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I've been moonlighting as a finish carpenter (kinda) for the last month or so after being laid off from my engineering position in August. This is less my company because it happens industry wide, but something incredibly frustrating that happens is scope creep. These attachment details were forgotten about on the drawings? We'll put them in. Another sub falling behind? Sure we'll take their work. Oh, these soffits all need extra support because a half ton chunk of stucco collapsed after the supposedly purely decorative column was demo'd? Sure we'll do that. And yeah, that all means extra money in change orders for company; but here's the catch. The core tenet of this industry is Opening Date Does. Not. Move. Doesn't matter of you have double the work you initially bid (and staffed for!), doesn't matter if you miss every milestone, that final deadline is set, and everything that still needs doing just has to happen faster. Ugh. At least I can take solace in that for once in my career I'm not management and it's not my problem; I just put these metal bits on the walls, man.
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Apr 30, 2021 20:57
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 04:34 |
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My fantasy If-I-Was-In-Charge legislation would redefine "full time" as 32 hours a week and abolish overtime exemptions. Don't see either of those happening in my lifetime, though 
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May 1, 2021 15:44
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May 3, 2021 22:37
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One of my go-to interview questions was to have the candidate describe the craziest/most stressful day at their previous job. Gave me a good idea of what they were able to handle.
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May 7, 2021 20:19
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Lazyfire posted:I'm sorry, what? Is she referencing sub-assembly drawings and not properly referencing them? A BOM isn't half guesswork/open to interpretation. Besides As Required designations or Alternate part numbers it's supposed to be an exact thing telling you the dash number, make from and quantity. Hmm, space systems team? Terrible drawings? Impossible designs? Do you work for Oceaneering? 
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May 14, 2021 00:08
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Queen Victorian posted:Sometimes I think about how nice it would be to be a house painter or plasterer or something - a job that takes physical precision, focus, and skill and is rewarding but doesn't utilize the same parts of your brain as computer touching. Would be nice for a change to come hope physically tired but mentally relaxed instead of mentally fried and physically restless. I got laid off from my mechanical engineer role last August and was out of work for 6 months. A former coworker of mine got a job as a project manager at a construction company in my same industry and had seen my hobby woodworking posts on Facebook. He needed someone with some finesse to do some carpentry and brought me on. The good days are good; when its not too hot and theres a minimum of worksite jackassery and I can just do my work in peace, I come home tired but satisfied at a job well done and a hard days work. When its a hot humid swampassy day and your last drill bit snaps after putting a few hundred holes into stucco with your tiny 12v Milwaukee and everything hurts, I begin to question my life choices.
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Jun 9, 2021 01:57
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Y'all want to hear an infosec joke? My new company gives everyone the exact same windows log in password. No, you can't change it.
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Jul 8, 2021 21:18
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thathonkey posted:if you cant do your job because of IT issues then you can just sit back and collect paychecks until theyre resolved. if anyone asks why your work isnt done, it's time to pass that buck baby Thats where I'm at. I was given a loaner laptop with limited software when I started, despite the fact they've been trying to bring me on board for like two months. Fine whatever, but its going to take a month to get my real laptop, and the chances of that laptop having all the software I need seems to be getting smaller by the day. Sent an update email earlier today that amounted to "Got nothing to show, asked for stuff I need, still waiting".
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Jul 12, 2021 20:47
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Outrail posted:I just ordered a new computer for the office paid for by a restricted grant (can only be spent on a computer). I have no idea about computers but I'm glad it says SSD on the quote now. Can one of you computer touchers tell me is these specs are basically 'good'? It'll be used to ArcGIS and data analysis/management type stuff. If you added a beefier graphics card I would call that a "Gaming Rig", so I'm gonna say yeah you have a pretty good machine coming
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Jul 13, 2021 17:52
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Meanwhile I'm waiting a month for a laptop that can run AutoCAD
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Jul 13, 2021 19:06
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So Agile only works for software development, got it. It was quite frustrating looking for an Engineering job and every other job posting looking for an Engineer actually meant Software or Computer Engineer.
