With great saddness...

nlinecomputers said:
Not me. Working for someone else was always way more stressful then being on my own. I like being the boss. I hate office politics. Hate having to beg supervisors for time, money, changes in SOP.
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X2, I'm kicking myself for not doing this 20 years ago after my first downsizing or as the arrogant area manager who fired me called it, "rightsizing."

Fredrick, speedy recovery for your wife and good luck in your job search.
 
nlinecomputers said:
Not me. Working for someone else was always way more stressful then being on my own. I like being the boss. I hate office politics. Hate having to beg supervisors for time, money, changes in SOP.
Click to expand...

I hear ya there, cant stand the bitching that goes on in offices and dealing with managers/directors kiss my arse!:p
 
frederick said:
With great saddness, we are in the process of closing up shop. We've already made a deal with a local firm to take over our operations. It wasn't an easy choice, but it was one that had to be made.

Early last month, my wife went in to the hospital after collapsing in our living room because she couldn't breathe. She ended up having pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress (ARDS), which cause a heart valve to pro-lapse and it needed to be replaced. So most of my attention these last two months have been focused on her. As a result, the only other partner has been working himself mad, and is just burning out doing the work of 3 people.

Two weeks ago, we all sat down and had a good conversation. The consensus we came up with was to close up shop. I've been looking for employment mostly in the Government Contractor sector (General Dynamics, Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, BAE, etc.). The hope is to jump back on some systems I was working on when I was in the Army. The other hope is to head up north to cleaner air to let her lungs recover as much as possible. The dry and dusty environment here in Phoenix is not what she needs. As well as the heat plus her trying to recover is having huge effects on her.

I plan to stick around, and hopefully become more active again as things ease up on me (us), and try to provide you all with awesome advice in the realm of Networking and Network Security. Currently looking at and being considered for a lot of Network Engineer positions, mostly Senior/Lvl III positions. Fingers crossed you know.
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I made the decision to walk away a few months back. Not for the same reasons. But, I had been working with my University connections for quite a while (I'm in a heavy higher ed area) to land an IT position. I finally did and basically surrendered my end of the business. I needed more stability, benefits, and a chance at a retirement some day. So far, it's been the best decision I've ever made.

I wish you and your family the best.
 
I want to say something to employers out there.....if you are not gonna hire anybody, and just checking out the employee market, please let that be known from the start.

After several interviews this week, several of them ended with them saying "we are not in a position to hire anyone for this slot at this time.....are you willing to wait a couple of months....." or "once we get upper management to approve opening this slot, i think we can consider hiring you for this position"

Ive been pretty irritated with these people, and some got to hear it, as well as their managers/bosses
 
nlinecomputers said:
I'd be careful with that. I understand the frustration and the waste of your time but letting them know that just crosses you off their list permanently.
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The ones who got to hear it were the ones who got my hopes up through the interview, or implied promises throughout.

I dont want an employer who takes an if and makes it sound like this is whats gonna happen.
 
nlinecomputers said:
I'd be careful with that. I understand the frustration and the waste of your time but letting them know that just crosses you off their list permanently.
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Exactly. Even having connections, I was runner up for my position when it first came up. My connection wanted to take me to lunch to explain to me why they went with a young, inexperienced, internal candidate over me. The whole morning before the lunch, scenarios ran through my head of clever ways to take jabs at their decision as well as all kinds of questions. I regretted even agreeing meeting for lunch. But I did and bit my tongue the entire time and just let it be known I was disappointed but respected their decision (after all, these people did bring me work all the time). I got the whole spiel if another position opens or if someone retires, I'd be first consideration for another interview.

It was literally 10 days later, I received news the same position had reopened. I knew something didn't work out with their first choice. As bad as I wanted to ask what happened to their internal person, I played along and went through the entire interview process and waiting game again and was chosen second time around. So far, for them and me it's been happy ever after.

Even though my situation was not the same, I kind of feel like it might have been in a way. They do things by committee and sometimes those on the committee will already be comfortable with an internal candidate to where an outsider doesn't stand a chance. So, as an outsider you really need to stand out to beat out a known quantity. But the moral of the story is be careful the bridges you burn.
 
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Well said Mac. Perhaps the interviewer liked you more then other candidates but as Mac points out internal politics takes you off the board for the moment. Stuff happens. That HR guy who you think blew you off might themselves be heading for a new position with a new company and might remember you. So you could end up being remembered as good candidate and get called at company Y or the guy who was a jerk and gets crossed off at two locations based on ONE interview. You need them more then they need you. And you may be stuck unable to get a job right now. We know you need to move but if no one hires you then what will you do? You'll have to wait. And those places that are interviewing now are doing so because they know they may have trouble filling the position later when they do need it. It is what the job market is like now days.
 
I dunno, I guess it depends how many options are in the area. If you actually have options...I'd be so over this kind of game-playing. If they don't tell you from the start they're not really hiring at the moment and lead you on, I'd be ****** too. I'm fine with having coffee and trading business cards but if they actually pull a bait-and-switch then I'd be very suspicious about their corporate culture.
 
Might want to consider applying with L-3 Communications/Mission Integration Division; they have several locations (main ops location with a few thousand employees at Greenville Tx) that use Computer System Administrators, as we call them.
 
frederick said:
So i got hired by a comapny. Looks like a great place, so far i like the people ive met there and in all, a down to earth crew.

Going to be a Network Engineer II, start on monday. Moving back in to the "corporate" world has me a little nervous to be honest.
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Do you still plan on keeping some of your old clients and doing some side work? Even if it is just residential? Have clients approached you about this?
 
cypress said:
Do you still plan on keeping some of your old clients and doing some side work? Even if it is just residential? Have clients approached you about this?
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The quick answer is no. Gonna use my free time to be with the kids and wife. But im still in the process of getting some clients moved else where
 
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