New Job...for real?

[Highway Star]

I don't think I've mentioned much if anything about it, but up until this week, I've been out of work for the last two months. The contractor I was working for...well, we finished the job. I had been working with them for about 4 years, and always seemed to land on big projects, behind a desk, in the "trailer", working with numbers and materials, and such. I'm decent with a computer, I have a good memory, attention for detail, etc. Right?

Anyways, they cut me, and about 200 other well-qualified, tenured (some more than me) people together a few months ago. All of the contractors are doing that around here, all disciplines, crafts, what have you. The company I worked for, last year this time, had 5 or 6 jobs staffing 200 or more people, in the refineries and chemical manufacturing facilities up and down the river around here.

I am close to running out of bread, and have been banging on doors looking for something... anything, I guess. There are a few people interested in me from engineering firms and such, but once "things pick back up".

I replied to an ad on craigslist (of all places) for a job, get this...assembling bicycles. Turns out the company contracts with sporting goods stores and such to handle all merchandise assembly for the bikes, bbq grills, outdoor furniture, exercise equipment, etc. I did work like this when I was in high school, and in college, and it was half a joke. It isn't that funny right now, let me tell you.

Work is monday to friday, the hours are at my discretion (unwritten expectation is 8 hr a day), maybe more around holidays

I get paid by the piece. There is a flat rate for each bicycle, and all of the other items, I get a %age of the actual charge from my company to the store. I found out after he fact, that I was hired at the maximum rate, even more than the person (8 yr. company dude) that trained me for 2 days. Some of the larger items have a few bucks attached to them, and I like work that is structured like this, where the more you do, the more you make.

I can put some of the bikes together in 4 or 5 minutes, and there are others that take about 20. There is potential to make decent $, and I already see that there is some growth opportunity on a regional level if I can figure this out so much that I am like a machine that spits out bikes. Plus, the people I will be working with every day, are of a different "caliber"...to be polite.

I could go on, this has consumed me for the last week. I woke up thinking about this job last night. I half can't believe this is what I am trying to do for a living, I half can't believe the company I was working for trashed me, that I can't seem to land anything else, etc.



Guys, am I nuts?

[grandsport]

Are you happy? I couldn't tell one way or the other.

[Highway Star]

I'm not sure Gary.

[grandsport]

Originally Posted by Highway Star

I'm not sure Gary.

I thought so. At least it's something for a while. Look on the bright side,you could be selling cars.

[piette]

In short, you are happier now than you would be if you couldnt feed or shelter your family Jake, so run with it. Things will turn around eventually in the economy, until then do what you can do and do it damn well and take care of the family.

Unfortunately we can't ask for much more right now, but we can thank the Lord for what we have and what we could be missing in our lives.

Jeff

[grumpy]

I think Jeff said it best.

[Hank70SS]

You said you don't know if you're happy or not about the job. You also said you have a chance to make some decent $ and maybe advancement. So if you're not happy, why? You don't like the work or you think it's beneath you?

If you don't like the work maybe you just have to suck it up for awhile. Life isn't always fun. If you think it's beneath you, well what you do for a living doesn't define who you are. There is nothing demeaning about doing a honest day's work and providing for your family, that deserves respect. There are people that will judge you based on what you do for a living. Those are the same people I'm not interested in associating with.

I'm glad you found something, hope it works out for you if that's what you want.

[Highway Star]

Thanks for the encouragement fellas. I knew that I'd get some perspectives and opinions I hadn't thought of yet from my chevelleforum pals.

[grandsport]

Originally Posted by grumpy

I think Jeff said it best.

Jeff says everything best. He is one intellegent guy!

[piette]

Originally Posted by grandsport

Jeff says everything best. He is one intellegent guy!

No he isn't!!! Not by a long shot Gary. He's just a guy like everyone else that has learned to appreciate what he has and what could be gone tomorrow.

Jeff