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Okay, last week, had the first interview, which lead to a 2nd interview, that after a bit of schedule shuffle, happened on Wednesday.
That 2nd interview in turn lead to yesterday afternoon's phone call with a verbal offer. The written offer arrived this morning in e-mail, I signed, scanned, and e-mailed it back, and my planned start date is Monday, October 26th. This is of course pending the usual reference, background, and drug checks, which will get going next week.
So, you ask, what is this new job?
"Mechanical Engineer, Sr. - DTS" with a company called Oceaneering. "DTS" stands for "Deepwater Technical Solutions". What I'll be doing is joining a team that essentially does "triage for the offshore oil & gas industries", as my new manager put it. Something underwater breaks, and it's too difficult/dangerous for humans to get to it, and too expensive to pull it up to the surface, Oceaneering's fleet of ROVs gets a call and the DTS group designs and manufactures a tool to fix the broken stuff.
Each job is thus different, and the turn-around time from getting that initial call to the tool going in the water to do its thing can be 4-8 weeks -- sometimes less. Why so quick (and for designing, fabricating, assembling and testing machines & mechanisms, that is *very* quick)? Because an offshore rig costs around $1-1.5 million *per day* to operate, and if something's broken, they're not producing, but the costs are still there.
I have quite a bit to learn, but I'm looking forward to it. The DTS team that I've met so far are great people, and the general attitude is one of getting it done the right way and quickly. Lots of engineering, lots of individual responsibility for a project, and something new on a frequent basis.
The salary is not quite what I was making at the last job, but it's well within the realm of reason, and the overall package is great, as is the opportunity to grow. And the whole package is what I was concerned about, not a number.
And so now I just have to do all the pre-employment screening, which won't be a problem. No funky chemicals in my bloodstream, and a pretty quiet background, all things considered.
I do have to thank everyone who has been on Team Jim during this process. It's been a great boost to get a comment or an e-mail of support when things were looking rough. While I sincerely hope none of you ever find yourself in need of such support, know that I'll do what I can in return should it come to pass. Tags: employment, job hunt 2009
Current Location: The Jerker
Current Mood:  bouncy
Background Noise: something or other on TV
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Some of my regulars also read me over on Facebook, and in that case, this is a repeat. But I thought I'd spread this around. Some of the folks here are on their way to Dragon*Con, some aren't, but are not on FB and thus hadn't seen this from me yet. My old friend Valerie has a young friend going through some major stuff right now. Miss Riley is a real kid; Valerie knows her well and is doing a little something to keep Riley's attitude in the appropriate "Bring it. I'll kick it's butt" zone. This is no 'net hoax. So if you could, please read through Val's note, copied with permission, and join Team Riley by sending her a card (address below). Maybe a little D*C weirdness? I'll forward digital pics (PG, please, PG!!!! She's 13!) on to Val for Riley, if you care to e-mail me same. Let's show the young lady a little love. Valerie's Note:I have an IDEA: Please send cards to Riley to show your support! Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 13, Riley Koepsell has been given a good prognosis for recovery, but she has to go through 6 months of tough chemo and treatment to get there. Ick! Let’s keep her spirits up during this time! Most of you tagged in this note have been following her progress, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for your good thoughts and support! She is finally back home and will continue to fight this. We can help. I thought it might be fun to collect cards with good wishes or words of encouragement for her from many different people and places (Jenni – any chance for a Get Well postcard from France if you’re still there?! Sami – any Melbourne love you can throw this way?). Jim is already sending a bracelet care package, and Tanya is running a race with her name on a special ribbon for her (thanks, you two – you’re amazing!). What great friends I have! Let's all pitch in right now and do something nice for her. Here’s the deal: You don’t need to be tagged to participate (I reached my tag limit anyway!), so if you’re reading this, you KNOW you want to do it! So get after it already, will you? ;-) Anyone who wants to support Riley on her journey to recovery can send her a card c/o me to: Riley Koepsell
