Thread Drift

[rebeccaC]

Had an interview in my current field yesterday (academic libraries) and it went very very well. Heard from one of my references that they already called her and were super impressed with me and my skill set, so yay!

The job working with felons in work release is still out there as well, just caught in the endless background check cycle (dependant upon state police and FBI "getting around" to their part).

my magic ball says you'll be offered a job that will present new positive opportunities...

[ny biker]

Good luck on the continuing job search and on the move, Pax and Crankin. Both of these activities are often of the two-steps-forward-one-step-back variety.

A few months ago I started working with a different group of people at my job, including a new manager. He is a micro-manager. I do not do well with micro-managers -- I work best when I'm allowed to think for myself. I never hesitate to ask questions or ask for help when I need it, I've been here a long time and have a proven track record. So it's not about me, it's about someone else being unable to let go and trust others. It's very unproductive to have to take time to calm down every time he yanks on the leash.

[Catrin]

Thinking of everyone moving or on the search for a job. Both are stressful and Pax, Crankin I hope both work well for you. NY Biker, I hope your new boss relaxes the reins.

[Pax]

My sympathies NY, in my recent interview I was asked what kind of management style I respond to best. I explained I appreciate being taught whatever is expected, being given the necessary tools/access/authority to accomplish the job, then being left alone. He breathed a sigh of relief and said he was a very hands off manager and had had difficulty with hiring a recent grad who very definitely wanted/needed hand holding.

[Crankin]

Why are the elderly women who work at the polls in my town so surly and rude?
My mom worked at the polls in San Diego for at least 10 years. I know she didn't act like that!
These people are nothing like the poll workers in my old town, who applauded for my son the first time he voted.

[Crankin]

My friend, Jack, had a crash yesterday. I was not riding with him, but it happened when he was with a crazy invitation only group he rides with, that he invited me to join. I saw this when I got a flurry of emails from the group's list. I guess he did an endo on some poorly maintained road in Weston and was knocked out for a minute or so. The police were called, and although there were no obvious injuries, they took him into Boston, to MA General. He got sent home after they checked him out.
It kind of freaked me out, as he rides almost everyday and was a hard core commuter before he retired. But, he doesn't pay attention that well, and i suspect this group was not going slowly! He seems fine, but I admonished him to rest. Hopefully, his wife will enforce this.

[Pax]

Glad he's okay, that's some scary stuff!

[Crankin]

Oy, nothing is ever dull here. DH has been unhappy at work for quite awhile, mostly because he got a new boss a couple of years ago and also his place is full of data driven geeky people who don't understand the human side of business. Oh, and the CEO is most definitely on the spectrum.
On Thursday, he told them he was leaving. He is not ready to retire yet, but he does need to do something different. He does not need to make the amount of money he is making now; once we sell our house, we will pay off the small mortgage we have on the condo. Other than that, we have no debt, except the normal utilities, etc. He is going to work there a couple of more months and then they will continue paying him for quite a while after that. They are also helping him with hooking him up with the type of recruiters that deal with people at his level.
I don't want him to be unhappy, but I would never quit my job before having a new one. I can only think about the bad things that can happen, mostly because my dad was unemployed a lot when I was in my teens and then later in life. It's not the same thing, obviously, but he sees this as an opportunity and I see it as a big pain in the azz. It's not like I make any money now, like I did when I was teaching. Right now, 90% of my paltry salary goes into a 401K. I will have to stop that to pay for the insurance we will need, probably only for a couple of months.
I am trying to ignore the situation, just because there is nothing I can do!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin ~~ I'm with you; I would never quit a job without having found another, but perhaps that's just not practical at your DH's level. Sounds like no matter what you're in great shape financially, so I suspect it will all work out and he'll find a position that suits him quickly. Good luck with that and your move. Change is good; keeps the synapses firing!

[Crankin]

That is part of the problem, Emily. Job searches at his level are somewhat "hidden," and he actually does not have the time he needs to do it in a good way. Now he has access to those kinds of recruiters, without having to pay for it. Since I am not privy to how these things work in the world of business, I guess this is the way people do it. In 2001, he stuck his resume out on Monster and had 2 interviews, and 2 offers. It was a very hard choice for him to make. The other company was quite a different culture, which in the end, would have been better, but probably would not have afforded the opportunities in terms of money and travel, which in turn, afforded us opportunity.
I am fine with change, but I don't want to jeopordize anything. We really can afford for him to take a cut in pay to get what he wants, and work a couple of more years. I know, developmentally, this is a normal stage in older adult growth. That is not the part that bothers me, it's the getting the job, even though the recruiters have already told him it's a very hot job market here. On the other hand, DH also has lots of "trade" skills, and could easily work at doing some of that, if he needed to, while job searching. Most of our friends cannot believe he has done almost all of our remodeling work himself. He has even thought of opening a handyman business, but that would be more for retirement than now. He's also thought of doing mobile bike repair... until I teased him about going to some woman's home and being told "I need you to lube my chain..."

[Helene2013]

I wish him the best in finding a "dream" job at this stage of his life. When you are not happy and you have the chance to move on, you should do so.

I always quit my job before finding one and it never stressed me. Hubby though is a different story. He never would dream of doing this without a new job in hand already.

I always tell my current boss (like others before) that if I am no longer happy with the job or what comes with it, I'm moving on. My boss teases me and tells me he knows that and he keeps the projects fun.

But at this stage of my life too, I can "afford" to do this and I have no stress. That is also why I've always managed in my entire life to put a cushion (money) away so if something happened or I was no longer happy in a job I'd move on and know I'd have something to pay the mortgage with. And even in between jobs, I always took vacation or bought big ticket priced items. Hubby goes nuts when I do this....me...nah!

So I'm sure your husband will do just fine.

[Catrin]

Best wishes to your DH during this time, and may he find something that he likes better!

[Pax]

Hope he finds a great job, so very weird starting over at our age... but necessary if you want something different.

[Pax]

Regarding new jobs...

My view of my new gig: The hours are awful, the pay is insulting, my coworker (it's just the two of us) is somewhere on the spectrum and is supposed to be training me but actually has only interacted with me for less than five minutes total in the first four days, and the weird way the calculate vacation in laughable (I'll only get 27 hours of vacation in the next 16 months). BUT, I get 4 personal days, 14-16 holidays, and the place is clean.

It'll do for now. LOL

[Crankin]

That made me laugh, Pax. Do you like the actual work?
There was a job listed today for a group private practice right down the road. I really don't want to change jobs. Yes, it's more $, but I've heard weird/creepy things about this place from clients, and I do believe them. I will think on it for a day or so, but I'd rather work more where I am at. Also, I really don't think I can leave my people. Some of them are just starting to make progress and others are falling apart, and I feel like I want to be there to help them.