Post #107,421
6/26/03 3:55:10 PM
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Offer to be installed
Extremely large, international corporation HQed in Oklahoma City has made an oral offer over the phone at 1 PM today. Relo package is nice, about as expected at the tech/professional level on an org chart. Was told in the interview last week that there MAY be some opportunity/exposure to other platforms. They want me to do maintenance mostly, some new development, on their Tandem platform.
Downsides:
- salary offered was several thousand below what I received at last place
- would be separated from family for several months while I work and they sell the house
- would require moving again; take financial hit selling house (agent fees, etc.)
- haven't been on platform for over 2 years; I'm rusty and have had no access to manuals (all are on CDs given only to shops with the equipment)
- back to hardware that could "niche market" me all over again; #1 reason I left my second employer was the machine is a mature market where more places are dumping it than there are places buying it
Upsides:
- salary and health benefits for family
- decent sized city; state capital
- a couple of other places in town use Tandem too
- tech training cram schools should be available
- MAJOR university on SE side of town for night school and sports entertainment
- airport has connections to most major cities; i.e., town isn't too small
- city should offer more opportunity for future employment if need be
Need to take a drug test by 1 PM tomorrow and give a firm "Y/N" by Monday.
Can anybody suggest things that I'm overlooking to check out, or ask the HR drone?
lincoln
"Four score and seven years ago, I had a better sig"
[link|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/resume.htm|VB/SQL resume]
[link|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/tandem_resume.htm|Tandem resume]
[link|mailto:bconnors@ev1.net|contact me]
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Post #107,423
6/26/03 3:59:56 PM
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congrats on the offer
Darrell Spice, Jr. [link|http://www.spiceware.org/cgi-bin/spa.pl?album=./Artistic%20Overpass|Artistic Overpass]\n[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #107,425
6/26/03 4:13:45 PM
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Solidify the "exposure to other platforms"
Try to get it in the contract that they'll cross train you on whatever other technologies they have in house. If the system is truly end-of-life, they won't necessarily see this as making you too mobile. If they *do* offer formal training, try to get it on those other technologies. Good luck, hope the family doesn't mind the move too much.
===
Implicitly condoning stupidity since 2001.
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Post #107,427
6/26/03 4:26:01 PM
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Re: Offer to be installed
Several thou? Probably not in the %40 percent range, which is what I'm living with for now :)
Great deal, close enough for a weekend ride :)
-drl
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Post #107,433
6/26/03 5:38:02 PM
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Take it
I assume a few $K is about 5%. Well worth it compared to the alternative.
Ask for copies of the manual CDs RIGHT NOW! It'll both get you back on track and make you look better in the final decision. Don't assume the oral offers is a done deal. The real offer should be part of the drug test paperwork. If they have any internal systems that you will be expected to work on ask for their associated internal manuals.
Don't say anything about the other platforms other than express interest. You don't want them thinking you are priming to jump immediately. Wait until you get in to figure out the real direction of the company and then seek training there. Focus on real business direction rather than interesting tech stuff. They should go hand in hand but if you ignore the business side you will explore areas they don't care about.
Congrats. Be happy. And take a break form any negative comments online, like the Dell one. You NEVER know who finds it, and you can't afford it.
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Post #107,434
6/26/03 5:45:37 PM
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Concur.
Especially vis a vis the alternative tech directions. Express interest. Don't make it your primary interest; that's not why they're hiring you.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #107,437
6/26/03 6:07:05 PM
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It's a fine line
Obviously you wouldn't want it to seem like your primary focus. But once everything else looks good, it's an extra worth asking about. If nothing else, it's a good way to see how they feel about training: if they aren't even willing to talk about it, you can count on not getting any and at least you won't be disappointed.
===
Implicitly condoning stupidity since 2001.
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Post #107,444
6/26/03 9:20:09 PM
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The goal
is to get the job. Yes, it would be nice to understand all the issues concerning training, etc. But it does not further the immediate goal, and might obstruct it.
So let it drop!
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Post #107,436
6/26/03 6:02:43 PM
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That's good news, Brian!
Alex
"Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life." -- Eric Hoffer
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Post #107,447
6/26/03 9:40:50 PM
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What is your alternative if you turn it down?
Can anybody suggest things that I'm overlooking to check out, or ask the HR drone?
No, it seems to me that you've covered everything pretty well.
They seem to be offering a good package even though it's not quite as much $ as you hoped. It sounds like an opportunity to take advantage of your existing skills and there's the possibility for branching out into new things. All in all, a pretty good package. I think you'd have to have an excellent shot at something better to turn it down.
You've got to take advantage of your strengths. At the moment, it's Tandem stuff. There are few people who do it, few people who need it. You're the guy for them. Jump on it. :-) If you're worried about being pidgenholed, then you've got to take the time and spend the effort (and $) to learn something new on your own. If a company will pay for it, great. But you can't let them not doing so stop you.
Best of luck with the transition and the home stuff. I know it's a huge hassle, but with a little luck you're pulling up out of this low spot in your career.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #107,481
6/27/03 8:49:09 AM
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Congrats and Okie City is nice place
I think the cost of dirt is cheaper than major texas places especially a few miles out of town, sooners arnt a bad team and the steaks are decent. Good Pow Wows and rodeo in the area.
thanx,
bill
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
As the Poets have mournfully sung.
Death takes the innocent young,
The rolling in money,
the screamingly funny,
And those who are very well hung.
W.H. Auden
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Post #107,503
6/27/03 10:20:09 AM
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OK City is very nice... TAKE IT!
I concur. You'll enjoy the dry air and next winter your kids will love the snow.
It shouldn't take too long to sell the house in Katy. There are lots of nice places to live in OK city.
I wouldn't even bring up the "other platforms" issues right now. Just get the job, go in with a "can do" attitude and do them a good job. If they're decent people and you do them a good job, there will be training and another job opportunity after the Tandem stuff is done.
In the meantime, use the resources of the company to train yourself. Especially while you're separated from the family, in the transition time. I'm sure they have extra manuals, access to servers, etc. that you can use to make yourself indispensible in both Tandem AND another platform.
A couple of months ago, the OK convention and visitors bureau was advertising OK on TV, so I'll try to find the website so you can mail off for some "touristy" stuff.
God Bless and Good Luck.
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Post #107,509
6/27/03 10:25:56 AM
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OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau
[link|http://www.okccvb.org/index.htm|http://www.okccvb.org/index.htm]
Click attractions.
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Post #107,534
6/27/03 11:32:17 AM
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Good advice! Show them your stuff first, ask for more later
You are somewhat an unknown quantity to them at his point and they feel they are taking a risk. Make your new boss look good and he will do what he can to keep and "grow" you. The only time that may not work is when you boss owns the company.
Alex
"Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life." -- Eric Hoffer
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Post #107,485
6/27/03 9:09:45 AM
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Congrats and good luck
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Post #107,665
6/28/03 12:43:57 AM
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Dude - I'm down 40% and benefits over last gig
Sounds like you did OK.
"One of the main causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was that,
lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination
of their C programs."
-- Robert Firth
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