How is your career going?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 3:55 pm

I may have to move offices. Nicer building, further commute.

Have to present to the combined C-suites in 2 weeks.

Really can't say more but It's been crazy and certainly interesting.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 3:59 pm

Unknown at this time.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:56 am

OSIRIS-REx is still doing well. Right now I'm training up someone else so she can run the data processing pipeline when we have new shape models of the asteroid. Software is pretty stable but we're running out of disk space. Put in for a new 41TB RAID array. The next major event for me is in November when folks start producing high-resolution data products to figure out where exactly we will take a sample.

DART is starting to ramp up. I have to talk to the Science Operations Center lead and together we'll lay out how we plan to process incoming data from the imaging instrument on board as well as data from multiple ground-based observatories. Then write it up in a document or two.

Psyche is ramping up as well. I have to start writing a document that describes the data that the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer instrument will produce, as well as a software design document that shows how I will be processing the data from the spacecraft into files that the scientists can use.

And finally,Europa Clipper is ramping up as well. More document writing, same as Psyche. Good news is I'm part of a team there, and not a single point of failure.

Dragonfly work hasn't really started yet. But once it gets going I'm going to try and get myself on board as the person responsible for archiving the data to NASA. This and Clipper may be my last big missions before I retire.

So yeah, work is good.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:06 am

I'm only slightly envious.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:15 am

raydude wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:56 am OSIRIS-REx is still doing well. Right now I'm training up someone else so she can run the data processing pipeline when we have new shape models of the asteroid. Software is pretty stable but we're running out of disk space. Put in for a new 41TB RAID array.

If you are assigned to install it on the spacecraft, make sure they pay you for mileage.

After a really weak August business bounced back in September, and October is off to a strong start. I don't bill until the end of the month and the check comes 30 days after that, so I won't see Sept. until early Nov. But it's nice to have money in the pipeline and as much work as I care to handle.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:35 am

I am still next in line for my Directors job when he retires. He says he will retire in a year or two. Maybe 2020, but who knows if I will actually get the job.

Crossing my fingers, because if I don't get it after he leaves, I will have to leave, since the new director will not want me sitting around as the Heir Apparent who did not get the job. <sigh>

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:37 am

RMC wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:35 am I am still next in line for my Directors job when he retires. He says he will retire in a year or two. Maybe 2020, but who knows if I will actually get the job.

Crossing my fingers, because if I don't get it after he leaves, I will have to leave, since the new director will not want me sitting around as the Heir Apparent who did not get the job. <sigh>

To be fair, would you want to sit around as the Heir Apparent who didn't get the job?

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:48 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:37 am
RMC wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:35 am I am still next in line for my Directors job when he retires. He says he will retire in a year or two. Maybe 2020, but who knows if I will actually get the job.

Crossing my fingers, because if I don't get it after he leaves, I will have to leave, since the new director will not want me sitting around as the Heir Apparent who did not get the job. <sigh>
To be fair, would you want to sit around as the Heir Apparent who didn't get the job?

Oh god no. But it sucks to be someplace 10+ years, get aquired and reset your career track. Sure, I could leave and start over, but I really don't want too. I proved myself again with the new management team, and they like me. But nothing is ever assured with advancement into upper management. I have made inroads into other departments, so if the ultimate F-you happened, I would try to go to one of those areas. Big hospital system. But you always know the best way to advance is leave, instead of waiting. I am just older and tired, so don't want to have to do that if I don't have too.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 12:02 pm

I got your back. Who do you want me to "take out"?

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 12:40 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 12:02 pm I got your back. Who do you want me to "take out"?

Santa Claus... He never brought me my pony!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 12:56 pm

My dad took that bastard out years ago after he brought me a copy of Mouse Trap. I'd never seen a grown man cry until I saw my father openly sobbing while trying to assemble that monstrosity of a game on Christmas Day when I was about 9.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:23 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 12:56 pm My dad took that bastard out years ago after he brought me a copy of Mouse Trap. I'd never seen a grown man cry until I saw my father openly sobbing while trying to assemble that monstrosity of a game on Christmas Day when I was about 9.

