I dropped two weeks...

[TexasT]

I dropped two weeks  notice at my job yesterday.

I really liked the job when I started but they let the guy who hired me go about six months in. His boss convinced me to stay on then about a year and a half latter he left. Mean time they hired the guy to replace the guy they let go six months in. I got along but didn't(don't) like him. Nice enough guy but just not someone I'm willing to put forth the effort with. So then they bring in the Bosses boss replacement. Again, nice enough guy, just not what I signed up for. The older I get the less I want to be part of what I perceive as a non-winning team.

The bonus checks have been slim this year with only two of the nine months being what I would regard as decent. The rest were substandard and didn't meet my expectations for the effort and results I put in. Then they cut my hours. I get it, it is business, but I have a family to feed and house(and Buicks to build and race). I got  and I quote "as many hours a s you are willing to work" from the guys who hired me, and was never sent home with less than eight. I have been sent home with less than eight five times in the previous two months. This is just no working out for me.

On to the up side. One of the days they sent me home I told them, "Man, this gives me a lot of free time to hunt a job on the old interwebz." They just laughed it off and so I hit them interwebz hard. Found several prospects and started the research to see if any would work for me. I heard a radio ad for a freight company(YRC Freight) that was having a job fair on a Saturday morning, so I got up and headed on down there to get my questions answered.

They were serious and after I got my questions answered and thought it might work out took their onsite drug screen and filled out paperwork for the background check. The manager told me you might not be driving the whole time but you can get all the hours you want as we run 24/7/365. So my schedule might get goofed up but i did it in the oilfield, im sure this is doable. I have to join the Teamsters union and the driver trainer I talked to said after you make your thirty days there are only three ways to get fired, kill someone, stealing and tearing stuff up and not reporting it. I think I can handle those.

So I waited a few weeks for the background stuff and they called up last week to set up a start date. I told them Id like to give current a two week notice as they had given me a job and such but if they cut me loose could I start sooner. she said that was fine so I went down there yesterday and took pleasure in dropping it on em. They freaked. I told them nothing personal but I have to look out for my family. And they want me to stay the two weeks as they are already short as there is one guy on light duty and they let one go for backing into something and not reporting it. It takes them forever to hire anyone and the mouthbreathers this new guy does chose don't seem to workout well.

Oh well, not my problem. New place is predicting they will have 60 or so city driver and 160 road drivers retire in the next four years. So, i'm figuring to move up on the totem pole pretty fast as these guys move on. Money about the same, a little further from the house(10 miles further, about $60 in gas per month more) but they cover the health insurance premiums for me and my family. This is the up side and I pay $186 every two weeks so this is an instant raise. Time and a half over eight hrs and over 40 hrs. They said they have guys who work three days a week and do 14 hrs a day and have four days off.

I'm pretty stoked. Have to give up the vacation time and start over, but I don't have any money to go anywhere, what good is vacation time.

[Scoobum]

Sounds like a far better setup...and congrats! You need to start building transmissions on the side.

[TexasT]

I could I guess. Not sure anyone would want one, but that is an option. I'm gathering parts for a 4L60e for our suburban . It wil get a beast sunshell and hopefully strong enough stuff to tow in od. Also working on getting a vacuum pump and gauges to do the ac on the Buick and the burb. I think I narrowed it down to a $100 set off eBay with a pump, gauges, and a carrying case. Then a side can tap off amazon. Then I can do the 152a setup as outlined elsewhere on the forum. It is hot down here and I need ac. Volley ball season has started up and the coach already asked if she will play basket ball. She is our last one so much of my time gets poured that way. She has a pretty wicked overhand serve and can spike if a good setter is on the court with her. There is no better feeling than seeing your kid score the points.

[Scoobum]

Rich...if we lived closer I'd let you build mine. A local who's a friend of mine and is a licensed mechanic...and who's also incredibly anal...is now building 200's. He gets the call the next time my 200 needs service.

[TexasT]

Shipping across the border is rediculous. I bought a pair of drag star wheels that cost more to shi0p than what I paid for them.

Sounds like a good choice. The tb.com has a lot of info and David Husek is an encyclopedia of 2004r. He can get any parts needed and has some great converters from what I have heard.

[motorhead]

Good for you.  Being doing much of the same lately for the same reasons; and have not been very quiet about it.

[TexasT]

I've found it better to have the new lined up before dropping the news on em. There was a time when I'd just stop going and start the new. But as Ive matured I find more pleasure in telling them face to face.

[good2win22]

I read an article once that said that 80% of the people changing jobs is due to coworkers and not the job itself.  I would think that number would be higher but that's just me. Anyway, glad for you!


Not sure about the rest of you guys but I'm always "looking" for another job.  Get daily and weekly emails from job postings.  I spent way too many years away from the wife and kids building a career so now my priority is providing for the family while sleeping in my own bed every night with the wife. Could make a lot more money traveling but I enjoy the kids activities and watching them grow.  Maybe when they're out of the house I'll go back to traveling. Until then, I tolerate more than I would prefer to. 


