Very Disappointed....

[maveRick]

It was hard to be cheerful this weekend during the C'thon and
CCW - as Friday was my last day at Schlumberger.

I was told those words that bring can bring a man to his
knees, "Your services are no longer needed."

I was not given a reason. They said they'd email me or send a
letter to me with an explanation.

I asked all the obvious questions, "Was there a problem with my
performance?", "Was there something in the drug test"?, "Is it
anything personal?", etc. "No, it was none of those" was the
answer. "We'll contact you or Apex".

Apex was the company that I was under contract with.
The agreement with SLB was a 6-month contract through a job
placement company (to handle benefits, pay-roll, etc) then I'd be
hired on permanently.

Everything was going great, IMO. I was being patted on the back
for coming up with solutions to design problems they were
having. Helping create design criteria, test procedures and other
documents, etc. Designing test fixtures, on and on.


Even last Friday, my boss dropped by on his way out and said,
"I can't say officially, but you WILL be getting your advanced
Pro/E (software) training - and handed me a complimentary SLB
jacket. Me: "Ahh.. things are good!"

That was a week ago. My how things so quickly change.

Anyway, I'm still waiting to see what the reason is. In the mean-
time, I'm still wondering what I did to cause me to lose my
'dream job'.

Seems like every spare minute I have, I'm trying to 'guess' what
the reason is. I can hardly wait to hear the reason(s). I guess
it's a moot point at this point in time - but still.... :confused:


I hate roller-coasters.

Still reeling,

Rick
Thanks for your ear - I'm not asking for sympathy. I'm guessing it was self-inflicted - 'just venting on here. I've cried enough to Susie already.

[Saleen91]

Damn Rick! I'm sorry to hear that man. Want me to go rough up your manager?

Wanna meet up for a brewski? Maybe we can get Troyski, Otiski, Fredski, etc-ski to come down some suds too. :)

[maveRick]

Originally posted by Saleen91
Damn Rick! I'm sorry to hear that man. Want me to go rough up your manager?

Wanna meet up for a brewski? Maybe we can get Troyski, Otiski, Fredski, etc-ski to come down some suds too. :)



Thanks for the offer, Ben. I don't think the mgr had anything to do with it (really not sure yet, though).

re: dranking
Don't feel much like it right now. Thanks again, though. I really do appreciate it.


:waiting patiently for explanation:

[maveRick]

Well, I got THE call (from APEX) on why I was let go: "They
weren't happy with your performance." Actually, that term can be
somewhat ambiguous.

Gotta call b.s. on that. In the short time I was there, I'm
confident I did MORE than the other mechanical designers and
engineers to help develop a reliable, worthy product.

This is going to sound presumptuous of me, but I'll have to
consider whether or not the manager felt inadequate and
ultimately didn't want me there to have the other (young
inexperienced team members) realize HIS lack of leadership.
Actually, I think it might've been his first project to manage.


During meetings, all the members were asking ME questions on
how to approach the testing and data acquisitioning. In
retrospect, I see the PM huddled in his big chair with no technical
input whatsoever - only a "Yeah, we need to do that," after I'd
responded to their questions.

The tech guys will appreciate this for certain - others of you will
identify some points as common sense. The manager had:

1) No time-line or schedule of milestones - none.
2) No documented design requirements - none
3) No plan of running any FMEA's - none.
4) No plan of performing ANY FEA's - none.
5) No intention of creating test procedures - only "some kind of
report" after individual component tests were performed (to what?).
6) On and on, and on, and on, and.....

BTW, he began implementing those items only AFTER I mentioned
that I thought they were necessary in order for the project to be
a success.

Now that I've pretty much given him a plan of how to at least
BEGIN an R&D project and develop a reliable product, I suppose
he'd prefer I wasn't around to make him look less than majestic
in front of the big-eyed noobies (who, I believe, were genuinely
wanting to learn from my 15 years experience in R&D).

I could go on and on but it doesn't matter. I know I gave it my all
and am satisfied that my performance was better than expected
and my (ex)peers know this.

Screw him. I don't want to be associated with what is to be a
total fiasco for a major company anyway.


APEX said that they still want to work with me (sure, why not? I
make them money).

Anyway, life goes on.

[maveRick]

BTW, Ben, I'm reconsidering your offer to sip the suds - and then watch you pummel the fudder. ;)

[darva]

Sorry to hear that Rick!! =/

:trout: on him!

[White90GT]

That stinks dude! Hopefully APex can find you something else soon.

[Wild Stallion]

Rick, I was hired to one company on a temp to hire program, on the 87th day I was cut loose, and had found another job 2 weeks later when I was called back by the original company and hired back in a "different position". This saved that company a ton in "finder's fees" $5k and the pay scale spread between what they paid and what I earned.
I did get a sign on bonus equal to the two weks pay at my "new pay rate", so it wasn't too bad.
I can't say that this is the case, but it is very possible.
Keep your chin up, you're one tuff, smart cookie.

[wizzard]

Mr. Maverick: Sorry to here your new. Remember God never closes a door without opening a window {or something like that} if things don't work out you just give me the names and the knod and I can take out a lot of anger on those educated beyond there intelegents {SP} dudes country style. Let me know if I can help. I got a rope::D

[red95gts]

Rick,

Very sorry to hear! If there's anything I can do to help out...lemme know!

[gt350mustang]

that was my first thought. they wanted to remove apex from the position of middle man. either way keep doing what you do. you could alway become a professional bracket racer. or you and guff could open a school on " how to do a burnout on the infield of a circle track"

[Guffinator]

Originally posted by gt350mustang
that was my first thought. they wanted to remove apex from the position of middle man. either way keep doing what you do. you could alway become a professional bracket racer. or you and guff could open a school on " how to do a burnout on the infield of a circle track"

I'll teach "One wheel peels 201"

I have a feeling things are going to turn around for you Rick.

[maveRick]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.


'Much appreciated.


Rick