Thread: Take this job...

WW243,

As an Engineer, I've learned that the general attitude of A&E firms or similiar is that an Engineer = Human Battery. When you wear out, they just through you away and get a new one … a younger one.

Good luck on your leap. We've all either been there, or will be there, at least once before we retire.

I became a chemical consultant as a result of walking away one morning from a cushy job as a research chemist in a production lab (BIG money company, all the neatest gear ). The inability of a new lab director to make wise hiring choices had resulted in what I'd considered to be literally the best job in the world, the one I wanted to die doing becoming simply Hell every work day. This was making me a crazy person.

On the morning in question, I phoned HR to ensure my patent profit sharing would not be jeopardized. I'd developed some compounds that had proved very lucrative for the company, and to their credit, they did engage in profit sharing from intellectual property derived by their employees. For me, this was no small amount. I then crunched numbers, and considering my military retirement as an additional source of income realized that a 9 to 5 was not necessary for me to enjoy a high standard of living. Told the new director I was through and required an escort out of the building. Happiest friggin' day of my life. Five years later I still consider this to be the case.

I now work periodically as a consultant. But only when I need shaving gear money .

You KNOW when it's time to move on.

Ha! When I read the original post I prepared myself to tell my story... When it dawned on me, I have never walked out! I guess I imagined it so many times, I thought that I must have.

How very drole! I'll need to remedy that one day.

I think you were a structural iron worker, but thinking back in my 9 years of doing concrete work, 6 of which was in a 'composite' heavy construction company, we were building a clarifier at a sewage treatment plant and there were two rod busters supposed to be there tying steel. I did not know any structural steel workers but I ran into rod busters and the occasional pile drivers on some of our bridge jobs...small bridges. So on this clarifier only one steel guy shows up and the foreman tells me to go give him a hand....so for a couple of hours I tied steel and held some rods for him.....the guy did not say a word to me. Rodbusters were tough...seriously tough. Finally I am about a foot from his face and he looks me right in the eyes and says: 'I hate this f___ing job an everyone on it." I can't tell you how many times I have laughed and truly admired that guy for his brutal honesty, something in short supply these days.

Good luck to the OP igot of on my rant and forgot to say that. Earcutter now that you have a job maybe one day you,ll get your chance! Tc

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

You shouldn't be. This country is sadly racing backwards to the era of the Robber Barons; really, we're more of an oligarchy now than anything else, and the ones who take it the hardest are working people.

At the rate things are going in a few more years folks in this country are going to be brutally acquainted with the working man's life in the early 20th century.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

You shouldn't be. This country is sadly racing backwards to the era of the Robber Barons; really, we're more of an oligarchy now than anything else, and the ones who take it the hardest are working people.

I'm truly saddened to hear that.
While I am not an American, and have thoughts and beliefs that collides with some of your nations laws, I have always been and will always be a romantic believer in the core of the US values.
Hopefully the tide will turn and an honest days work will yet again be valued for what it is.
The very building stone of every society...

When I left I was lucky enough to have 44 yrs in. Short story : new director "told"me on a Monday that he was moving me from the job I liked to another that was, and would continue to be nothing but problems. Told, didn't even discuss it.
Asked when it would take place, he said the following Monday. I said fine and walked right to personnel and turned in my retirement for the Friday before the move.
I've Never questioned my decision.

Originally Posted by WW243

Has anyone just said one day enough and walked off? No two week notice, no teary good-byes, no back up plan, just a complex set of circumstances that said to you: time to leap no matter what is at the bottom. Today was my day. This will be the third time I have done it in 24 years, so it might be considered a pattern.

More times than I can recall. My resume looks like a phone book for a small town. Haven't done it since I got married though. Drove trucks for he better part of thirty years. Never quit under a load. Always made the delivery and then tossed 'em their keys. Last trucking job I had, I quit them under a load. Wasn't the least bit happy about it, but I was PISSED. Called the punk dispatcher at home at 6:00A on a Saturday morning and told him he was without a driver. He spouted off and said the freight HAD to be delivered. I told him I'd wait for him out front of the office and if he could whip my ass, I'd deliver the loads.

He said he couldn't do that, told him I knew that but I would have enjoyed busting his chops again. I'd already thumped his head once before and didn't get fired over it.

Thought about it several times since then where I'm at now, but I've got more than just me to worry about now. One of ex bosses got a glimpse of my inner child that doesn't play well with others one day. He steered clear of me for about a week.

Nowadays, I let it roll off as much as I can. I'm not on call anymore so I don't have to bring work home with me. That's a good thing.

I've done it once, but never again. It's too easy to burn your bridges that way.