CUBE LIFE! Office Etiquette

[Giff]

Good luck, Shirley!

[Shirley]

Thanks, y'all!

[DaveInSeattle]

I gave my 2-week notice today. I'm gonna go work for my former manager at her new company. It's smaller, but the pay's pretty close (had to take a small cut) and hopefully I can get out from some of the bullshit I've been dealing with at the current job. Feels pretty good (but also bittersweet, because I like nearly everyone I work with).

Good luck with the new gig!

[Johnnie]

Good luck!

[Johnnie]

Had an interview yesterday with BAE Systems. I saw that they posted a job for which I believe I'm experienced enough. Its title is "Logistics Support Manager" for the 'Compass Call' unit on DM.

I'd be the manager for the 'CTK' or Consolidated Tool Kit which is responsible for checking out tools and maintaining their serviceability and such along with keeping technical orders up to date as well. It harkens back to my prior maintenance days mostly and not my logistics ones.

The unit is deployable and I'd be tapped to be deployable again (which kinda stinks, but I'm sure as a civilian it'll be better) but the funny thing is they don't have a Unit Deployment Manager. So I'm in the unique position to maybe help that area too.

Anyhoo, the interview was about an hour with 4 people interviewing me (3 from BAE in New Hampshire, 1 locally). I think it went ok? They cared about my 'Superintendent' experience and the dude seemed to be a little taken aback that I, as an e-6, could have such a role. A 'Superintendent' is typically an E-8, so I'm not sure if the guy believes me or not. Other questions were about how I'd keep a dynamic, diverse group of people motivated and how I'd handle reprimanding people as well.

One question I've come to absolutely hate, despite, and wish would die is "So I see that you retired or stopped working back in September of last year. What have you been doing since then?" I answer truthfully with "I decided to concentrate on school and finish my degree in December and have been consistently applying to jobs since late January/early February. I seem to be applying to places that aren't quick in getting back to me." or something like that. It sounds ridiculous, but I'm being honest. I just hate that the subtext is "WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RETIRED, YOU LAZY SHIT."

I'll know by next week, apparently, what direction they go in. If I do get it I hope it pays well -- especially since I'll be deployable.

[wlu_lax6]

Had an interview yesterday with BAE Systems. I saw that they posted a job for which I believe I'm experienced enough. Its title is "Logistics Support Manager" for the 'Compass Call' unit on DM.

I'd be the manager for the 'CTK' or Consolidated Tool Kit which is responsible for checking out tools and maintaining their serviceability and such along with keeping technical orders up to date as well. It harkens back to my prior maintenance days mostly and not my logistics ones.

The unit is deployable and I'd be tapped to be deployable again (which kinda stinks, but I'm sure as a civilian it'll be better) but the funny thing is they don't have a Unit Deployment Manager. So I'm in the unique position to maybe help that area too.

Anyhoo, the interview was about an hour with 4 people interviewing me (3 from BAE in New Hampshire, 1 locally). I think it went ok? They cared about my 'Superintendent' experience and the dude seemed to be a little taken aback that I, as an e-6, could have such a role. A 'Superintendent' is typically an E-8, so I'm not sure if the guy believes me or not. Other questions were about how I'd keep a dynamic, diverse group of people motivated and how I'd handle reprimanding people as well.

One question I've come to absolutely hate, despite, and wish would die is "So I see that you retired or stopped working back in September of last year. What have you been doing since then?" I answer truthfully with "I decided to concentrate on school and finish my degree in December and have been consistently applying to jobs since late January/early February. I seem to be applying to places that aren't quick in getting back to me." or something like that. It sounds ridiculous, but I'm being honest. I just hate that the subtext is "WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RETIRED, YOU LAZY SHIT."

I'll know by next week, apparently, what direction they go in. If I do get it I hope it pays well -- especially since I'll be deployable.

Better to be Deployable than Deplorable

[A_B]

Is it though?