I have met your dad, and believe that.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:50 pm

If you'd just handed over your lunch money like he asked, you'd still be using all 10 fingers to count.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:04 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:15 am
raydude wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:56 am OSIRIS-REx is still doing well. Right now I'm training up someone else so she can run the data processing pipeline when we have new shape models of the asteroid. Software is pretty stable but we're running out of disk space. Put in for a new 41TB RAID array.
If you are assigned to install it on the spacecraft, make sure they pay you for mileage.

That would be awesome if I could. At 58 cents/mile that would be $58,000,000 one way. But then they'd probably charge me the cost of getting there.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:44 pm

Had my first legit interview in a loooooooong time this morning, via phone. It went surprisingly well, and wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking as I was expecting. Just a different type of sales...selling my skill set instead of a product.

Only wrinkle is that their company was just acquired by another larger firm (literally last week), so it's still a little unclear what direction they're going to take. Probably have to wait until some of the merger dust settles, but it could prove to be an even more promising opportunity. My skills and experience are a near-perfect match for what this new group is looking for. So, fingers crossed.

Thinking about working somewhere else after being here for nearly 15 years is just...weird.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:51 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 3:55 pm
Have to present to the combined C-suites in 2 weeks.

Done and dusted. Went extremely well. Phase 2 starts Monday when they make recommendations based on the presentation.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:37 pm

Certification or bust. There's a deadline to get AWS certified (solutions architect - associate) this year. Technically it's a deadline for everyone and something of a soft deadline, but don't make your leaders look bad and as one of the more senior people (in every regard) in my division there is a little extra pressure. Test is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Practice test so far have been 63%, 86%, 81%, 80%, 78%, with passing at around 75%. Four Three Two more practice tests and then maybe another run through them (running around 35 minutes each {of the allotted 130 minutes}). I am confident yet concerned. 60% of the content of the test has nothing to do with my job at all (networking and hybrid cloud arrangements) and of the 40% that is tangentially related less than half is a day to day concern... I hope these practice tests are accurate. I am learning something at least.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:17 am

There's a bit of work turmoil at work. Apparently, the upper management, fond of zero-notice labor changes, just moved our start-time up to 9AM, instead of the usual 10AM. (In fact, it used to fluctuate between 11 and 10) But this was announced on SUNDAY, via Whatsapp (the messenger) effective Monday. This caused quite a bit of problem that some people basically rage quit on Monday and I know of one rage quit on Tuesday (yesterday). And the work division was pretty messy... I had to drop 107 orders yesterday (130+ boxes), a personal record, which is pretty ridiculous as my normal load should be about 80. Basically I ended up doing sloppier work. I just drop boxes without ringing, and chose to NOT pick up the boxes for recycling, which was another bit of strange workload added by management again, with zero consultation of the grunts. AND I still went overtime, just not as much over as I expected. Clocked in at 0855, clocked out 1837. Roughly 1 hour overtime. Actual delivery time is probably 1020 until 1800 minus lunch, so I was dropping 15 orders per hour. If I had done it the normal way, it could have easily been 3 hours overtime, and I'd get back after dark. With daylight savings ending soon, that's not a pleasant thought. I am prepared with one of those headlamps, but again, I don't enjoy the workload. And I believe I am one of the fastest guys around.

Somehow, this company is fond of expansion, but not of the consequences and the costs associated with expansion. I guess that what happens when you have a public company and have to answer to shareholders.

Simplest example: moving our start time to 0900, means we get out of the facility by 0930 (after helping with loading), and we'll probably start delivery by 1000. But when the delivery window is 12-4 and 4-8, this can cause a bit of problem when some people specifically chose 4-8 window so they can be home to receive the stuff, and me showing up at 3PM results in missed delivery, AND delays me, as I had to try to contact the customer, ring neighbors, and otherwise try alternate methods instead of just drop and go.

Also, a couple weeks ago they wanted us to pick up the old boxes and ice packs for recycling. It's like... WHY? Icepacks, I can see. Foil packs are not recyclable that I know of. And boxes just go into the blue recycling bin as regular paper. But no, it's for "donation". Just extra workload for us. Customers don't follow directions. They think we'll reuse the boxes so they don't collapse them (even though our website told them to), and thus wasting a ton of space unless I take the time to collapse it for them, adding to delays. Not to mention I have to find room in the van to store and stack them. MORE delays.

