I hate updating this because it is always shit news. But this one hurt… a lot. There is a company about 20 miles away that is in the exact same industry that my business was in. They are a larger organization as in a franchise while I was a small independent, but still the same biz. The owner heard that I had to close my doors and it turns out he now needs a scheduling manager to oversee his 5 schedulers. Perfect! I mean, I have 15 years experience doing every single job in that office much less just the scheduling. So we schedule an interview for the next day.
I tried to tell the rest of the story, but the site is blocking me from doing so. Maybe it’s too long or such. If anyone wants the story, PM me and I’ll tell you.
So I’ve had a weird week, and I don’t know if it totally fits here but it’s about as close as possible. Let me try to explain without getting into the weeds:
I work for a company that uses a certain vendor’s systems, a vendor for which I used to work several years back. My current company informed my group that they have decided to outsource support of that system out to the vendor BUT - vendor is agreeing to take on the entire group and let us continue supporting the current company. So basically, same job but paycheck comes from vendor, not current employer. So technically, I’ve lost and regained my job at the same time. Technically, I have to go to the vendor’s headquarters for an HR meeting and review their offer. I don’t have to reapply, they’re giving me the job, but it’s my opportunity to accept or reject this offer. Rejecting would be the same as resignation, no severance. So obviously it beats unemployment. Just seems weird, you know?
My condolences. Congratulations!
Ha, I know right? I should clarify that this is a good deal to me, should not give the impression that I’m complaining. Just slightly weirded out.
Huh, yeah that’s kind of odd.
So, I finally got an offer. It’s as a counselor for a residential summer camp and I think I’m going to take it. I’ll get room and board for 6 weeks and the stipend will allow me to pay rent and utilities for 2 months. 3 if I stretch it. Of course, I still need to find a job for the fall…
Leverage the new experience into being a residence life management person at a local uni, or a permanent on-site RA/counselor at whatever the nearest highschool/college/residential program thing is. Buddy of mine started out summer camp counseling and worked his way up to director of the big STEM academy in Arkansas! I mean, it took him like 15 years, but still . . .
My only caution is to make sure you’re not being hired at the new company as an outside contractor responsible for your own benefits, taxes, etc. Obviously, that would still be better than a layoff regardless, but a client of mine did this with one of their internal software departments that handled some in-house apps that were built using a third-party company. That company re-hired the team to manage that software, but did so by making them outside contractors. Basically, they got a paycheck, but that’s it.
That’s a valid point, and I appreciate the heads up. I have a flight booked to head out to their headquarters in a week to talk about details, but I actually worked at this company for 6 years a while back, and if this is the plan I don’t believe they would be underhanded about it. I’ll know more after I hear their offer.
It would be more than a little kooky to have you fly all the way somewhere and then drop a big bomb like you have to buy your own health insurance. Good luck.
Yeah, it’s crazy but I’ve read others post about certain strings of text not getting past cloud flare, although it’s never happened to me. I wonder if a PM would even work? Maybe try to phrase it differently?
At any rate, it sounds like you didn’t get the job. Another close call. As we used to say in the Navy, “Damn the bad luck.” Or sometimes “fuck.”*
That’s messed up, but I’ve had it happen too. I invoked the ice cream methodology to recover. That’s where you purchase a tub of ice cream, get a spoon, and dig in. Preferably with Netflix or at least Internet access, but movies and forums are optional.
*Actually fuck was said quite a bit in the Navy.
That’s a good idea. There are a lot of schools in the area, I’ll have to take a look around and see what’s available. Thanks!
Shit. Yeah I don’t know the details but sounds like it didn’t work out for whatever reason. The ice cream idea is a good one. Is there any chance this company might know about openings elsewhere in the same field?
Who thought of that genius plan? Really, hearing that angers me. They scrapped NEXT-GEN basically, and have decreased our numbers while increasing our workload, so automation hasn’t been able to keep up with it. And let’s face it, WX and LAWRS and all the other stuff isn’t our specialty (speaking of which, I’ve got to do my semi-annual on that!), so it’s…gah. I’m getting worked up about it. :-/
Can you do an ATC OTS bid? I know it isn’t the thing for everyone, of course.
Well done OT! It’s not the same gig, but, years ago (cough), I spent a summer as a day camp bus driver and counselor. I think the highlight was when I raced another counselor (she was the one I had the hots for) in a swimming pool that all the kids and staff had surrounded. When I dove in, my swimming trunks came off, but luckily I caught them down around my ankles and was able to pull them back up underwater. Still, it put me at a disadvantage and she won the race. Have some fun this summer (but, um, keep it in your pants?).
Way too old for that, and I don’t have any ATC experience.
And yeah, it’s making everyone’s blood boil who knows about it. ATC’s screw up obs constantly when they do it- stuff like clear air funnel clouds. The idea is to hire more ATC’s to make up for us going, but that destroys any cost savings.
The one time they could get away with it is on mid shifts, where lets face it, ATC’s sleep at night as is- when I’ve had to call them for stuff I get yelled at for disturbing their sleep.
I’ll be frank: I SUCK at wx. Really do. All the ATCs I know do. We have a ton of information that we already have to know, and the complexity of WX and the rules on it shouldn’t be added to our workload. We’re constantly asking ourselves about “so…wait…with the present weather group can we encode…” I mean, most of us don’t know virga from ACSL. Yesterday there was a debate on what a +FC was vs a -FC. HAHAHAHHAHA!
Ha. Well you have made me upset with our government, Alstein. Grrr.
rowe33
1658
Make sure you watch all the required viewing materials before heading out! Meatballs, Wet Hot American Summer, etc
Thanks! Ha! I’ve had pretty much the same thing happen, although with much less of an audience. I make sure to double check that I’ve tied the string on the trunks ever since. Still, doesn’t hurt to have the reminder.
Edit: Good idea rowe, I’ll have to scour Netflix for some background viewing.
So, question for you guys. During periods of unemployment, is it better or worse to list short contracts you might do on your resume? I was at a place for 3 months. I did good work, but it wasn’t a good fit. I was thinking I’d just leave it off, but that makes the gap between jobs a little longer. In July it will be a year since I lost my FTE gig. (Yeow!)
I am 50 and when I started to work on my resume this last time more than one person advised me to only list the last 10 years of employment. So for me, that’s one job. I put all the jobs I did back in the 90s in a little list without dates under a heading “Previous professional experience.”
Just writing this post I think I might revisit my resume. I bet I could get it all on one page and make it a little more succinct.