[DaveInSeattle]

One question I've come to absolutely hate, despite, and wish would die is "So I see that you retired or stopped working back in September of last year. What have you been doing since then?" I answer truthfully with "I decided to concentrate on school and finish my degree in December and have been consistently applying to jobs since late January/early February. I seem to be applying to places that aren't quick in getting back to me."

I'd probably leave that bolded part out. Just say you've been finishing up school, and looking for your next opportunity.

I'll know by next week, apparently, what direction they go in. If I do get it I hope it pays well -- especially since I'll be deployable.

Good Luck!

[mister d]

What he said. Being right doesn’t matter; it’s basically the same as any athlete’s postgame interview: never assign blame and accept dumb blame because that’s the path to being not a problem.

[P.D.X.]

If it's really that bad to say "I just got out of the fucking military and wanted to take some time off" then f America even harder.

[Johnnie]

If it's really that bad to say "I just got out of the fucking military and wanted to take some time off" then f America even harder.

See, this is exactly where I fall. (Even though I understand why I have to pretend otherwise.)

And double especially when the guy interviewing me is prior military.

[degenerasian]

"Just got out of the military, adjusting to civilian life, applying for jobs and learning the entire recruitment process again. I really want to discover this new side of me. You remember what that's like."

Make it so that they think you're able to pivot and are enthusiastic about adjusting to new life situations. More so if the interviewer is former military, he's had to go through this as well.

My advice is to always make the interview a conversation, not a Q&A.

[phxgators]

I'm doing phone screens/interviews almost every day right now. If someone told me they retired from the military, finished their degree, and decided they wanted to take a break before getting into the workforce I would tell them they've fucking earned it and good for them.

Gaps in a resume shouldn't be some kind of scarlet letter.

[phxgators]

I gave my 2-week notice today. I'm gonna go work for my former manager at her new company. It's smaller, but the pay's pretty close (had to take a small cut) and hopefully I can get out from some of the bullshit I've been dealing with at the current job. Feels pretty good (but also bittersweet, because I like nearly everyone I work with).

Any time you make a move that's good for you, on your own terms, that's a win. Congrats!

[Johnnie]

"Just got out of the military, adjusting to civilian life, applying for jobs and learning the entire recruitment process again. I really want to discover this new side of me. You remember what that's like."

Make it so that they think you're able to pivot and are enthusiastic about adjusting to new life situations. More so if the interviewer is former military, he's had to go through this as well.

My advice is to always make the interview a conversation, not a Q&A.

The fact that I have to, on-the-fly, (or now that I've been told one, copy word for word) create a non-answer answer phrase (IMO) that veers away from simple truths like "I'm applying to many jobs and no one is calling me back and thus time is passing while it happens" is akin, to me, playing politics.

It's so weird that I have to do that in order to look, what, trustworthy? Nutso.

I retired from the military as an E-6 because I couldn't use superficiality to make myself look better on paper. I simply wasn't good at the buzzwords. I now have that same feeling.

All it does is make me anxious that I'll never get a job because what other innocuous, completely legit reason for being in a situation do I have to fake truth my way out of?

[Johnnie]

I'm doing phone screens/interviews almost every day right now. If someone told me they retired from the military, finished their degree, and decided they wanted to take a break before getting into the workforce I would tell them they've fucking earned it and good for them.

Gaps in a resume shouldn't be some kind of scarlet letter.

Thank you. The 'talent and acquisition' world, and just the world in general, needs more folks like you.

[degenerasian]

"Just got out of the military, adjusting to civilian life, applying for jobs and learning the entire recruitment process again. I really want to discover this new side of me. You remember what that's like."

Make it so that they think you're able to pivot and are enthusiastic about adjusting to new life situations. More so if the interviewer is former military, he's had to go through this as well.

My advice is to always make the interview a conversation, not a Q&A.