When we were just a produce company, the heaviest item would be a melon, and we have the small ones, either mini watermelon, and honeydew melons. Even with potatoes the boxes don't get very heavy, 10-15 pounds, maybe 25 in a pinch. But they decided to expand the selection (and even had a name change, imperfect foods instead of imperfect produce), and now we are shipping stuff with those "ice packs" and foil wraps, not to mention liquids like condiments, and drinks (kombucha, almond milk, et al). This seriously adds weight to the boxes. They also upped the free delivery threshold to $65, basically forcing people into buying more at a time, also adding to our workload.

It's gotten bad enough that they've switched to plastic pallets instead of using the normal wood pallets. But the boxes themselves haven't changed. It's still a typical single piece paper carton, and only the edges are load bearing. If I had to delivery 120+ boxes, the boxes are stacked 5-high, and with the increased weight of individual boxes, I often ended up with crushed boxes at the bottom after halfway through the route, and in hilly areas, boxes that fell over, or just slipped out, collapsing the entire stack, and so on. And whose fault is it when one of the items inside got bruised and broken? Yesterday one bag of lentils broke, and was leaking out one of the boxes, when it was stacked on top of a 5 box stack, and the whole stack fell back, when the bottom collapsed and tilted (with a bit of acceleration) It could have been worse.

Maybe they *do* think of these issues, but they just decided not to worry about them. But **** flows downhill, and grunts just feel unheard.

If they won't hear us, we'll just do the best we can, by taking shortcuts when we can. I've stopped scanning the "tracking" barcodes a long time ago. Nobody ever said anything. If I keep getting 90+ orders, I'll just stop picking up those boxes and ice packs. I'm sure I can find even more places to cut service, if they want to push us even further. This place is getting really Dilbertian.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:19 am

FWIW, cartons in San Francisco are going a very different route. It used to be that there are these "mosquito fleet' of wood-side "trucks" gathering up cartons to be recycled, sort of guerilla industry. When China stopped taking all but the cleanest cartons, the fleet just disappeared. Now individual merchants are paying $$$ to get rid of the cartons they once got rid for free. (see hoodline report)

Why we would ADD to OUR problem of getting rid of already tons of cartons is just beyond me... when those individual houses can easily recycle their own cartons. To me, this is just another expense item that sounds good, but then, the whole company is based on an idea that sounds noble.

-----

Did only 80 orders today, so I guess management was able to shift some drivers around to keep things going. Still, it's pretty grim for a while.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:06 am

Signed a new two year contract. Roughly a 10% raise due to some across the board pay increases to keep the staff happy.

A coworker and I were discussing our decisions. He was expressing some hesitation to sign another contract because he didn't want to become complacent. Meanwhile I'm buying into the complacency. The money doesn't sound like a ton when I think about people in tech or engineering but the mix of money and quality of life is pretty sweet.

capita · Post by **capita** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 10:48 am

Spammer no spamming

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:29 pm

After being referred by a former employee, I got hired by a major invidious GPU manufacturer to edit their annual conference program. Because their job description is essentially just proofreading -- no fact-checking or rewriting -- I quoted them my lowest rate.

First my contact had to pitch my quote to her team, who approved it a few days later. I haven't heard from her since.

Then somebody asked for a W-9, which I promptly provided despite having to wrestle with my scanner over it. Several days went by.

Then I got an email from somebody else instructing me to fill out their new vendor information form on company letterhead (emphasis theirs), sign it, affix the company seal, and fax it to them. I explained that I don't have letterhead or a fax machine and asked if I could just fill out their form and email a pdf. After a couple of days, I got the OK, and sent that in. (I amused myself by attaching a clipart image of a seal.) More days went by.

Today I emailed my original contact, told her I'm set up as a vendor, and asked her what comes next. I just received a purchase order, from yet another person, for 50% more than my quote, just in case of overtime beyond the 100 hours that I estimated. Nice, I guess.

