The Job Hunt Thread

[Pants]

Drama - you need a She Wee. If there's noone in the lab, then you'd be fine...

[andi9899]

I just got approached about a brokerage that is predominantly life/health insurance and is wanting to open a P&C division. They would want me to do both commercial and personal lines and I would own my book of business. I said I would talk about anything. It won't hurt. Doesn't mean that I have to do it. Fingers crossed that it is as good of a deal as it sounds like.

[973beachbum]

I don't know how you are doing it Drama.  I can do a lot and feel I have been even for my crappy PT job for even worse wages but being told I can't pee until after I have been at work for 5 or 6 hours isn't reasonable to acceptable to me.

Is it possible you can nicely ask your PT how they work out bathroom and lunch breaks?  There has to be a way they do this and just forgot to ask you to be added to the list or something.  They can't all not eat, drink, or pee for 8 to 10 hours a day.



PS  from my crappy PT job my read is that it is also an OSHA violation.  It was something to do with health and human safety or other.  But I know denying reasonable potty type breaks for more than 4 hours is in there.

PPS anyone want to tell me why I am the one left to read the darn OSHA book?  I know there must be a person who is newer than me that might make 0.25 cents an hour less but truthfully not many.

PPPS I think it was a state OSHA thing.  Sorry.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I can pee more than once every 8 hours.  I just have to figure out how to do it around working with the animals.  One of them usually stops by a couple times a day and I have them cover me for a few minutes while I pee.

I could probably go pee now while running this part of the experiment but since the animals are unrestrained I am not comfortable with being out of sight.   I'd rather not get a violation b/c an animal went missing on my watch.

I eat when I can eat.   I am getting faster now so I've been able to get away earlier than 2 pm.  I figure by then what is the point I'll be home making dinner in a couple hours so I skip it.

It's an adjustment going back to working with animals full time.  This is nothing new for me I just haven't done it since 2008.  I forgot how much it sucked.  I definetly prefer working with non living samples and machines.

[andi9899]

I just got a LinkedIn message from a sales manager at a company that I applied to. How do I tell him that I just sent in a resume to do what he does? Not interested.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

How do I tell him that I just sent in a resume to do what he does?

I wouldn't personally unless you are trying to make an inside contact.  Who knows you may be taking his job!  

But there is no reason not to accept his request, you don't HAVE to chat with him.   It might not be a bad idea since he could have contacts in his list that you might want to reach out to.

Getting to be that time of year where I get lonely at my job.  I was a huge chatter box with my bosses about a half hour ago.    I usually use you guys as a social outlet to keep my sanity but with the work I do now it's really hard to get in any board time.

I've also started talking to mice again.  Cause that doesn't look totally crazy.   Suppose it's better than talking to an inanimate HPLC machine.

Talked to one of my PIs again about hiring another person at least part time and they still want to make that happen.  They agreed there is no way possible I can do all the physiology work AND do all the morphological work, there simply isn't enough time in the day even if I slept here during the week.   So they're hoping to have a meeting soon to figure out how to move the lab in the direction they desire to go but not kill me in the process.

[muttleynfelix]

Drama - this might sound crazy but talk radio can help make you feel like you have a social interaction. My preference is sports, but Dave Ramsey, NPR, or really whatever floats your boat, could help.

[Lizard Queen]

Aug 6, 2015 9:47:35 GMT -5 muttleynfelix said:

Drama - this might sound crazy but talk radio can help make you feel like you have a social interaction. My preference is sports, but Dave Ramsey, NPR, or really whatever floats your boat, could help.

Maybe not Dave Ramsey.  

[andi9899]

So I was approached about dipping into the financial services side of my profession and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to pass. It would mean me getting even more licenses and doing things that I'm not really familiar with outside of life insurance. The earning potential is unlimited, but I don't think that's really my cup of tea. Am I making a big mistake?

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Well according to YM you should be beaten with a purse full of crab legs then run over with an Escalade don't you know it's ALWAYS about the money! 