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Jul 15, 2021 11:43
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The only thing that makes my job (or at least, my former job) worth doing was seeing how happy the finished product made people as they walked around and experienced everything. Tears of joy, cries of terror, wonder and amazement for millions of people.
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Jul 15, 2021 14:12
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I used to be a theme park engineer, guess I'm still bitter and depressed that I didn't get hired back when the project started up
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Jul 15, 2021 14:18
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Imagined posted:My job is essentially to function as a human script function to move numbers manually between three terrible database systems that don't talk to each other. I'm constantly aware of the fact that in a sane universe my job would not and should not exist, and it definitely doesn't make me feel great about doing it. At least we moved to Office 365 during COVID so I don't have to spend half my day waiting for someone else to finish editing one of the dozens of Excel files we used that were stored on a network drive so that I can edit it. We still use Excel files for everything in ways that contravene the laws of both gods and men but at least they're in the cloud now and can be edited simultaneously by multiple people. Boy do I have a book recommendation for you https://www.amazon.com/Bullshit-Jobs-Theory-David-Graeber/dp/150114331X
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Jul 15, 2021 14:31
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I recommend you pick up woodworking or some other crafting hobby. There's nothing like making some useful with your own hands. Making things makes you human.
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Jul 16, 2021 16:56
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My commute is now an hour with no traffic each way. Fridays it can take an hour and a half, sometimes 2 hours to get home with traffic. I pay $7.20 a day in tolls.
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Jul 17, 2021 03:58
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My previous job tried to institute a No Meetings Friday thing, that lasted maybe two weeks
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Jul 28, 2021 11:50
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The only time I got a bonus it was equal to my merit raise that year. 3.5% 
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Aug 25, 2021 18:39
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While it doesn't compare to Australia, wildlife dangers can happen in florida too. Northerners move down here and don't grasp that they are no longer necessarily the top of the food chain any more. Gators, amoebas, big rear end bugs, etc. Had a vendor come down from Maine or something and marvel a cockroach. I thought he was doing a bit but no, he had literally never seen a cockroach before. Also threw him for a loop when it went from sunshine to rain in the span of 30 seconds.
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Aug 30, 2021 16:23
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Despite being Puerto Rican and growing up/living in the Least Southern part of the South (Orlando), I still have managed to pick up y'all, ain't, and the faintest twang of a southern accent on certain words and phrases. This haunts me.
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Oct 8, 2021 13:41
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At my previous job I had three SSO's that I would need to use for various systems.
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Oct 17, 2021 16:03
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A team from my previous employer were invited to our shop last week for a sales pitch/vendor Lunch and Learn; this is pretty common. I've long suspected that my employment at this company is partially as bait to attract my former employer's business (we have people on staff that know your specs and processes!). I was working from home that day, per usual, but I double checked with people to see if I was needed. I wasn't so I decided to stay home, but felt kinda bad as I would have liked the chance to catch up with some former coworkers. Come Monday I get to hear how it goes from my coworker (who's wife happens to still work at Previous Employer and was part of the contingent getting the tour). Suffice to say it was an absolute disaster: - Our QC casually admitted to PE's QC guy that none of our welders are certified - One of our site guys straight up lied about involvement in a high profile project from a few years ago (before my current employer was even doing that work) and doubled down when called out on it - Sensitive IP belonging to a current client and competitor to PE was left out in the open at the shop and recognized by a member of the tour who happened to have worked on that IP at a previous job - They ordered lackluster subs for the Lunch and Learn and there wasn't enough for everyone - They presented an old version of our pitch deck (that thankfully left my name and face out of the org chart) - After my VP was done reading directly from the slides, the other VP (they hate each other) came in and read the exact same information from his slides - They had made up a gift bag for everyone; no one wanted them so they kinda shoved them into peoples hands. Inside was an aluminum drink coaster that our shop made up to show off our capabilities. It looked like complete rear end. I have an interview Tuesday and half a dozen applications out the door.