Still haven't heard from my initial contact. Sooner or later somebody has to walk me through their CMS so that I can actually start working. This is a project that will run through next March, and with each day that passes I fall a little farther behind the accumulating submissions.

Working for big corporations is never enjoyable, and my impression of this invidious one gets worse with each contact.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:44 pm

On the plus side it's a short commute.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:56 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:29 pm Working for big corporations is never enjoyable, and my impression of this invidious one gets worse with each contact.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my minions was on vacation and I got dragged into something that had been going on for over 6 months. Basically, a MS Office patch broke some VB coding written by an intern a decade ago. Why my boss thought newer versions of office would undo whatever exploit was closed by the patch I don't know, but finally we tried the gamut up to Office 2019 with predictable results. Apparently there is a substantial amount of business the relies on this to work, and as it stands it's broken for a number of plants that started using it over the years.

I mentioned I have a friend who is an Excel guru and can re-write the code to modern specifications. He seemed to like the idea so I put him in touch. Yesterday, he told my friend that they "figured it out." It took 6 months wasting my time and that of my minion until they finally took a look as to what was needed. So yeah, dealing with a large company sucks.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:33 pm

Just had my first performance review in 11 years (same job), so that's something.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:47 pm

Jeff V wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:56 pm
Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 1:29 pm Working for big corporations is never enjoyable, and my impression of this invidious one gets worse with each contact.
A couple of weeks ago, one of my minions was on vacation and I got dragged into something that had been going on for over 6 months. Basically, a MS Office patch broke some VB coding written by an intern a decade ago. Why my boss thought newer versions of office would undo whatever exploit was closed by the patch I don't know, but finally we tried the gamut up to Office 2019 with predictable results. Apparently there is a substantial amount of business the relies on this to work, and as it stands it's broken for a number of plants that started using it over the years.

I mentioned I have a friend who is an Excel guru and can re-write the code to modern specifications. He seemed to like the idea so I put him in touch. Yesterday, he told my friend that they "figured it out." It took 6 months wasting my time and that of my minion until they finally took a look as to what was needed. So yeah, dealing with a large company sucks.

Some mega-corps are sufficiently siloed that one need only interact with a small unit, and ideally just one person in that unit. In such cases it's almost indistinguishable from a small company. This is not that kind of megacorp. Rather, it's the kind that's paralyzed by bureaucracy, with nobody having sole authority for anything.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:59 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:47 pm Some mega-corps are sufficiently siloed that one need only interact with a small unit, and ideally just one person in that unit. In such cases it's almost indistinguishable from a small company. This is not that kind of megacorp. Rather, it's the kind that's paralyzed by bureaucracy, with nobody having sole authority for anything.

Reminds me of a something that happened when I was in the gaming industry. A small publisher desired to buy the code for the "Great Battles" series of wargames. The developer, and all of their assets, had been acquired by large business-software company - one that had no use for the code. The developers were bitter because their gaming publisher owed them for the final game in the series and then went out of business, so they weren't much help. At the time, an acquaintance that was an active member of a miniatures group offered to bring it up to a vice president with that company he knew well from doing business in his job at another mega-company. The company wishing to purchase the code apparently wasn't offering enough to motivate anyone at that software company to even look for the code and nothing ever came of it.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:32 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:37 pm Certification or bust.

Certification it is. Test passed.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 10:37 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:32 pm
coopasonic wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:37 pm Certification or bust.
Certification it is. Test passed.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:39 am

Another rant. Did 87 orders in the Peninsula today (South San Francisco down to San Mateo, mostly Palo Alto area) but due to super inefficient routing (the dispatcher put some 'by 4PM' orders dead last, which is idiotic) ended up doing 11.5 hours of work. Started at 9, clocked out at 8.30PM.

Would have been out even later, if I actually went back to a location to "redrop" a box as I'm already 15 minutes away. No, I didn't drop it at their doorstep BECAUSE I can't get into the complex! I dropped it in front of the leasing office, which is best I can do given what's possible. Or if I didn't re-route some of the stops into something a bit more efficient.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:16 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:33 pm Just had my first performance review in 11 years (same job), so that's something.

Damn. I get one every 6 months (one interim, one official).

