Well, like I mentioned somewhere here the other day - come January 7th it will be 5 years since I have had even a PENNY of a raise. This got me to thinking, and I'd always wanted a formal education in electronics, so two years ago, I went back to school for an ASEET. I graduated this summer with honors (old people can learn stuff, too).

Well..
Just went on a service call to a small private airline at Atlanta-Hartsfield airport (they fly military people on charter flights). Spent my time with one of the maintenance staff...

Anyway, we were just talking about electronics and 'stuff' and he mentioned "anyone with an electronics background that comes around here.... the airlines will grab them right away..."

Hmmmm. Maybe after 28 years in this and now with my little ASEET, I should be generating resumes and talking to HR departments.

Never even thought of going to the airport for a job, don't have an A&P. But this guy said, "you really don't need one for a lot of the stuff we do."


Food for thought? I think so. I live only 25 miles from the airport.

Oh, and to add to the thought, we came to work today and of course it rained a lot in the past two days. SO, now, not only do the bathrooms not work at all - but for the third time in two years, the septic backed up into the sales and storage areas. Place smells like.... a sewer. $8,000 will fix this, but the boss won't do it. He spent $2,000 two years ago and I KNEW it was a waste of time. But he DID manage to find $21,000 for a new tractor for his deer food plots.

This is so depressing, to be turning 50 and in an employment situation like this. And it's going from depressing to scary.

 

I would have my resume in the airport's HR's office tomorrow morning.

I once quit a job because of management greed. Raises and bonuses sucked while the boss remodeled his house, got a new pool and took his family on a cruise. I gave him my 2 weeks notice letter and he asked if more $ would change my mind. I smiled and said I don't take raises that way.

 

I took a raise like that ONCE. I hired in here in 2000. THree months later, I got my dream job on Florida. The boss here asked me what I wanted in order to stay. I asked for and got a huge raise and a company vehicle.

And until 2005, things were good. Got two more raises in 5 years without asking for them.


But since then, all I can say is .... I made a mistake (in the long term) by staying. I will never do it again - and had always turned down offers like that from employers in the past. I wish I'd not made an exception for this guy.

I"m stopping by Office Max on the way home for quality paper and new ink for the printer. Time to start publishing my latest work: an updated resume.

It's time to stop waiting for things to get better and make things better. Odd thing is, I still like the boss as a person and as a friend, I just can't work for him anymore.

Man, does this place smell bad. I wonder if there is anything in the odor from the septic that can cause illness? He's got his son in law trying to vacuum up the 'water'.

 

guy must hate his son-in-law

 

If you are just now putting your resume together, take your time and do it professionally. Do some research on the proper content and layout. It's a good idea to have a professional assist you.

Since you like your boss, don't burn the bridge. You may need him as a reference in the future.

The story I told you about was the only bridge I ever burned. But I had other reasons other than money for leaving. After working there for two years, I found some aspects of the firm to be unethical and didn't care to use him as a reference.

 

I do pretty good with former bosses. One of my references that I used to get this job was the guy I worked for from 1990 to 1995.

I'll leave on good terms - if possible. I have seen him take quite a bad attitude when someone leaves, and I'll TRY to make it "amicable".

I don't think he hates his son-in-law, but his sil is starting to have an attitude towards HIM!

 

Put it this way, you have to do what you have to in this economy and if he can't understand that and have an amicable ending, then his ending will eventually catch up with him.

 

Well, it's official, our team of 12 will become a team of 10 within one month. Two are being laid off due partly to the economy but mostly due to changes in the cellphone industry.

Fortunately, I don't work in the cellphone side of the business. If our side of the business (building police cars and two-way radio / 911 center systems sales and service) slows down, there are three people under me that would go first - so I am probably safe.

But my industry (two - way radio and 911 center systems) HAS had a bad year. One of the largest dealers in GA/SC actually laid off five technicians this year. (Three just north of me in Atlanta and two in SC.) These are the first layoffs of technicians in my industry since I entered the field in 1981.

 

We are all being told (not asked) to think differently in regards to employment and income. We really need to look out for #1 because there is no one on this Earth who can guarantee they can help us.

Look at the sewer as being your motivator to get you off center point and moving forward.

Your enthusiasm and expertise are your keys to the future.

Yes, do the resume the right way. You only have one chance to make that best presentation.

 

Yea, I am finding conflicting advice on the right format. Still reading and researching that.

I DO have ink and paper to churn out resumes - just gotta get the FORMAT right. The format I used in 2000 is no longer endorsed.

 

None of my business, BUT HAVE YOU ASKED FOR A RAISE?

Ya' gotta' ask, and ask loudly - presuming, tho, that you're worth it. And as the saying goes, from the boss's viewpoint, if you're happy with what you're getting paid, you're getting paid too much.

