My rant.... about looking for a job

[Alan66ss]

Well I have not been working for about 6 months now. It was somewhat self imposed at least ot start with. But I am very frustrated and here is why. I have played the game with a company - called the hiring manager and introduced myself and told him how I would be a fit for the position. Well that was back in Feb. I have called about every two to three weeks. Always get the same ol runaround. Call back in two weeks. Well last time I talked to him he told me he would call me back in 30 minutes for a phone interview. He never called. I called this morning and he acts like he does not remember what he said. Anyways I find him about useless. He is very unprofessional. I just have to wonder how he got into his position. But that is just one. Another company called me and wanted to phone interview me. Another large engineering design firm. The manager selected me to talk to. They told me to contact them if I had not heard from them by Wednesday. So I did. Was told they would be in touch that day. Well it is now Thursday and still no word.

Is it me or are managers just useless people in the corporate world. I don't mean all - but a large portion that I have dealt with seem to be. They don't do a damn thing they say they are going to do and expect you to jump when they say to. It is very frustrating. Is this a trend in all industries or is it just in engineering?

Rant is now off - thanks for letting me vent my frustration.

Alan

[SaturnVUEguy]

I could go on forever about managers or on the subject of job-hunting. I'll try not to get started

[Benoit23]

Are you only interested in Mechanical? Are you willing to relocate? We just lost a guy in our office & may be looking for someone to replace him, I’ll have to ask. Let me know if you want more info or if I should ask around the office.

~Chris

[JustinB]

hence the reason why middle management is always the first on the chopping block.

[WS6]

hence the reason why middle management is always the first on the chopping block.

yep.

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble finding work, Alan. Keep trying, I'm sure you'll find something.

[trapin]

Is it me or are managers just useless people in the corporate world.
Ding! Ding! Ding! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

[1969CamaroRS]

Just think of it this way they are filtering themselves out for you. Would you really want to have a manager that is a flake and unprofessional like that?

[Alan66ss]

I do feel better after writing this rant. Thanks for the replies.

Chris thanks for the offer. I just need to stay on the east coast due to the health of my parents.

As for weeding them out for me - you are correct. The problem is I really wanted that job. But even if he offered I would be hard pressed to take it because of his past actions.

Alan

[amx2334]

Your tenacious. One call is all I give them.I'm to the point I flat out ask them what my chances are before going in for an interview.I've been "filler" too many times and I'm tired of being used.When your sitting there waiting for your turn and the guy ahead of you comes out and has a badge that he is already an employee getting a promotion you know your chances aren't good.
I just had a phone interview yesterday.The gal actually set it up for two weeks ago and didn't call. She then contacts me again 2 days ago and sets it up for yesterday.I don't think she even knew I was the same person.
I interviewed with the same company twice in 3 months for the same position(they had multiple openings) with the same people.At the second interview they asked me the same questions and I answered"what did I tell you last time because apparently that wasn't the right answer."
The only offers I got were for the ones I didn't want and didn't act interested in.Maybe mediocre is what sells these days?

[parsonsj]

Is it me or are managers just useless people in the corporate world. I don't mean all - but a large portion that I have dealt with seem to be. They don't do a damn thing they say they are going to do and expect you to jump when they say to. It is very frustrating. Is this a trend in all industries or is it just in engineering?God, does this sound familiar!!! I don't know why, but that's my exact experience. I did management for 3 years, and found it to be a slimy business based on taking credit for success and not taking blame for failure. I got out, and am far happier.

Except I still have to deal with managers and status wienies. It is amazing to me that my company ever produces anything at all with the heavy load carrying all those damned managers!

jp

[parsonsj]

And now that I think about it, why do companies appoint a manager (or tech lead, or Chief Designer, or Functional Deputy, or whatever other term they come up with during their interminable meetings) for every little sub-project? I get asked for status and given priorities from 6 people!!! It's just nuts!!!

jp

[Tony_SS]

Welcome to the world of corporations. It's a bunch of chicken struting, playing hide and seek, pushing around paper and gossiping with friends. Not much different than grade school.

[parsonsj]

Not much different than grade school.Well put.

jp

[BA.]

....my personal experience is just that by nature, the hiring process is generally very slow with larger companies.

They just have too much going on, too many positions to fill, other people to interview/schedule and some non-HR managers have things come up that delays contact to interviewee's.

If I had 3 "blow-offs" by a company, I'd certainly be focusing my attention elsewhere.

[XLexusTech]

Its such a hard thing to do on both sides. Hard to find a good job and hard to find good staff. Keep your head up and I wish you well!

[wills55]

Im in the exact same position as you are right now. Believe me, I know how you feel. Managers are overated, to say the least. Most do not have the first clue how to do the job of their employees. I personally think that a good manager knows how to do all of the jobs of all the employees under him. Thats just me. Ive been looking for almost 6 months too and all I find is crap, that doesnt pay even close to what the job is worth. Hang in there bro, something will present itself to you and things will work out. Be glad you dont work in the automotive dealer business. Thats where managers go to really show their uselessness.

[Damn True]

And now that I think about it, why do companies appoint a manager (or tech lead, or Chief Designer, or Functional Deputy, or whatever other term they come up with during their interminable meetings) for every little sub-project? I get asked for status and given priorities from 6 people!!! It's just nuts!!!

jp

Maybe they just think they really need to keep an eye on you?

[parsonsj]

Maybe they just think they really need to keep an eye on you?LOL!!

[Tony_SS]

Did you get that TPS report John?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[amx2334]

Ding Ding Ding!!!!Aboove post explains it all.Perfect.Nothing more to add.

[WS6]

mmmm yeah. We're gonna need you to come in on Saturday.

[Alan66ss]

a quick update - the company that has so frustrated me called yesterday for a phone interview. I did well - but he is inputing the answers to the questions into a matrix. He is talking to 7 others. I guess the computer will make the selection as to who he brings in for a sit down face to face. I have never experienced any of this before in all my job hunting.

Office Space is my wifes favorite movie. She was a manager with Bank Of America before we adopted my son. She would show the movie to her team for team building sessions.

Alan

[6'9"Witha69]

The problem is, most managers just happen to be the guy who either:1. did that job for so long they had to promote him/her to manager or 2. Sucked up and slithered his/her way into manager. Then there are those who really care about people and the right way to get the job done. That is where I have always tried to fall into and most al of my former direct reports would say the same.

But yeah, there are a lot of really bad managers out there.

[Damn True]

Remember; every office has a Michael Scott. If you don't know who that person is, it's you.

[parsonsj]

Funny stuff. Office Space kills me. I gotta watch it again.

jp

[Mathius]

Is there such a thing as a job that pays well AND is something you enjoy doing? By the time you figure in the time I spend at work, the time that it takes me to get ready for work, and the travel time for work, minus sleep, I'd say that leaves me with like 25% of my day left during the week. I don't think that's an abnormal figure, I expect most people would quote similar numbers. But when you spend that much of your life working, and you hate your job... well I'm tired of being miserable every day.

Mathius

[6'9"Witha69]

I used to spend so much time at work I only had time for sleeping and the gym 6 days a week.