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Oct 21, 2021 23:15
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also our head of Safety is an antivaxxer
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Oct 22, 2021 00:06
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I've been at my job for nearly 5 months now and we haven't had a single team meeting. No one knows who is working on what, there is no coordination, and everything is floundering.
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Oct 25, 2021 20:10
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Lazyfire posted:I can say this after working alongside and for engineers my entire career: They are some of the most Dunning Kreuger infected people on the planet. Many of them are almost comically dumb outside of their area of expertise and will willingly ignore evidence they are wrong, even if someone who is a certified expert on the subject (or heaven forbid, another engineer) explains it to them. I would almost consider it impressive if I wasn't the person who has to fix things afterwards. Engineer here, can confirm.
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Oct 25, 2021 20:50
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Jasper Tin Neck posted:Frameworks exist because making bozos reinvent the wheel is generally not a good idea. Of course the problem is that all problems start looking like nails to someone with a hammer. Trying to apply this chart for my situation, but I don't even know where to begin. Which direction is "we horrendously underbid the project (to the tune of 25% of actual costs on some stuff) and now are $4mil in the hole and are only halfway done; we're running out of money so buying materials to finish whats left is like pulling teeth"?
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Oct 26, 2021 16:13
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Volmarias posted:That's the arrow pointing to polishing your resume HR screening in 15 minutes!
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Oct 26, 2021 16:42
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Welp, our shop is above capacity. Our separate manufacturing division is at capacity. All our vendor fab shops are at capacity. Time to go tell the GC that stainless steel flashing they need in a week isn't happening.
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Oct 28, 2021 17:55
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I was getting quotes on material for one of the architectural elements we've been contracted to do. So far I'm at $49k on steel and specialty sheet metal, it'll probably be in the $60k range once I get the rest of my quotes in, not including labor/welding/fabrication costs (as we gotta outsource a lot since we're at capacity). I asked my PM, out of curiosity, what we bid this thing at. He looked through the contract and gave me a resigned sigh as he found the line item. $52k total.
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Oct 28, 2021 21:29
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nvidiagouge posted:The new way out of everything now is just to say covid supply issues are messing everything up. Sorry our bid is now 150k but you know the rona and stuff. Lmao no, not sure if works that way in other industries but mine absolutely does not. Contracts are lump sum based on an RFP package that's blind bid out to several vendors; a change order for more money for the same scope will get you laughed out of the room. At this point we are losing money hand over fist on this job and are $4mil in the hole because every single element was underbid, through either incompetence or intentionally so that we ensured we came in as lowest bidder. But speaking of change orders, the previously mentioned PM has been doing a deep dive through all of them and comparing the actual work done versus what was charged for in the CO, at the behest of our CFO. He's gone through the first 3 and has discovered our VP has essentially given away $250k of work. He's got 40 more to get through. VP doesn't know that PM has a bullet with his name on it.
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Oct 28, 2021 21:53
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So for those who had been following the drama at my workplace: the $250k of work that was essentially given away by my VP has ballooned to "a few million" based on the completion of the audit. He has been soft-demoted and his authority has been greatly curtailed. He is now solely in charge of client-facing communications. Its a bit embarrassing watching him try to save face and spin things, saying stuff like "Ive decided to take a step back and let [other VP] handle things so as to not muddy the waters". The other VP has taken over management of this project and things are marginally better; there is an actual schedule now. My interview the other week didn't pan out so I'm still looking for an exit plan 
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Nov 19, 2021 16:03
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I asked my (new?) boss for a raise, as the org chart he sent out had me listed as an assistant project manager despite that not being my title. Also of note that my (former?) VP boss was nowhere on the org chart. I've got word from former colleagues that my application at my old employer has been reviewed, they consider my resume very strong, and my old boss had asked I be put on the consideration list, but the position isn't opening for another couple months. I was laid off for pandemic reasons and they're just recently been rehiring people, so here's hoping I can get a raise at this place right before bailing and swing for a 6 figure salary at my old employer.
