WARNING: Long-winded, self-involved post contained herein.
After spending several months in a mundane, unchallenging, repetitive job that I grew to practically hate, I finally got a job that I’m very happy with. I’m now working at an engineering consulting firm doing structural, dynamic, and heat transfer analysis. Many engineers would say that I do “homework for a living.” Also, if the distribution agreement ever gets signed, I’ll be doing sales demos, training, and some technical support for the finite element software providor that we (used to, and hopefully will again) represent. Eventually, I hope to do some Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) development and learn electomagnetic and fluids analysis.
Besides the tasks I’ve already mentioned, we do design consulting, new technology development and rapid prototyping. I’m so glad to be in a career where I enjoy what I do from day to day and can look forward to learning some exciting (to me) stuff. I’ve been there a week and really enjoy it. I would’ve posted about it earlier, but, well, you know…
Thanks, beatle! Yes, it’s the same place I mentioned to you during my layover in Houston. I had interviewed with them just a few days before my vacation. My employment was delayed somewhat because of the fiasco with the FEA software distribution agreement.
True, pluto. Lord knows I’ve been more long-winded than that. It seemed pretty long when I was typing it in the text window, though! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I’m just not posting as much lately.
Excellent! I was thinking of emailing you last week to find out how things were going and then completely forgot in the midst of the soap opera that is my job.
Yeah, Strainger, where are you now? Which job did you land. You know better then to come to this board with less than the full story. Are you close enough to Atlanta to soiree?
Oh, yeah - congratulations!
The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik
Excellent. That’s fantastic, my strainge friend. I was wondering just the other day on my lonesome, solitary drive to Springfield how the job search was going.
It sounds like you’ve landed in a pretty decent place, but being a VAR and providing tech support can be a bitch. It always seems those functions need to be performed just when all the other shit is in the fan.
I’m sure you’ll handle with your usual grace and aplomb, though. Again, congrats to you.
Thanks, everyone, for your support! I’m still pretty excited about it.
BunnyGirl and Doctor Jackson, my new workplace is located…(drumroll)…about 1/2 mile north of where I used to work. So, I won’t need to sell the house any time soon. In fact, I drive by my old workplace on the way home in the evening. I always make it a point to wave* at them as I drive by. Still, not all of our customers are in Arizona. I hope to line up some jobs in the Atlanta area and do some travelling there. I’ve already been putting the word out to my engineering buddies back home.
Doctor Jackson, I don’t know if I talked about it at our get-together. These are the guys with whom I had worked periodically as a customer/software trainee since about 1995. I ran into them at lunch (while I was out with my then co-workers!) and went up to say “hello.” One of the partners asked how my job was going to which I replied, “Sucks the big one.” So, he told me to give him a call, which I did. I had an interview just before Christmas and a second meeting with them near the end of January. Soon after that, they hired me.
UncleBeer, I’ll be all right on the tech support/sales/training stuff. If we’re given that responsibility again, we’ll have a full-time tech support guy with some of us catching the spillover. Also, the sales demos and training will take place very occasionally, so they shouldn’t interfere with my projects too much.
Oh – get this – we get free soft drinks and snacks (chips, pretzels, fruit, etc.) at work! The fridge and various plastic containers in the kitchen area are always well-stocked. I call it “engineer fuel.” So far my will-power has been very good.
BunnyGirl, I hope your job situation improves soon.
*with one finger
“Well, walk it off! And next time, stretch before you ovulate.” – Al Bundy
I hate to piss in your Wheaties Strainger, but we have a fridge full of beer, frosty mugs and a pool table. Did I tell you about the indoor parking garage attached to the building? That’s a very nice feature in the dead of a Toledo winter.
I’m just glad he told me about his quitting of old and starting anew before you folks! But, being cousins with him leads to some privlaged information. Again, Strainger, Congratulations on the new employ. Don’t forget to ask them if they would like to sponsor my cycling…HAHA.
(Oh, and one-fingered waves aren’t nice if you’re using the finger that I’m presuming you are.)
“If we submit everything to reason, our religion will have no mysterious or supernatural element. If we offend the principles of reason, our religion will be absurd and ridiculous.” Blaise Pascal