Getting a job....

[JazzGuitarGimp]

My consulting work started waining in 2010. Somehow, I managed to do alright from 2007 (when this mess allegedly started) until 2010. For the past two years, my standing joke has been: If I want to continue to be a PCB layout designer, I'm going to have to move to India. Fortunately, my business is just starting to show signs of recovery. Not sure I'll ever get back to my income level of 2010, but I'd be quite happy with half that, especially at my age.

One word of caution, Phil: In 1999, I too got an offer from a friend. I took a full time job at his company, which was an 85-mile drive from my house. I had to let my consulting fall by the wayside - just didn't have the time or the energy to do it in the evenings. Two years later, my employer was in bankruptcy, was bought by Micron, and a few months later, we were all thrown out on the street (as it turns out, Micron only wanted our intellectual property, not us). It took me two full years to rebuild my consultancy. I got married in 1999. My wife had three children living at home at the time, and the offer of a 'real job' came at an opportune moment. BUT, that two years of rebuilding my client base was excruciatingly painful, financially speaking.

Good luck and be well,
Lou

[briane]

going to jail or if it's freedom

gauranteed jail.

just ask yourself am I done with this life?

Do I desire to do nothing more interesting?

You wont have any time to pursue your dreams, be a truly involved human being, or properly take care of yourself and expand your future direction.

We all need to eat - problem isnt the money its really land - given a chunk of a land with tree's, water, and sunshine, a man does not need to work for anything truly nessesary in life.

So I believe slavery truly exists - it was handed down by our ancestors when they asked for rent.

Me, I'm moving on as soon as I can just barely afford to - hopefully at least 1 day before I die.

We all die someday.

congrats on the job - but the reality theres no reason why we need to work - its just the system has enslaved us by denying us land to live on.

[Phil_S]

Wow! Thanks for the additional comments!

I survived the first day. Did something productive, too. I trained a new employee to use the accounting system that I built for them a few years ago.

I am also worn out! It was a lot to take in. It is one thing to learn enough to build a system and quite another to manage inside it.

I have taken this job on an interim basis without obligation to continue, though I know they will want me to. I sure missed working from my home office.

[wicker]

Reading this as a future graduate ( ~6months probably) in EE doesn't make me optymistic...

[Reeltarded]

I have taken this job on an interim basis without obligation to continue

YOU SOUND STOKED!

lol

Glad you made it through that first day, buddy.

[M Fowler]

Congrats Phil nothing wrong with tackling new employment.

Just know when to quit

[vibratoking]

We have all read Walden's Pond. If you haven't you should.

Living off the land and "self-sufficiency' are very likely to make you a slave to your basic needs.

Having a job does not equal slavery. Sorry, but that's bullshit IMO. There is nothing slavish about having a rewarding job. Rewards come in many ways, including money, satisfaction, time, etc. I enjoy my work and have enough time for me and my family, so there is no aspect of slavery involved for me. I could make more, but I could work harder doing it. It's all a trade-off.

My advice to a new grad is make sure you enjoy your work. If not, then make a change ASAP! The completely negative comments regarding having a job only apply to those that are foolish enough to suffer in one that they don't enjoy.

Best of luck to everyone in their job.

[Bob S]

Best wishes Phil.
I hope it proves to be enjoyable & at least mildly challenging.
Good Luck to everyone else currently seeking employment.
Not easy in today's job marketplace.

[LeftyStrat]

Reading this as a future graduate ( ~6months probably) in EE doesn't make me optymistic...

I've had a long and fruitful career that I have enjoyed. My first job I held for 17 years, and worked my way up through the company. After 17 years I realized it wasn't fun anymore, and I didn't really want to go into management. Fortunately that was around the dot-com boom, and took a job with a startup. I've sort of been doing the startup thing ever since.

I certainly don't regret the work I've done, and I've had fun doing it. For me it's all about being intellectually challenged, learning, meeting other smart people and building a good reputation.

Probably my only regret was when I was young, I wasn't really interested in the business side of things. I wish somewhere along the way I had tried my hand at my own startup.

You rarely are going to get rich working for another man, unless of course you were employee #4 at a Microsoft, Amazon, or Google.

[tsutt]

A job whats that, there aren't any around here. gonna lose everything. coarse it not going to matter as our so called gov is ruining the country.

[cbass]

Good luck at the new job Phil.Hope you are happy there.As far as I'm concerned thats the only measure of success.

[LeftyStrat]

A job whats that, there aren't any around here. gonna lose everything. coarse it not going to matter as our so called gov is ruining the country.

Plenty of jobs in Washington State, as long as you don't mind living in a state with a liberal government and the highest minimum wage in the nation. The economy's probably going to get even better now that pot and gay marriage are legal.

[rp]

Plenty of jobs in Washington State, as long as you don't mind living in a state with a liberal government and the highest minimum wage in the nation. The economy's probably going to get even better now that pot and gay marriage are legal.

Plenty of work, good pay, no risk weed, and double your chances of finding a spouse! Best keep it a secret.

[Phil_S]

I have the advantage of easing into this. The agreement is to serve as the interim person in the position on an hourly basis. I am off today to tend to a consulting client that I'm winding down (mutual agreement to do so) and that precipitated the whole thing.

I don't think anyone will be surprised when I say that it is easier to talk to strangers about this. I think that's because it doesn't carry and "baggage" if you know what I mean. A number of you have given me a serious wake up call on the whole matter. It's been pretty balanced, too. Whichever way I go, I wanted to say that I appreciate the comments. They seem to honest and sincere. Even the humor carries real truth. Thanks for a serious dose of reality!

Phil

[Reeltarded]

Plenty of jobs in Washington State, as long as you don't mind living in a state with a liberal government and the highest minimum wage in the nation. The economy's probably going to get even better now that pot and gay marriage are legal.

Plenty of work, good pay, no risk weed, and double your chances of finding a spouse! Best keep it a secret.

Until they run out of weed.. and money.

Don't you want somebody to put up with until your head explodes? Jefferson Helicopter.