The fact that I have to, on-the-fly, (or now that I've been told one, copy word for word) create a non-answer answer phrase (IMO) that veers away from simple truths like "I'm applying to many jobs and no one is calling me back and thus time is passing while it happens" is akin, to me, playing politics.

It's so weird that I have to do that in order to look, what, trustworthy? Nutso.

I retired from the military as an E-6 because I couldn't use superficiality to make myself look better on paper. I simply wasn't good at the buzzwords. I now have that same feeling.

All it does is make me anxious that I'll never get a job because what other innocuous, completely legit reason for being in a situation do I have to fake truth my way out of?

Any company eliminating you on this crap is not one you want to work for anyways, keep plugging away. i was off nearly 18 months once and companies that held it against me, fuck'em. their loss. Let them hire shitty people who have no gaps and jump from job to job. They will leave you too,

Look for people like phxgators

[The Sybian]

Gaps in a resume shouldn't be some kind of scarlet letter.

Fully agree with this. It's a shame, because we should applaud people for taking time to find the right job, rather than jumping into the wrong position and starting to look shortly after. OTOH, sometimes there is a reason people are out of job, and nobody wants to be the sucker who hires the bad employee everyone else was smart enough to shun.

Saying you took time to get your degree should be enough, but you could also add:

I'm taking my time to start my career in the right position; or

I have a lot of years of psychedelic drug use to catch up on.

[Johnnie]

Any company eliminating you on this crap is not one you want to work for anyways, keep plugging away. i was off nearly 18 months once and companies that held it against me, fuck'em. their loss. Let them hire shitty people who have no gaps and jump from job to job. They will leave you too,

Look for people like phxgators

That's my feeling at this time.

I just want to note that I just hate answering that specific question because of my perceived subtext of it. It's very possible that the people interviewing me understood my situation and it doesn't 'ding' me overall.

I'm taking my time to start my career in the right position.

I like this. There's actually truth in this. I deliberately wanted my MBA done to improve my employment position ahead of time.

[A_B]

I like this. There's actually truth in this. I deliberately wanted my MBA done to improve my employment position ahead of time.

Hope yours works better than mine!

[DaveInSeattle]

shoutoutCapture.PNG (143.7 KiB) Viewed 266 times

I just got a shout-out from the CEO during our "All-Hands" meeting...

(I'd attach the screenshot, but its telling me the board attachment quota has been reached)

I guess standing and talking with him for 20 minutes at the company anniversary party a couple of weeks ago paid off...

(attachment working now)

[A_B]

Let me go delete a bunch of screenshots real quick.

[DaveInSeattle]

Let me go delete a bunch of screenshots real quick.

Thanks...working now...

[A_B]

BADASS!

[duff]

No bolo?

[govmentchedda]

No bolo?

Bolo at sea seems dangerous.


*everything at sea seems dangerous to me right now. I'm reading The Wager by David Grann.

[mister d]

"Bolo at Sea" sounds like it would be like a Tom Waits song.

[DaveInSeattle]

BADASS!

When my picture popped up, I thought "wait...am I getting fired in front of the whole company?"

And the Bolo ties(yes, I have more than one!) are in long-term storage...but will make a re-appearance at some point. Just waiting for the right occasion!

[Giff]

Nice man!

[sancarlos]

BADASS!

When my picture popped up, I thought "wait...am I getting fired in front of the whole company?"

And the Bolo ties(yes, I have more than one!) are in long-term storage...but will make a re-appearance at some point. Just waiting for the right occasion!

They gotta come back in style, soon!
(Congrats!)

[Johnny Carwash]

Survived a massive round of layoffs this week. Honestly stunned. Many, including my boss (who is great), weren't so lucky.

[The Sybian]

Survived a massive round of layoffs this week. Honestly stunned. Many, including my boss (who is great), weren't so lucky.

Congrats. I was just coming to this thread to note how much I hate firing people. Just got out of that meeting, and it's the nicest woman and she was crying the entire time. Just the worst.

