time too now because many banks dont want the cars back... holy crap!
I'll take em.
Quote from: motogpfan on October 20, 2008, 12:19:37 PM
I'll take em.
Yes....then I could start a used car lot with rock bottom prices.....
Well kids, I start next Monday at my new gig! ;D Unemployment has officially turned into vacation for two more days.
It's been a crazy last couple of weeks. Interview hell.
Two weeks ago I ran across a mechanical engineering job posting online from a recruiting agency that was out of state, but the job location is where I live. Curious and interested, I submitted my resume. The agency contacted me immediately (like within a couple of hours of the submission) and set up a meeting. I met with them, but I do not have a PE and that was critical to the position. However, they were impressed enough with my experience that they were trying to essentially create a position for me there, as they need help due to expansion. Then a day or so later their manufacturing engineer (my actual discipline, although I've been doing mechanical engineering for ten of my fifteen years) gave his notice! So on the fast track I went.
Best part of the whole deal? My commute is four miles. And I got a nice bump in pay. :)
[clap] [clap] [clap]
Great news!
Congrats! [beer]
Great [thumbsup]
pregnant dog...pregnant dog..pregnant dog...er wait...I mean congrats!! [beer] ;D
Congrats [thumbsup]
Quote from: ZLTFUL on November 06, 2008, 06:24:08 AM
pregnant dog...pregnant dog..pregnant dog...er wait...I mean congrats!! [beer] ;D
;D
Speaking of that, you and Pete never made it over for beers!
it was the power of the chews ;D
congrats [thumbsup]
Congrats, speedbag.
Glad things worked out in the end [beer]
Kudos on your new gig! [thumbsup]
[beer]
Nice commute.
congrats!!!
Maybe your friend won't feel so guilty for laying you off, and the friendship can heal.
Gald it worked out for ya! [beer]
fantastic news! [thumbsup]
Quote from: Speedbag on November 06, 2008, 06:36:43 AM
;D
Speaking of that, you and Pete never made it over for beers!
I may just have to drive up that way one of these weekends just because now. [beer]
make the beast with two backs yeah dude,
nice job,
no pun intended
Sweet, congrats! [beer]
Congrats, amigo!!! Glad to hear that you got a GREAT job offer. [clap]
Quote from: Speedbag on November 06, 2008, 06:36:43 AM
Speaking of that, you and Pete never made it over for beers!
Sorry about that. I got distracted with a trip to CA last week...
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14174.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14174.0) [check out the links in my last post] ;D ;D
I suppose your free time is drastically reduced now that you're gainfully employed...? I hope you disposed of your Honey-do list during your 'vacation'. [laugh]
Thanks Pete - I think the new job is gonna be cool. 8)
Free time is extremely limited now. But I got the Honey-Do list done, and more. I'm actually ready for winter for once. [thumbsup]
The only downer is the wife unit came home tonight and said that things are looking scary where she works. :-\
Congratulations in finding something so quickly! (I use my own experience as a comparison) [thumbsup]
It's been weird getting back to work after being away from it a while. And to start on daylight losing time too. Eek.
[beer] [bacon]
That's awesome news. Congrats!
Quote from: pintsizejesus on October 13, 2008, 07:09:03 PM
It's true Schlumberger is everywhere, it's like herpes and I would know.
I work for them.
You work for herpes? That's GROSS!
Quote from: Speedbag on November 06, 2008, 02:33:23 PM
Thanks Pete - I think the new job is gonna be cool. 8)
Free time is extremely limited now. But I got the Honey-Do list done, and more. I'm actually ready for winter for once. [thumbsup]
The only downer is the wife unit came home tonight and said that things are looking scary where she works. :-\
Good to hear that your job situation worked out, and hope for the best with your wife's.