Joining the ranks of the unemployed

[Tleg93]

I was told today that Friday will be my last day at Kellogg's Co. I have completed the assignment I was contracted for and we're parting ways. I was hoping to find a job here as it pays very well but it looks like I'll be out on the street. At least I won't be sitting in some back office reading novels all day long anymore. Not that I hated that but after a while it just becomes a waste of time.

These people here have serious organizational issues. Half the time I've been working here it has been hit and miss. Sometimes they know what they want then all of a sudden they change their mind. I worked alone and without supervision for over a year but I got things done even when they didn't know they needed them done. I did a stellar job virtually creating a preventive maintenance program for them and I have been told as much. It just sucks that they'll hire some idiot as a supervisior while someone who has a mind and has demonstrated that he can use it to produce results gets laid off. Since I've been working here I've repeatedly had to light fires under people's behinds who have much higher positions than me. It was fun watching them scramble to appease the operations manager who was my boss but it was also depressing to see how little one needs to know to be a highly paid business unit manager. Well, the dice have been thrown for me once again. I guess now I'll get to see what the next chapter will be.

[vrg3]

Screw 'em. They didn't treat you with respect, and now you're free of them.

Knowing the kind of waste that goes into their business practices will probably make me avoid buying their products, too. If they're hiring morons, wasting the time of quality people, dropping the people that they really need... not even mentioning the waste in the manfuacturing process... they're wasting their customers' money. They're wasting the earth's resources.

I wish you good luck on the next chapter.

[evolutionmovement]

I think all businesses are basically the same. That's why I try to help the little guys when possible as they're less wasteful (they have to be) and better to their employees as they can't afford the turnover either. Hope the market there's better than up here.

Steve

[Tleg93]

Hope the market there's better than up here.

Yeah, so do I but it's not very likely since this place isn't known for it's booming economy. Oh there's jobs to be had but they pay like $8.50 an hour. When you owe close to 40k in student loans that ain't going to cut it. I'm not very hopefull about the whole thing but I still have to survive so I'll do whatever it takes.

If I do wind up having some downtime it will be an opportunity to finish my book which is about cosmic demons that have escaped their "stellar coffins" to posses the spirit energies of a multitude of worlds and trap them in a cycle of rebirth, death, and darkness in order to regain their physical bodies.

Screw 'em. They didn't treat you with respect, and now you're free of them.

Knowing the kind of waste that goes into their business practices will probably make me avoid buying their products, too. If they're hiring morons, wasting the time of quality people, dropping the people that they really need... not even mentioning the waste in the manfuacturing process... they're wasting their customers' money. They're wasting the earth's resources.

I feel the same way about it too. I was getting tired of the lack of direction and purpose so even though the future is uncertain I do feel sort of relieved at least in one aspect.

[Tleg93]

I'm seriously considering selling what I can, storing the rest and just taking the f@#k off! I'm thinking about maybe taking my money out of the bank, cashing my insurance check and going somewhere far away from here for a while to get my head together. I feel like I'm going to puke.

[BAC5.2]

Scott - That might not be a bad idea in the short term, but don't blow your hard earned money on a whim to "releive" some temporary stress.

When I was in Williamsport, it doesn't seem to be a big area with a job market to envy from the world. Perhaps a change of scenery might help amp things up a bit. Open yourself to a new variety of job opportunities and new experiences.

I'd keep everything in the bank, keep the insurance check, and keep your head level. Don't act on an impulse you KNOW you'll regret. Perhaps go on a trip to visit friends or family and clear your mind a bit.

I'd seriously suggest applying to everything from high-school $8 an hour jobs at office supply stores, to being a clerk at local law firms.

I'll tell you a little story about a guy in my speech class. He started working at age 15. Did the blue collar jobs, worked his hands to the bone as much as he could. Realized that it wasn't for him. At age 16 he started working at Staples. Figured he'd sell some office supplies, meet some of the wheelers and dealers in the local community, and try to get his foot in the door. After 2 years at Staples, he was promoted to Store Manager. He's now 19 years old, a full time student, and full time manager of a $2 million dollar branch of a nation wide chain of stores, and will be moving into his first (new, built for him) house within the next 2 weeks.

The moral of this story isn't to "keep your head in the game" or any of that other cliche' bullshit. It's just to keep your eyes open. What might seem like a menial job now, could open to an opportunity you'd never get anywhere else. While it doesn't always happen like this, you never know what doors are opening along the way.

[Tleg93]

Thanks Phil, it's always good to hear a voice of reason. It would be tough to work at $8 and hour with a B.S. and an A.S in electronics, especially after making $16/hour but I'll do what I have to do. Your right though about this area, it's depressed and has been for years. I'm thinking on a move but I won't be rushing out the door just yet. How old are you?

[evolutionmovement]

I'm in the same spot at Pep Boys and look at it like a stepping stone. I just hope I can survive on it if I don't find a better job in the meantime. I do have know a guy who works for BMW and they're opening a new 20-bay service facility so maybe I'll be able to slither my way in there.

When I think of splitting (like the character in my books did) or turning to a life of crime (again like that character) I try to fool (?) myself into thinking it's temporary.

Steve

[BAC5.2]

Scott - With degrees like that, you'll easily climb the ranks of any job you apply to. Work at Radio Shack as a manager or some other electronics chain (stay away from local businesses, while it IS work, there's no chance for significant promotion. Espically with only one location).

General Managers at the corporate level for larger chains make upwards of $75k a year. For my store (a small chain of 9 stores, to total an EXTREMELY affluent company worth more than some larger, nation wide chains), the general department heads don't do a whole lot of work other than make sure the store managers do their job (whose job it is to make sure the employees do their jobs).

Climb the corporate ladder to that point, and you'll be solid. You seem to be a very organized person, who can keep track of things if you need to. I see nothing in the corporate suits in my company that I don't see you being able to do.

Keep a level head, and give it all you've got. Your not gonna get anywhere by blowing all your money in a spontaneous trip to Lake Tahoe.

You could ALWAYS get a mediocre job, go back to school, get a degree in secondary education, and become a computer science teacher. I know in MD, those teachers are difficult to come by, and the payroll for them is rather steep.

Steve - What about going for managership at Pep-Boys? Nothing screams "hire me" like the words "general manager" on a resume'. Good luck with the BMW job, hopefully you can be a shift supervisor or someone who will make a bit more money than the pit boys do.

I'm 18, but I've been dealing with the retail business for a long enough time to know what it takes to be a manager, and what it takes to go beyond that position.

[evolutionmovement]

Our manager's good and there's no openings of yet. It's an extensive 7-day a week job anyway, and I'd only do it briefly for that so I could move on. I just started, though, so I can't expect CEO in a couple weeks. I know I've already impressed them a little, so we'll see. Meanwhile I'll keep my eye on any dealership openings anywhere (except sales) or any custom car places (not that we have many).

Steve

[Tleg93]

How old are you?

I'm 18, but I've been dealing with the retail business for a long enough time to know what it takes to be a manager, and what it takes to go beyond that position.

Oh, I meant that your words were wise. That wasn't meant to be rude or anything.

[BAC5.2]

Oh, I figured as such, but I wasn't sure if you were actually asking because you forgot or somethin. Thank you for the compliment.

Hehe, no worries. Hope I didn't come off like a dick

[Tleg93]

np