I lost the best job I’ve ever had…

JTE83

My NASA job ended August 15th. There was a big downturn in drafting / detailing work so they laid off two Designer / Detailers, one being me. It was at Jacobs, the 2nd best engineering firm in the nation and a primary NASA contractor. They told me this typically happens every time this year and they do some budget cutting. Then when stuff picks up in October they might rehire again! So I could be back!

But 11 days on unemployment – I did my Careerbuilder and Monster resume and recruiters are calling me for jobs! Houston is so hot to be a Proe Designer or Mechanical Engineer! I was submitted at $68,000 / year for a Proe Designer job – they said I had an awesome resume and they were about to interview me when they cancelled it for me being overqualified with my BSME degree, they wanted an Associates! So I applied for the Mechanical Engineer position and I’m waiting. Other recruiters are calling me for entry level engineer positions at $66,000 to $68,000 year! - You just can’t get that in Chicago!

If I don’t get a job in 3 months in Houston – I’m gonna jump to another city doing these nationwide Proe Designer contract jobs. I turned down Atlanta at $32 to $34 and hour because I’m not ready to move. I got submitted for a 6 month $45 / hr Dallas job but I haven’t heard from them, doesn’t bother me as then I won’t move.

I’m really a Chicago native and I came to Houston March 2007 for a 6 month temp job at Schlumberger. After Schlumberger I got immediately hired at Jacobs, Houston’s job market was so hot! Even now a recruiter said there is a shortage of engineers in Houston!

So now I hope my unemployment doesn’t last long as I’m bleeding $180 a week and didn’t get an unemployment check yet. And they said it’s the worst unemployment situation in America in 6 years! I’ve never done this before – look for a job and pay rent at the same time. In Chicago, no rent!

I’ve rarely had jobs in the past that I really loved and missed when I left them. Three were International Jensen [loudspeaker manufacturer], Schlumberger [oilfield equipment], and Pentair Electronic Packaging [sheet metal mfg firm]. Platt Luggage, a suitcase manufacturer was somewhat interesting but was minimum wage for an engineer – a depressing $25,000 / year back in 1995. Yeah, my early career sucked!

I wanted my career as a Mechanical Engineer to be involved in Product Design, and I like working at interesting companies that make interesting products.

So how about you? What was the best job you ever had? How’d you like it? What was interesting about it? Did you miss it?

Man, I should have applied for the engineer job at SRAM in Chicago! JL Audio in FL – I passed them over because they use Solidworks and pay less, up to $60 k / year. Maybe I should’ve bought JL Audio gear from the company and ebay’ed it! I got passed over by the company that makes most of the machine guns for the military.

What about you people on unemployment? How long have you been unemployed? How the job market treating you where you’re at? Like isn’t America in a recession? What jobs do you apply for?

Too bad I can no longer brag that I work for NASA! Most historic thing I did was work on the Lunar Lander Platform mockup. But we don’t need to go back to the moon! If NASA budgets pick up I might be back!

gemship

It has been said to me repeatedly that being happy with you work means finding purpose and fufillment. Seems like you have those two things down pretty good so I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I think the overeducated bit the recruiter told you sounds stupid but thats life, move on to the next job.I'm sure you know that.

Have you ever condsidered a career in the womens lingerie industry? Perhaps you could renovate designs for panythose. Make them fit easier, a product that would cater to crossdressing men with tree trunk legs

jhuskey

Broadway Joe has already stolen the show in that market years ago.

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Sobriety is over rated!