Is this something that you imagine you'd rather chew glass than do or it is the fact you'd have to step out of your comfort zone?   More licenses would not nessecarily be a bad thing it'd mean you have more options and same with getting experience in an area you are currently unfamilar with.

Would it be possible to shadow someone for a day so you can get an idea of what the job really entails?  Anyone you could talk to that is an expert in that area who'd be willing to share their collective wisdom?

I'd at least look into it that way you won't always wonder "what if". 

[andi9899]

Aug 6, 2015 15:48:03 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Well according to YM you should be beaten with a purse full of crab legs then run over with an Escalade don't you know it's ALWAYS about the money! 

Is this something that you imagine you'd rather chew glass than do or it is the fact you'd have to step out of your comfort zone?   More licenses would not nessecarily be a bad thing it'd mean you have more options and same with getting experience in an area you are currently unfamilar with.

Would it be possible to shadow someone for a day so you can get an idea of what the job really entails?  Anyone you could talk to that is an expert in that area who'd be willing to share their collective wisdom?

I'd at least look into it that way you won't always wonder "what if". 

I have never done it or had an interest in doing it. I write home and auto type insurance. I don't do retirement accounts. And my market is predominantly poor people. I will admit that I like the idea of selling life insurance again, but the other stuff doesn't really interest me.

I told the guy that and he said he didn't care if I brokered the home/auto type stuff. I think the financial stuff is just intimidating to me.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Well today sucked.   Knocked over a piece of equiptment and had to spend most of the day putting it back together.   Then I had the world's tinnest mouse to try to experiment on today and was nervous b/c he's needed to breed b/c hte line is tanking.  Fortunately didn't bump him off but I had to make a decision between gathering data and his welfare, welfare of the animal comes first.

Then for this afternoon I got super mouse who drinks anathesia like it's kool-aid.   Couldn't get him to be quiet to save my life so I doubt any of the information I collected is worth anything.  Got him in recovery now and praying he doesn't go the other direction and die on me.

What a week.  Nothing has gone right.  If I didn't need my job and the benefits it entails I'd quit and go hide under a rock.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Hugs drama.  At least it's Friday and you don't have to go back for 2 days. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I hate it when everything goes to hell in a handbasket.  Especially when it all happens on my watch.   I don't feel like I made a very good impression this week at all. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Those are the days that it is just best to walk out of the lab and go home if you can.  I have fought through so many of those type of days, and it wasn't nail the last 10 years or so that I realized that it doesn't work.

My days usually start spilling coffee down my shirt, and go downhill from there.

[myrrh]

I'm sorry Drama. *hugs*
We all have bad days. Just keep thinking it will get better.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Used to be a bad day started with the HPLC leaking.   Now it seems a bad day starts when I get a mouse that just won't go down.   I hate animal work so freaking much.  What possesed me to go into a lab where I have to work with them daily again?

[Wisconsin Beth]

Apple has an interview in 2 weeks.  Anyone remember offhand what pages/posts have the best interview advice?  

[shanendoah]

Wisconsin Beth - I put a link to the in person interview tips over on her thread.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Well I didn't kill the little guy as of 5:00 pm on Friday when I left work so that's good.   

Had nightmares all last night about work.  I talked myself thru my paranoia.   WHen I add up how many experiments I've done so far since I've been here having a couple experiments go bad isn't that terrible when you take in account I work with live animals.   Then it would be far more costly for them to get rid of me since they've been having trouble keeping technicians and are behind since the last tech was only here a few months before she had to quit.   They'd also lose all my knowledge of the inner ear which is why I was hired, they want that for the next phase of their project.

Still it wasn't a good day as a new employee. 

Saw the Molecular Technologist job posted on UNMC's web site again so I applied for it.  IDK what is going on since that's the fourth or fifth time I've seen it posted since I found out I was losing my job with the COP.  Either they are expanding or having a hard time keeping people.   I am hoping maybe since I got an interview for the cytogenetic job and they're the same group of core people
maybe I'll get an interview for the MT job.