Nothing like giving the old "take this job and shove it" line.  Good luck to you Rich and if you need those gauges just gimme a holler

[TexasT]

Jason, did y'all make it up to noble?
I took the Friday off with the idea that I would go but with this turn of events decided better to hold the cash.
Muscle Car Challenge at Ennis today but I just don't even feel like going and sweating.

Funny how just one "team member" can sour the whole experience, or at least it did for me. The worst part of him is he is very incompetent. I was getting to come back after the route and help pull orders and put up stock to get the hours. It was ridiculous how much stuff this guy "put up" in the wrong place. Then there is his "warehouse skillz". Here is a pallet of hard goods we were to deliver to a customer. Notice the damaged corner on the wood pallet. Also notice he stacked pretty much all of it to that corner with plenty of room left without on the opposite corner. What goes through peoples mind as they aren't accomplishing things and creating extra work to correct their eff ups? Then there is the loose box left on top of the wrapped skid. I drive an open trailer as pictured. What in anyone's wildest dreams would make them think that it would ride like that? And they wonder why it takes so long for me to get off the yard in the am.





Those blue and white boxes are 33# spools of welding wire. Not light by any measure. What would make anyone think it would stay on the broken pallet going down the road?







That is the restacked and rewrapped skid on the tail of my truck. Ill throw a strap over it and call it good. Just one in a long string of, its the drivers fault when this goes wrong.


And they wonder why I'm tired of the goofiness. My wife specifically told me, when they ask in a meeting does anyone have anything else, they ARE NOT talking to me. My diarrhea mouth gets me into trouble. It used to get me fired but being married with children has a way of curbing your desire to tell others what you think. I guess the desire is still there, but Ive learned to filter better.

[good2win22]

Didn't make it to Noble this year for the ford vs buick event.  Homecoming Friday night, both kids had dates.  Daughter is in the band and the boy, who is in 8th grade, has been asked to help with the band stuff during half time shows.  Saturday morning was a cross country event for my boy.  He did alright.  Not in the front but not in the rear either.  Also on Saturday was the local car show.  My wife's uncle came up from San Antonio and he and my father-in-law did that event all day.  My truck was part of the recall/repurchase deal that the NTSB sued Dodge over, so I had been working with the dealership on what to do for the last few weeks.  Anyway, I picked up the new truck Saturday afternoon.  This whole time, I've been building a shed addition to the south side of my barn and all I wanted to do was work on it.  Spent the last 3 weeks off and on digging and setting nine 16 ft posts, gotta love limestone country, and I was at the point to where I could be installing the joists and rafters.  And that's why I didn't make Noble.
 
We deal with an incessent amount stupidity and ignorance here at DynCorp with the management.  Like you, I am only thinking about the big picture and, for the most part, keep my mouth closed.  We rant and vent with the office doors closed but not in front of the "suits."  Most of the mechanics working on the floor are top notch but there are those who want to move up the corporate ladder,  I call those guys "the say whatever you want to hear guys."  I call them out quite often, especially when it hinders me completing a test flight and finishing my job. 
 
If life hands you lemons and your suppose to make lemonade, why am I always drinking lemonade?

[TexasT]

Well, they called me aside this am. Offered about 13% more money. I told em I'd talk it over with the mrs and think about it. I'm just not feeling it here and I know that just drags me down. I'm still in a good enough place to get up and go, but I know if I stay I won't have that in the coming months especially in the winter. I dread cold weather. And it is hard for me to be motivated. I can't come up with a good reason to stay. Even if the new place sux it will be new and exciting. At least for a while, and maybe longer if it works out.

I talked to the direct supervisor this am after the offer and he agreed it isn't what it was when I was hired. He has moved up to an office gig bit ends up riding the truck training New people. He took the salary but I guess he knew what he was doing.

Upside I got the new door handle for the inside one that broke off last month. I also got a side can tap for A/c work and a spring compressor for my 4L60e project and there was a box by the door with what I think is my new vacuum pump and gauge setup. I'm pretty excited to maybe have A/c after about 20 yrs with out in the Buick. And a door handle so I don't have to roll the window down to get out.

I guess I'm moving forward, but sometimes it is hard to tell. I hope the Chinese tools work out.

[daveismissing]

I believe stats say a very high percentage of people eventually leave after accepting the  counter offer increase. They were already motivated in that direction  and money wasn't enough to overcome those feelings. Good Luck in  your decision!

People seem happy w the Harbor Freight pumps, I am.

[TexasT]

Yeah, last time(different employer about ten yrs back) I took the money and stayed, obviously it didn't work out then either and that is what I think would happen again if I stayed. Hard to overcome the fellings of not trusting the mgmt.

[gusszgs]

Well at least they offered you 13%.........better than "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out" 

[TexasT]

yep