Job Hunt.......movin on

jdhdiggs

Brett,

Look at it from a hiring managers point of view: "Hmm, he just quit or got fired by his last company, why should I hire him...?" Versus you getting to set the precedent and explaining that you are looking for a new position due to a merger. It also gives you leverage for negotiating salary.

janmike

All the best Brett. Having a job and looking can reduce the financial stress. Not having a job allows you to focus on job hunting.

ND13

Come on down Brett and sell some cars for me.:p

brettw22

I've tried car sales.........I was fired for being "too nice"........lol......go figure.

ND13

TOO NICE!!!! Must have been before you became so jaded.;)

wallstreet

I don't know Brett. I've been doing computer contracting for some 15 years. Too many jobs to count. Some of those jobs ended with no notice and 50 people hitting the streets on the same day, "Have a nice weekend" as the footprint from kicking you in the arse is still clearly visible. If you're a great poker player, it may not be an issue for you. For most folks, the stress of needing income from an extended period of unemployment reduces their ability to negotiate their true value. They end up comprimising on salary or benefits since they really need the job. After 15 years I've gotten fairly good at negotiating my rates. That's primarily based on extensive knowledge of the industry and what is fair and reasonable for the IT services I'm providing. Even so, I negotiate better when I've still got income coming in and all my chips aren't all the table. The hiring company also knows that and usually won't waste your time with an unreasonable offer.

brettw22

I totally understand your points.......but even though I've decided to pass with company number 1, I automatically become an employee with company number 2. #2 has a period of time to see if they have an opening for me (could be months, weeks, days, whatever), but if they don't, then I sever.

I have enough right now to survive at least 10 months and if I get a severance package I'll be good to over a year. I'm not entirely thrilled at the idea of being jobless, but with as many years as have been given up to this company, I'm not willing to do anything that will benefit them 100% and me minimally.

Deciding not to go with #1 has given me more peace over the past few days than in a long time. It's probably risky, my sanity is worth more than what they were trying to slap me with.

wodom1

I'm in the same boat and am looking for new work. I'm working on my resume and am hoping to send it out this week. Anyone know anyone in the construction business in Chicago?:D

McLoki

wodom1 wrote:

I'm in the same boat and am looking for new work. I'm working on my resume and am hoping to send it out this week. Anyone know anyone in the construction business in Chicago?:D

Give Opus a PM if you are willing to go about 3 hours south of there.....

Michael

tonyb

wodom1 wrote:

I'm in the same boat and am looking for new work. I'm working on my resume and am hoping to send it out this week. Anyone know anyone in the construction business in Chicago?:D

Talk to me,what exactly do you do? What union are you in?

wodom1

tonyb wrote:

Talk to me,what exactly do you do? What union are you in?

I'm not in a union. I'm an Assistant Project Manager for a well known (in Chicago) contractor.

tonyb

Hard for me to help ya there.I deal with the likes of
Walsh,Plote,K-5,Palumbo,mostly road work.Now I am
on the frickin Dan Ryan...what a nightmare.

wodom1

I'm going to send my resume out to those companies. Hopefully I get some interest. Is there any work on the Dan Ryan today? There are strikers outside of my office picketing Kiewit.

tonyb

Walsh is the only one working,KIEWIT is a good company,did some
work for them in Lake Zurich.Good luck on your search,lots of work
out there this year.

brettw22

I officially have turned down company number 1 and have talked to our VP of HR about not taking a job with ompany number 2. I will have a severance offer either on Friday of next week or the week after.

I couldn't be happier.

dkg999

Brett - make sure in your severance agreement specifies that you are leaving on good or favorable terms and that the company agrees that it will communicate such to any prospective employers that inquire. Lots of horror stories about former employees who forced a severance scenario and then find out their former employer is telling inquirers that you left on unfavorable terms. It's also wise to have someone call them in a few weeks to make an inquiry and find out exactly what information they volunteer.

brettw22

Sounds good.......My old boss told me that he'd be more than willing to serve as a reference and I will make sure that it's noted in the file somehow.

The **** of this is that the VP of HR with our company is the one whose **** I had to rip a year and a half ago for the way they were handling my situation back when i had a floating severance on the table for a year and a half becuase I had no interest in moving to CA.

Sami

brettw22 wrote:

I will have a severance offer either on Friday of next week or the week after.

I couldn't be happier.

I can feel your joy. I was laid off after 10 years of service couple months ago. Had a few new jobs lined up pretty shortly with very nice pay increase. Environment wasn't toxic like in your case but there just wasn't enough challenge for me in that position anymore. A year before my long term group had been disbanded and all of us were scattered in different groups across the R&D.

I did give up 6 weeks of vacation compared to 3 weeks now (thankfully 4th is coming next year) but the severance and pay increase more than make up for that. Very happy right now and I once again enjoy what I do.

DarqueKnight

Brett,

I know what you mean about toxic work environments. I wish you happiness and success where ever you decide to go.

dorokusai

I wish he'd man up and admit he's quitting for a starring role in Mamma Mia! on Broadway....this is just ridiculous.

Skynut

I'd go see him in Momma mia, i think.
At least if he would give me an autograph.

cfrizz

Waaaaaaaaa!

brettw22

2 weeks later and I'm still here. I have no boss any more, and nothing to do other than answer the occasional phone call.

Sudoku is my friend, and I'm slowly whittling down my solving times........lol.

Sami

brettw22 wrote:

Sudoku is my friend, and I'm slowly whittling down my solving times........lol.

Haha. When I was in your situation I developed a computer program to solve Sudoku. Manually solving them was getting too easy...

brettw22

To Play

To Solve

hoosier21

Sudoku is evil, boring, no fun, makes my eyes hurt, but couldn't put it down.

I am free of that demon, never will I play again.