 

Pizzaguy, you're a good example of why it never really pays to accept a counteroffer to a resignation.

I've been in the electronics business for over 30 years and in human resources for 12 years. Yes, I've made counteroffers over the years. Ya know what? That extra money we spent to keep you here now, we get back in the subsequent years. Let's say we give employees a raise once a year, I give you a fat raise to change your mind and stay, I then make you wait 15 to 18 months for your next raise while everyone else gets one in 12 to 14 months. And your raise is a little smaller than it would have been if you had not taken the counteroffer. So, in 2 or 3 years you're right back where you would have been if you had not attempted to resign.

Plus, even though employers are showing less loyalty to employees, they still expect a high degree of loyalty from the employees. By resigning you have shown that your loyalty is not quite what they thought it was, the bosses will be cautious with you because you could jump ship at any time.

My advice, sounds like it is time for you to move on. No raise in 5 years is really outrageous. Either you are not a very good employee, or you work for a less than successful employer. I'm betting on the later.

I often hire electronic technicians. Show me your resume, I'll be glad to offer you some advice.

 

Go to Resume - Free Resume Examples and Cover Letter Samples. You'll find A LOT of good information on formatting your resume. Go to the "before & after" section. They also have tips on writing cover letters and an area with suggested power verbs.

 

Well as a counterpoint, it might make sense to stay for awhile (crap and all). Things are tough out there and it's likely to get tougher. The toilet problem could be an indicator of how tough it is at your place and thus in your industry. Given that you apparently would be about the last guy out, might not be a bad place to lie low for a year or two until things get better. If you are the new guy at some other place you most likely would be the first guy out that new door. No one likes getting screwed on wages but bad wages beats no wages.

Won't hurt to ask for a raise. Don't threaten unless you mean it.

 

Good advice in these last several posts! Yea, I got good raises from 2000 to 2005 - that's what really gets me - I TRUSTED him to be good to his word.

And I think he meant to be good to it, but he's lost his drive to lead the company and aggressively work towards success. This is not only hard on me, but real hard on the son in law - who is more trapped here than I am.

And yea, I have asked for a raise -early this year we had this discussion. Didn't get anywhere.

It's not a bad place to stay for now, and I intend to return to school for networking / windows server this January (and school is a mile from the house).

But it is time to move on. Just today, I had to struggle with a Public Safety radio system problem - because the company does not own a decent spectrum analyzer or ANY sweep generator and I really need one to get to the bottom of what I am chasing. It's just so discouraging.

THANKS for all the advice you guys!

 

Well, just got back from Atlanta --- I now have a Tracking Generator! This is encouraging - that he listened to me - gives me hope. This is like the good old days - the first five years I worked here.

No, not a new one. And it's not ours, it's a rental so I can find what's going on with my customer! But at least I don't have to "fly blind" in front of an important public safety customer.

 

Don't let the fact that the boss got you a new tool to help you do a better job blur your vision of the real issue..are you being paid what you are worth?

 

No, I won't. But two other guys at work predicted I was wasting my time asking for what I needed.
I refused to NOT insist on getting the instrument needed for the job. (I put it to him: "If we can't do the work, they WILL call someone else - they have to - you can't have police officers calling for help and not being heard".)

It was the right thing to do.

Quote:

are you being paid what you are worth?

I don't think so. I can argue that based on the money I bill! I am billing no less than 30 hours a week at $90 per hour. There is also the argument that much of what we do, and sell, we can't do or sell if we can't support the products. There is only one other employee with my experience and skills - and he refuses to work in the 911s. (Long story - but part of it is that he will retire in three years).

 

Hey Pizzaguy.... I have watched this post from the beginning and I am surprised that no one has said this yet, but if you have to ask....... Am I missing something obvious? Then you probably are!

Seriously..... Timing is everything. Even if now is not the right time to make a move, start networking immediately. You might be surprised at the opportunities that will fall in your lap by proper networking. I can not imagine staying with an employer that did not give me annual raises. You made me curious and I calculated my cumulative raises over the last 5 years, and it came to 32.93%. And yes, I deserved them.

Here is another way to look at it that just might really **** you off...... Over the past 5 years, we have had a cumulative inflation of 15.97%. So, your situation is not that you have not bettered your lifestyle any over the last 5 years, but you have in fact diminished your ability to maintain the lifestyle of 5 years ago by 16 percent.

If you are not moving forward, you will always be looking back. Opportunities are out there. You may just need to be willing to step outside your comfort zone to be able to seize them.

Good luck to you my friend, and remember.... If you don't look out for number one, no one else will either.

 

Excellent advise...

The percentage of jobs found through networking far exceeds jobs found by sending resumes to companies.