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Nov 25, 2021 19:22
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My old company were absolute bastards with payment terms. 90 days from date of invoice, but we also had a lovely thing in the fine print we called the Discount Chain. See, we give ourselves 90 days to pay your invoice, but if we go extra fast and pay you within 30 days, we give ourselves a 1.5% discount. If we manage to pay you in 15 days, we give ourselves a 3% discount!
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Dec 9, 2021 01:41
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Machai posted:If you always print double-sided you go through half as much paper by the time the ink runs out, which obviously means you used twice as much ink per page which is a waste. lmao its probably this, its just stupid enough to explain it.
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Jan 17, 2022 20:30
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Aramoro posted:What an odd place Albuquerque is. lomarf Wish I could report that I've finally found a new job; plenty of interest from recruiters but they don't seem to lead anywhere. My old employer seems to want nothing to do with me for some reason, I'd at least like to know why. The VP who manages to give away millions in free work somehow still has a job. While his title hasn't changed I am told he is little more than a project manager now. There's less than a month now until we have to be done with everything and I really don't see how it can happen. Everything is a priority and I'm stressed to hell. I want to run away and never look back but I have a kid on the way and have forgone the luxury of recklessness. Hopefully I can land something soon to at least have a light at the end of this tunnel.
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Feb 9, 2022 13:21
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My new boss has just discovered $350k in unpaid invoices, stretching back to December 2020. My former boss/somehow still employed VP was just sitting on them, couldn't have been bothered to so much as forward them to the accounting guy. She asked me what it takes to get fired from this company. I just laughed and told her this was the tip of the iceberg with that guy.
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Mar 2, 2022 15:58
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Finally got an interview request; from a company I didn't even remember applying to. After some back and forth with the HR person it turns out this position is for designing kitchen equipment (aka boring as hell), and is actually entry level with a $23-$27/hr pay range. Just sent the "I don't think I'd be a good fit for this position" email, thats a first for me.
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Mar 25, 2022 19:21
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Aced my first interview at a new company, they're doing some cutting edge hydrogen stuff and are still VC funded with 24 months til the IPO. I've never worked in the start up realm, any goons have advice? It would be a 20% pay bump from my current job, offer stock options after a year, and has an impeccable health care benefits package, but the commute is an hour (which is the same as my current place so whatever) and I expect the hours would be intense. I've got my first kid coming in mid-july and that needs to be my priority, so that concerns me a bit as well. Should I even bring up that I'll need to take a couple weeks off for the birth? I didn't mention it in the first interview.
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Mar 31, 2022 11:46
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Motronic posted:So first thing first, who told you that they are 24 months from an IPO? Because that in an of itself is pretty red flaggy depending on how it was communicated and by who. It was a call with the COO and HR. 24 months from IPO and are already generating revenue. This is still a small outfit, 30 employees looking to expand to 80 by years end. Production lines up and running in 17 months, design 90% complete. What does it mean to be given ""Material Nonpublic Information"? And as far as paternity leave, my current place has none whatsoever (I have a week of PTO saved up plus arranging for another week of FMLA unpaid leave); I didn't ask about it in my interview with the new place but they have a healthcare benefits package that covers 100% of costs, so they seem health and family minded. I'll go ahead and send them an email explaining my situation; babby is due mid-July.
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Mar 31, 2022 18:22
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 04:34 |
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Motronic posted:It means you were talking to rank amateurs. You can't just go blabbing about the specifics and timing of an IPO, not even to EMPLOYEES. The SEC get real upset about that kind of thing. MNPI is information that can be used for insider trading, basically. Soooooo, is this a "stay far away" situation, or a "get in, run out the one year clock, fleece them for all I can" situation?
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Mar 31, 2022 18:58
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