[Giff]

Yeah, I've only had to do it once and even though it was very much deserved and HR provided a good script, it was still awful. Thanks a lot douche for literally doing zero work for two weeks, but putting OT on your timesheet.

[sancarlos]

Congrats Carwash!

Having to fire someone is brutal. Even when they richly deserve it.

[Johnny Carwash]

Survived a massive round of layoffs this week. Honestly stunned. Many, including my boss (who is great), weren't so lucky.

Congrats. I was just coming to this thread to note how much I hate firing people. Just got out of that meeting, and it's the nicest woman and she was crying the entire time. Just the worst.

Thanks. Company-wide layoffs were announced in March and that we'd hear by end of July. Decisions on who was impacted were made at very high levels, with most people's immediate managers having no input in the process. The actual criteria factoring into the decisions were never made clear other than it was "not performance related." Got the call Tuesday telling me I was OK from my boss's boss's boss, who from what I hear had no input into the decisions even at her level, but had to spend all of Monday/Tuesday being the messenger to individual people on whether they were affected. To the best of her knowledge, this makes me safe for the next year or so. Those that I know of who were let go got 8 months' advance noticed that their jobs are being phased out, with severance paid after assuming they stay until that date.

I've been in this current role for almost 12 years, with remarkable stability for most of that time until earlier this year where the team's top-level boss was let go, which shocked the rest of the team. In this latest round, 4 of the 10 of the US-based part of the team were let go, with one more person retiring to spare herself the mess. People in other countries are supposed to hear in the next couple months. Not fun.

[The Sybian]

Survived a massive round of layoffs this week. Honestly stunned. Many, including my boss (who is great), weren't so lucky.

Congrats. I was just coming to this thread to note how much I hate firing people. Just got out of that meeting, and it's the nicest woman and she was crying the entire time. Just the worst.

Thanks. Company-wide layoffs were announced in March and that we'd hear by end of July. Decisions on who was impacted were made at very high levels, with most people's immediate managers having no input in the process. The actual criteria factoring into the decisions were never made clear other than it was "not performance related." Got the call Tuesday telling me I was OK from my boss's boss's boss, who from what I hear had no input into the decisions even at her level, but had to spend all of Monday/Tuesday being the messenger to individual people on whether they were affected. To the best of her knowledge, this makes me safe for the next year or so. Those that I know of who were let go got 8 months' advance noticed that their jobs are being phased out, with severance paid after assuming they stay until that date.

I've been in this current role for almost 12 years, with remarkable stability for most of that time until earlier this year where the team's top-level boss was let go, which shocked the rest of the team. In this latest round, 4 of the 10 of the US-based part of the team were let go, with one more person retiring to spare herself the mess. People in other countries are supposed to hear in the next couple months. Not fun.

Fucking Biden...

A couple months after starting this job (in December), I was tasked with planning out a RIF in case it was needed. My boss started a few months before me, but she was pretty sure our jobs were safe if we were managing the RIF. Fortunately they decided to wait a few more months to see if billable hours increased and we were able to bring in more revenue and we scrapped the planning. One of the rare instances I was happy that all my work was discarded.

[DaveInSeattle]

Survived a massive round of layoffs this week. Honestly stunned. Many, including my boss (who is great), weren't so lucky.

Congratulations of dodging the bullet.

But if they are making that big of a RIF, are you updating your resume? There may be more coming...

[A_B]

I don't mind the occasional dog in the office. Brings a bit of whimsy. But if you bring it, I feel like it's somewhat reasonable to not have it bark for an hour straight. And yes, it is true that I am not a dog person, so that probably matters in terms of level of irkedness.

[rass]

I don't mind the occasional d...in the...a... But...

[The Sybian]

I don't mind the occasional d...in the...a... But...

Cliffhanger! I want to know where AB was going with this line of thought.