c/o Valerie Sargent
10 Serena Ct.
Newport Beach, CA 92663If you’d like, include the name and artist of a song that you think might be good to listen to while getting chemo – something motivating, fun, inspiring or encouraging. We can help her build a playlist! Again, thanks to all of you who have kept Riley in your thoughts and prayers during this time. I know she can feel the love, and all the extra support is appreciated. Thanks for jumping on the Team Riley bandwagon!!! You’re awesome. :-) Love and hugs, Valerie Tags: fun, team riley
Current Location: The Jerker
Current Mood: excited
Background Noise: Carrie Fisher on Craig Ferguson
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...is here, and I'm still on the job hunt. I did spend a little bit of time today printing up some "personal" business cards with my contact info and, on the back, a bulletized version of my career objectives & general experience. I did this originally back in '07 after Metaldyne, but of course I've moved and thus have somewhat different contact info in terms of physical address and home phone, so it was time for some new ones. The quality of the DIY business card kits is much improved from two years ago, with much cleaner edges once broken out of the page. The other lesson is I didn't print all 200 in the package at once. :) I still have maybe 150 of the last batch. Hitting up some more of the suggestions I've received, getting myself "out there" for folks to see: that's how you do it. I had one solid nibble off my LinkedIn profile last week. We'll see where that goes -- I think I'm a pretty good fit for the position. There was another contact made that involved my making what amounts to a "cold call" on the business in question -- one where I'd met the business principal a few years back casually, and he might have even remembered me. This wasn't quite as random as it sounds: the business is expanding and some indications that they would be looking for engineers in the near future have been posted here and there. That would be an exceptionally fun job if it panned out -- the business in question is involved in things that push all my "I love working on this!" buttons. But I'm not counting my chickens at all. I'll keep looking until I land the next job, whatever it turns out to be. Tags: job hunt 2009, unemployment
Current Location: The Jerker
Current Mood:  optimistic
Background Noise: Stuff on one of the documentary channels
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(this may be ported from LJ to FB if things work as expected) Thanks to the kindness of many, I've received a fair number of leads on potential jobs, which I am following up in a steady and methodical manner. In other news, I think I've got the unemployment situation sorted. As it turns out, because it was less than a year ago that I filed last, I still have benefit weeks available from Michigan, so I had to re-open my claim there. What a difference a few months make: I was able to do so online, including updating address, and via an automated phone system (updating direct deposit info), without having to once speak with one of the surly humans who populate the Michigan UIC offices. Lest you think I'm down on government employees, no: the young man I spoke with at the Texas unemployment commission was very polite, considerate, and answered my questions in a way that completely dispelled my confusion about how the different state systems interact (the short version: it's a federal system administered in individual states, so there is cross-communication between states), plus informed me that once my remaining 16 weeks of eligibility in MI run out, I would THEN be eligible to file in Texas. I am sincerely hoping it doesn't come to that, but it is nice to know it's there. Also, I've been told that there's some sort of stimulus-package deal that subsidizes COBRA health insurance benefits, which I may take advantage of. One of the problems with COBRA, as many of you know, is that the unemployed ex-employee has to eat the ENTIRE cost of the continued insurance, which is often stupidly expensive (example: continuing my GM coverage on COBRA would have cost me more per month than paying the office visit and brand-name prescription refills 100% out of pocket would have cost). I'll have to see what it ends up costing, but if it's reasonable, I'll probably keep it. I have 3 months of "free" insurance continuation from BHI anyway, not that it really matters as I haven't even started using up my deductible, though if I can't get my HCRA money out and returned to me, I will go ahead and use it so as to not toss that $1000 or so in the HCRA away. And on yet another front, well, I get by with a little help from my friends. The amount of support I've been receiving is astonishing and I greatly appreciate every single one of you who has taken the time to drop me a note, a comment here, a post on FB, or just sent positive thoughts to the deity of your choice or in my general direction. I just hope I'm able to pay back/pay forward the karmic debt I'm incurring. Thank you all. Tags: job hunt 2009, michigan, texas, unemployment
Current Location: The Jerker
Current Mood:  cautiously optimistic
Background Noise: Scooter's 12 o'clock Chirping Hour
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First, the birthday. Everyone be sure to wish ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) neutronjockey a happy natal day with what's left of this Thursday. And jaylake has a birthday on Saturday. Okay, so after spending the Memorial Day holiday weekend in Tulsa with my HD, widescreen-owning relatives, I broke down last weekend and acquired a lovely 46" Samsung LCD and a 26" Insignia (Best Buy's house brand, made by LG) LCD. The Samsung dictated a new piece of furniture from IKEA to hold it. Best Buy had a sale on, plus 36-month 0% interest. Apparently, my credit rating is still good, 'cause I was approved in about the amount of time it took the data to go from the store computer to the mothership and return. Hurray for that. And I even had two social functions last weekend. Enjoyed both. So: Friday evening: Social Engagement #1 Saturday, TV purchases, IKEA purchase, set up Insignia. Go to Social Engagement #2. Sunday: assemble IKEA furniture. Monday: big TV is delivered in AM (barely -- 11:55 *is* between 8 and 12). 1992-vintage 26" Sony with jury-rigged inputs is carted away to be recycled (yes, really). Assembled TV and other AV goodies Monday evening. Tuesday & Wednesday: Enjoyed same. Wednesday, called DirecTV to arrange HD equipment/service upgrade from existing standard stuff. Thursday: New stove! Thanks be unto landlord-to-the-stars Gary Swafford for that. Oven achieved temp in mere minutes, instead of an hour, and achieved *set* temp, not a random one, again unlike the old one. Old stove was carted away to be disposed of properly. Dinner served quickly. :) Now watching Game 4 of Stanley Cup finals, wondering if the officials will be allowed to have their Leader Dogs on the ice for the 2nd & 3rd periods, 'cause they clearly need them. Friday: Continued enjoyment planned, because... Saturday: DirecTV HD upgrade happens in the AM. Will be watching Game 5 of Stanley Cup finals in glorious HD that evening. Work continues (a good thing, too, 'cause I have to pay for all this stuff), and is actually going well. I know fuel prices are creeping up again, but offsetting that for me is that if oil hangs out in the mid-60s, we get more business. If natural gas can bump back up to $5/MMBTU, we might see the US rig count go back up a bit, too. Translation: more drilling = more business for us. It also = less imported energy (which is a good thing all the way 'round). Hope all is well in F-list land. :) Tags: new stuff, updates
Current Location: The Jerker
Current Mood: chipper
Background Noise: Red Wings currently leading 2-1
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