At least I got a perfect score on my last one.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:35 am

raydude wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:56 am
Dragonfly work hasn't really started yet. But once it gets going I'm going to try and get myself on board as the person responsible for archiving the data to NASA. This and Clipper may be my last big missions before I retire.

Just got told this morning that I'm on the Dragonfly team. I am signed on at 30% starting next May! Woohooo! Bad news is that I'm looking at 2.5 FTE around that time (including Dragonfly), so I have to take on some minions to share the load.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:36 am

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:32 am

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:51 pm
LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 3:55 pm
Have to present to the combined C-suites in 2 weeks.

Done and dusted. Went extremely well. Phase 2 starts Monday when they make recommendations based on the presentation.

CEO asked me to give a quick presentation at the managers/directors meeting (full auditorium) explaining what we did for Phase 1. Did not want to do that but I sucked it up. Went really well and I think I nailed the "company line".

Our annual gala was Saturday evening and several people mentioned my talk and complmented on it, which was nice. In front of the wife, even. But man, I do not want that to be a regular thing. I wouldn't say I was nervous but I was stressed leading up to it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:40 am

Congrats.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 1:27 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:32 am But man, I do not want that to be a regular thing. I wouldn't say I was nervous but I was stressed leading up to it.

When I was at the Trib, I had to give a bad-news report at the annual meeting. I was confident until I stepped up to the mic and hyperventilated. I seriously didn't think I would ever do such a thing again -- dating back to grammar school solo competitions I had a history of falling apart when all eyes were on me. But I managed to get better at it when I worked for a hospital, and during our final year of existence as Rush North Shore I actually emcee'd the company picnic.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:02 am

Rant, rant, rant. Did 101 orders today. Probably 130 boxes given some multi-box orders.

Got some warehouse guy (not our direct supervisor) yelling at us about treating the boxes roughly (we toss and slide them across the van floor to facilitate loading) Not like a hard toss, but maybe 12 inches or less drop. We had to unpack the pallets the "built" in the warehouse and repack them into the delivery vans. They used to mark the more delicate "with eggs" boxes. with red dots. They stopped doing that. Apparently, they expect us to treat EVERY box with tenderness. Well, stop loading us down with 100 orders every day! When I was first hired, the job description says 40-50 boxes, believe it or not.

Despite all the hoopla, 101 boxes between 1011 and 1822, minus 30 minutes lunch. That's 13.1 orders per hour, not including to/from transit time. Managed to finish everything before dark, but it's getting close. When the clock falls back, we'd finish in the dark. I am prepared, but productivity falls severely at night.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:52 pm

Got an offer on the job I interviewed for a few weeks back. Nice to have an option but I'm hoping I can wait a bit longer before making a decision; currently have about 15 other applications out and am planning to submit some more. The job that offered is the only non-academic position of all the places I'm applying to; it still would be research based, but is a more formal, 9:00 - 5:00 sort of deal. After (looks at watch) 12 years in academia, the lack of freedom from a non-academic job is a bit scary.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:23 pm

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:52 pm Got an offer on the job I interviewed for a few weeks back. Nice to have an option but I'm hoping I can wait a bit longer before making a decision; currently have about 15 other applications out and am planning to submit some more. The job that offered is the only non-academic position of all the places I'm applying to; it still would be research based, but is a more formal, 9:00 - 5:00 sort of deal. After (looks at watch) 12 years in academia, the lack of freedom from a non-academic job is a bit scary.

But...money!

My brother has been in academia for about the same amount of time and I have yet to be able to lure him away from it either.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:39 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:23 pm
Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:52 pm Got an offer on the job I interviewed for a few weeks back. Nice to have an option but I'm hoping I can wait a bit longer before making a decision; currently have about 15 other applications out and am planning to submit some more. The job that offered is the only non-academic position of all the places I'm applying to; it still would be research based, but is a more formal, 9:00 - 5:00 sort of deal. After (looks at watch) 12 years in academia, the lack of freedom from a non-academic job is a bit scary.
But...money!

My brother has been in academia for about the same amount of time and I have yet to be able to lure him away from it either.

The nice thing about academia, and nonprofits more generally, is that they might not pay a lot, but they don't expect you to be there a lot, either.