11 March 2017

Time to brush up the ol' résumé

After almost three years at my current employer, I've concluded it's time to move on.  The people I work directly with are good people, but the frustration of dealing with the incompetence rampant in some other areas of the company finally reached the breaking point.  If the problems haven't improved in three years, they never will.  If readers noticed a decline in the quality of posts here during February, it wasn't your imagination -- I had to do overtime almost every day that month, due to our unit dealing with a massive backlog of work after being understaffed for months, and I spent a lot of the time pretty much brain-fried.  I don't see that problem improving any time soon, either.  And there are other issues.

Also, starting a few weeks ago I noticed I was getting coughing fits at work two or three times per day, even though I'm not sick and don't suffer from coughing when I'm anywhere else.  I also noticed that I hear a lot of coughing there, from other people around me.  This had probably been going on for some time, since it's the kind of thing that takes a while to register consciously.  What it means, I have no idea -- has anyone else had a similar experience?

Anyway, I've finally given them the standard two weeks' notice.  I didn't want to delay any longer.  At the moment jobs are abundant in Portland -- you can't miss the "Now Hiring" signs all over the place -- but who knows how long the favorable market will last?  Republican administrations are usually bad for job creation, and only a fool would gamble on the situation a few months in the future, with Trump in charge and the Morlocks in Congress eager to indulge their Ayn Rand fantasies.  For now, though, the situation is favorable.  I've already put out some feelers, and by all indications this should be no big deal.

8 Comments:

Anonymous KanaW said...

Best of luck Infidel. I hope you find more congenial (and healthier) surroundings quickly.

11 March, 2017 14:14  
Blogger One Fly said...

I understand and the best of luck. Yes make it better if you can.

It's not coincidental others are coughing like you.

11 March, 2017 15:48  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

No, I have NOT noticed any lack of quality in your writing, you are actually a writer too, the way I see it (even though I'm a blogger, I'm challenged as far as writing, obviously). The job deal .... once back in the early 1990's, working at a small print graphic design joint, we were close working, a couple folks had a cough, one guy (Mike) had it very frequently. I told him to see a doctor a half a dozen damn times at least (I know folks, mainly guyz, that WILL NOT go to a damn doctor, thinking everything will just be fine in time, etc) Finally I convinced him to go, and took him myself, cause he told me he had blood in his cough, and was weak. He had a high stage of tuberculosis (he volunteered part time on weekends at a shelter feeding homeless people, which I think is how he got it), I didnt have the cough at the time, but I noticed guys in the mailroom did, and he worked with them (I worked in a seperate room). Anywayz, I went to the owner and told him we need to immediately take everyone to Dallas County Health Dept (he didnt want to at first, telling me I'm just acting paranoid over nothing), but I rounded up everyone (owner/ boss or not, I decided to take over and make that decision), there was about 17- 18 of us, almost all of us, including myself, came up positive for TB. The county supplied us all with antibiotics and free monitoring for 6 months's, and any follow ups we needed, I took my meds for all 6 months like clockwork, and had follow up ex-rays for a few years after I requested. And I still request ex-rays to this day anywayz, just for standard checking, and because I smoked for years ... but everything is cool. Mike had it so bad, that they quarantined his whole apartment row- house, fenced it off, and made him stay in there. I tried to tell guyz in the print shop to take their meds like clockwork, and to try to avoid alcohol (I smoked pot daily, and the doctor said that's cool, but avoid alcohol), I told them cause a couple guyz seemed reluctant, and didnt seem to take it serious (it never developed into active TB, but our arms swolled, so we were infected with the germ). Not saying that's what ya'll have, just added that story since you brought it up, it brought back memories I reckon.

The job deal, I wish you luck guy, sorry to hear about the work, but at least you made overtime (unless you were salary) At least jobs seem to sound good in PDX, by what you said about hiring, and my guess, is that you have a decent resume, and references. Every job though, you know, has ups and downs ... I been there time and again, and just worked out the best I could. .... Later Infidel

11 March, 2017 18:10  
Blogger Ahab said...

I had NASTY coughing fits at my old job, and I've noticed a good bit of sneezing at my current one. I suspect it has to do with dust building up in the ventilation ducts. When was the last time the ducts were cleaned? Does the janitorial staff vacuum the carpet regularly? Could you building also have an indoor mold problem?

Best of luck finding new employment. I hope your next position is happier than your previous one.

11 March, 2017 18:28  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Thanks for the support. I'm going to bring the coughing issue to the attention of the management this week, just in case no one else has. Somebody needs to look into it.

12 March, 2017 10:30  
Blogger Les Carpenter said...

Been there done that. Good luck Infidel. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill but when one isn't happy it the best choice. You made the right decision and you'll land on your feet. Happier mot likely.

12 March, 2017 11:46  
Anonymous Marc McKenzie said...

Good luck! And I hope something can be done with those coughing fits...


I too have been updating my resume and hope to get a few bites...before the whole thing comes crashing down with the GOP incompetent fools in the Congress and the WH.

(On the other hand, I shouldn't be so cynical--during the latter half of the Bush II years I did find a job in animation that lasted for around 2 years....:) )

13 March, 2017 19:00  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Thanks. I did bring the coughi9ng issue to the attention of management today and they say they'll look into it.

Marc -- are there any publicly-available animation projects around that included your work?

14 March, 2017 19:04  

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