I put down in the "reason for leaving" category that I was told upfront this job will only last two years (for the time being) so I haven't stopped looking for more consistent long term employment.  I figure that is a good answer in this economy and with the job situation in Omaha. I can't afford to sit back and pray that they get funding extended, I need as much time as possible to keep hunting.

So we'll see.  I probably won't get an interview just like the other four times I've applied but I'd regret it if I didn't try again.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Aug 7, 2015 17:14:17 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

Wisconsin Beth - I put a link to the in person interview tips over on her thread.

Thank you Shanenendoah.  I really hope she gets this. 

[andi9899]

I have two interviews this week with independent brokerages. They are both a pretty long commute. But then again, so is the office I'm trying to transfer to. I'm beginning to consider working in MO. I live in KS, so I was trying to avoid more taxes. But if I am driving 30 miles a day one way to avoid paying taxes in two states, am I really saving any money?

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I had a phone interview on Friday for a project manager position that I think I would really enjoy. This was just the pre-screening, but the HR person said that she would be sending me an email to schedule an onsite interview with the hiring manager. I also got a call today from another company about scheduling an interview with their hiring manager.
The startup "job" is not paying off financially, so this was good news. It's been a dry spell lately in that I haven't had an interview in a couple of months or seen many jobs posted, but I am hoping things will pick up in the fall. Apparently, they want to fill the project manager job as soon as possible, so my immediate availability should be a selling point.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Great looks like i may have killed another mouse.  He was found dead yesterday.  He's the one I had problems with on Friday.  

God dammit.  

Freaking out a bit that's two mice I've killed in two months.   I haven't added up how many experiments I've done so far but I still feel like that is two too many since we aren't breeding these guys.  Plus I sell myself on my animal skills and I fear this makes me look like a liar.  I know it's been seven years since I last worked with mice at this level but still I feel like two deaths on my watch is unacceptable.

[shanendoah]

deep breaths, NomoreDramaQ1015, deep breaths

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I know and my PIs are patient they understand it's been a very long time since I worked with animals and there is an art to keeping the mouse down but not pushing him over the edge.   I probably should have stopped the experiment before I did but we need to collect data.

I have high anxiety levels in general.  DQ isn't just a reference to being a theatre kid in high school.

I'm trying what the therapist I saw said to do and working thru things logically.  For instance it'd be way more time consuming/expensive to replace me since they've already had high turnover and they'd lose my knowledge of inner ear morphology, there aren't a lot of techs running around that have that.  Most are still employed with my former collaborators.

So it'd make no sense to can me over two mice dying.   But it's hard to get my anxious side to shut up.

I post on here to get it out so I am not bottling it up.  Bottling it up leads to MORE mistakes and that WILL get me in trouble.  

It also bothers me b/c I hold the animals in as high as respect as I can.  Killing them without gathering data is a waste of time/money and the animal itself.   The animal gave it's life up for nothing.  If an animal is going to die under my watch it should be b/c I am gathering data that will eventually produce results.

And that attitude is part of why I am so good at what I do and why my former boss at Creighton put me in charge of the animals.   Unfortunately that feeds my anxiety level at times too

[andi9899]

I have two opportunities that I am considering to become an independent broker. I am turning down the financial services position today. I just can't get with it.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I was supposed to have a Skype interview for the project manager position about a half hour ago, but the hiring manager hasn't contacted me yet. I just sent an email to the HR person to see if they need to reschedule. (I don't have the hiring manager's email address.)
What a bummer. I showered for this.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

The hiring manager contacted me just after I posted this. Apparently, she tired to send a message asking me to reschedule for 9:30, but I did not receive it. We just had a short Skype interview that seemed to go fairly well. However, she did mention that they would prefer someone with clinical trial experience, which I do not have.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I now have an onsite interview for the project manager position scheduled, but they have already had to reschedule it twice. Apparently, several people I am meeting with are going overseas next week, so they keep pushing the time and date up. It would be annoying if I were currently employed, but it's not really a problem for me right now. I am hoping I can impress them with my easy going flexibility.