Over the past couple weeks I had kind of dropped off in my usage and visiting of the site. Life has been pretty insane, and I've been doing everything I can to keep homelife running as usual. Anyway most of the sources of stress are coming to an end over the next week, but I wanted to share what's going on at my job because the entire thing has become the sequel to Office Space.

Just some quick history for you. 11 years ago I started a marketing job at a small medical supply company that was working out of a warehouse. They were small but started to become very successful thanks so to some very driven and talented management and employees. Anyway we started to attract some attention, and 6 years ago we were bought by the biggest competitor in the industry. Lots of good stuff came from that. The only real downside of the whole situation is I had to go work in a new place. I had started working from home, but the new company said I couldn't do that anymore. So I had to go back to one of their local locations, and they basically set up a table in the back corner of a small room where I've been working ever since.

My little marketing team continued to do our thing, but also started doing jobs for other small companies that this billion dollar company was buying. That turned out to be a good thing for me, because at the start of April they decided to let go of my division. 25 people were let go with no warning, except me. The head of IT called me that morning and said they wanted me to work for them since I could build websites and I know a few other CRM programs. So I'm safe right?

Well 45 days later I still hadn't heard from my new manager, except for a single reply email from her that said she was busy but would get back to me. Let me tell you, when you hear from your boss once in 6 weeks and get no direction in the meantime, you start to worry. And the fact that I'm still working in this one little office away from corporate eyes has made me completely invisible. I have been forgotten about. My days have essentially been taking long lunches, replying to the ocasional email from other employees, and playing a shitload of Hearthstone (let me tell you, my deck is fucking amazing people). Oh yes and stressing out like hell. All my free time has been focused on sharpening my resume and sending it out, but I'll tell you the job scene is very different from when I was last looking for a job a decade ago.

Apparently a new thing is recruiting is done by Indian call centers. THere's one that claims to be in New Jersey that reaches out to me almost daily. I call bullshit that they're in Jersey though. I think by now I would have heard from one guido sounding guy rather than someone who sounds like they work at 7-11 (the racial sensitivity award winner of 2017 thanks you for still reading). And they clearly have no idea what they're doing. They offered me a contract job in Coconut Springs, FL that is about 200 miles away from where I lived. When I pointed out how far that was from me, the call center recruiter still had the balls to ask, "yes but would you commute?"

And more recently another one of these guys called, and tried to conduct some pre-screening questions at me. Problem was HE CAN'T FUCKING READ ENGLISH!!!!!  He kept asking me "what is a conversation me on Google."  After the 5th time he said it, I realized he was trying to say "conversion." The other questions were just as problematic for him, so eventually he gives up and asks he can email me the questions and I just fill them in and send it back.

Job hunting is not quite what it was.

Anyway there is finally good news. I have 4 legitimately good job interviews lined up with good companies in just the past 24 hours after making a few big changes to my resume. And finally the new manager of mine set up a conference call with me for tomorrow after weeks of radio silence. So I'm confident now that one way or another this is finally going to get resolved, either staying with the company or going to a new one.

Posted by robio Thu, 18 May 2017 13:04:52 (comments: 14)
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Thu, 18 May 2017 13:59:49

There was a story about a year ago of an employee who one day was told to go home untill they called him with more work.  He spent 4 years at home, receiving wages for doing nothing.  Once the firm found out they fired him and wanted their money back.  Court ruled it was his to keep.

Just saying, sitting in a corner and keeping your head low can pay off.  But I must admit it's not the most rewarding way to make a living.  Hope you find something good soon, at the firm you work now, or elsewhere.

 
Thu, 18 May 2017 14:18:43
I've heard stories like that too. Up until the past few weeks I didn't believe them, but I can see how it's possible now.

I'll hopefully get a clear idea of what my future will be if I remain here during my call this afternoon. My gut is telling me it's probably time to move onto something new though.
 
Fri, 19 May 2017 10:56:06
I wish you the best of luck, no matter what the outcome.
 
Fri, 19 May 2017 11:06:45
That sucks. Utterly.
 
Fri, 19 May 2017 14:04:02

I wish you the best of luck no matter what as well.

 
Fri, 19 May 2017 15:05:25
Thanks guys. The conversation with the new managers yesterday actually went very well, and by the end of the call I felt my job is pretty secure. Just wish they could have done this last month.

I'm going to the corporate office next month for some extra training, and in the meantime I'm going to keep those upcoming interviews just in case. Besides, one of them is with a pretty well known company that offers a lot of perks. Could still be worth jumping for.

Now, time to get back to work...or possibly more Hearthstone.
 
Fri, 19 May 2017 20:15:39
Awesome news. Um what changes did you make to your resume that got you so many interviews. I maybe moving to Tampa and I'm looking for a new job but online applying sucks.
 
Sat, 20 May 2017 00:08:17

I slightly changed the format to make it look a little nicer, and included a footer that had my contact information so it would then appear on every page, and not just the top of the first page. I also rewrote a few things to include a few more buzzwords and industry terms that always sound like bullshit to me, but clearly appeal to hiring managers.

The biggest thing was at the top of my resume though. I had a section called "Objective" where I explained my goals and the kind of position I am looking for. I had my resume reviewed my a resume grader and they said that was something that was okay for someone coming out of college or early in their professional life, but at the stage I'm in I shouldn't have that. Instead they said, make a section that said "Career Summary" and then in a sentence describe what it is you do, which should basically be your title, industry, speciality, and anything else important.

That seemed to do the trick. Like I said, I had 4 interviews thrown at my over the course of the next week, AND actually got one more today for Monday.

 
Sat, 20 May 2017 16:03:52

Isn't it amazing the kind of bullshit you have to do just to get a goddamn job? Whatever happened to walking into a place, talking to somebody, using common sense, showing them you indeed have a brain in your head and you like work to make money to pay for living...and getting a job? Now it's like even going for a simple job you have to go through this insane process as if you're working at fucking NASA or something.

 
Sun, 21 May 2017 01:57:42
I tell you, all the additional screening they do is kind of mind-blowing. A lot of these companies run background checks on you, check your social media accounts, along with the regular drug tests. It makes you wonder though, are they actually getting better employees with all this extra crap? I really don't think so.
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