The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Bearblastbeats on June 26, 2014, 05:45:00 PM
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I'm probably an idiot, or just mental, so brace yourselves.
Tomorrow is my last day at my job.
I have been working at an engineering firm as a "CAD Tech" since Feb. I have been a CAD guy for three years now total. I haven't been very happy or "secure" about my job (I think...) until recently. I have been on contract but three weeks ago the company offered me the position to go permanent. I denied their offer for two reasons. One, because at that time I thought it was a great idea to go back to school and get my BS so I am no longer the CAD monkey. Two, even though the benefits were appealing, the pay was just not what I was looking for.
I think that if they offered me this position 1-3 years ago I would have definitely taken it. Also, I may of considered this position at this time now if the pay would have been better.
Last week my boss takes me aside to tell me they need to let me go. Mainly this is due because they were going to lay-off one of their designers, but instead they demoted him to my position and let me go since I am still temp. (Played that hand wrong I guess) So I have been teaching him how to work on this new program only I really thoroughly understand how it works.
This week I have been happy about my job or maybe I feel liberated since it's done?
Anyway...
Though my job description is "CAD Tech", I think my boss has been trying to insinuate the idea that even though my job is CAD, I do more than that. Their really isn't a "specialist" kind of position for what I do really. its hard to explain.
For instance, I've been trouble shooting software. I learn and break programs then make them work eventually after hours of trial and error.
He has been forging his own position as a software guy, or like scout. He is the CAD/BIM manager and he looks pretty comfortable at what he does. He goes and finds all these new techy things like software, hardware and gadgets and then gives them me to learn them and teach them to other people. Or he teaches some things to the chiefs and principles.
Two things he said to me this week I fully can't understand.
After leaving a meeting with a software support team, I said to my boss "You should just hire me as your designated "Insert Software Program" guy". He replied with "You had the job, you just didn't want it.
Then today after I was teaching this kid up a little and preparing another meeting with the same support team from above, he looks back at me and says "You're really going to miss this."
It didn't affect me so much then, but while I was driving home I had an epiphany. Or now that tomorrow is my last day there I'm kind of having a reality check. I think that maybe down the line I could be him, the cool software techy guy, or specialist. I could be one of very few.
But. Since I'm jobless, and all ready enrolled in school. All ready have my financial aid and everything. I might as well just go back to school.
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Sounds like you had a decent boss. Keep that bridge alive. He knows you turned him down for school, and not because you didn't like him / the work, right?
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Correct. I really do like him. He's nice, easy to talk to. I work hard at what I do and make sure everything is done with quality. I spend extra time at work, coming in early and staying late and I try to do all the right things. If he had his own business doing what we were doing, I would work for him.
The whole reason I even had this extra week was because he went to bat for me and "He bought me". Meaning that he needed me to train this other person. And I know that the things he has been saying to me this week are because he knows he's losing a valuable asset. Or so I hope haha.
If it wasn't corporate, HE would have kept me on.
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No need to hit you. You want something better for yourself, you're going to school to get it, and you're leaving on good terms. Enjoy school & keep in touch with your soon to be ex-boss. :)
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I second the idea of keeping the bridge alive. I would make sure to keep in touch with him. Maybe you can work out some sort of internship with the company during breaks from school. This will typically get you credits and you will stay in the loop regarding what the company is doing and stay up to date on the technology. You might even be able to get a paid internship there. After you finish your degree you would probably be a shoe in for their next hire. If you want to change companies, you would have no trouble doing that either.