My Cruddy Day...

ericmedley

I know this forum is not the place to commiserate and all that. But, I just need to post something to people I know and consider friends: my forum associates.

I just quit my job today. The company I was working for was doing some things that I just couldn't be part of. I obviously won't go into detail here and it's nothing deadly or anything like that.

All that aside, I'd really appreciate any leads y'all might have for jobs or I'd gladly help anyone with some side coding if you're buried too deep. I'm a hard worker with a good ethic. (Although I probably spend too much time on online forums...)

Thanks all!
e

glr-fti

Eric,

Sorry to hear of your day. I had one very similar to that back in 1993 while still in the corporate world as a VP of Technical Services for a bank. At the time very few people knew that the bank was going to get purchased by a larger bank and I couldn't stomach the crap they were pulling any longer. Perhaps similar to what you were experiencing. So I decided to retire and do the things I enjoyed. That's what got me into this stuff and I've never looked back. So take this time to find something you've always wanted to do and pursue it. Now is your opportunity. If I get any leads I'll pass them on.

Gary

jimmyw

Eric, your name sounds very familiar, what part of the country are you in ?

Ever been in vegas?/slc?

Jim

vining

I went through the same thing in 1993 too, a wife, two kids and nothing lined up. It was the last thing I would have expected to do that morning when I went into work and it made me sick to my stomach not knowing how I was going to support my family. Hopefully you're in a better financial position then I was then.

Any way keep the faith and think positive, this is probably a good thing and the start of something new and better.

You're in South Carolina aren't you?

ericmedley

Thanks folks! See, this is why this forum is an invaluable part of my life. I get support for my mind and heart.

Yes I'm in SC. I've been to Vegas a few times but that was a long time and one career ago. If you saw me then I had hair down to my rear end.

I'm nit in total financial straights as I still work my music production business too. I only mix for folks so it's a good side business and I can increase it if need be. But I'm not obviously at the level walked out of. I've felt sick to my stomach all day as well.

I'll survive this I know. It's great to hear other survivor stories. It gives one hope.

Auser

Best wishes e, I've been in that situation before. The upside is that the company I ended up with is far more rewarding to work for.

Hope the same goes for you too.

Thomas Hayes

I had this happen about 14 years back, I and half the staff left in a month. The company was bankrupt in a year. I was asked to work at a place that I had done a service call a few months earlier and have been here ever since. Things always work out in the end.

jjames

I heard about this thread through some guys I talk to regularly and thought I'd come out of shelter to wish you the best. While I've not gone through what you're experiencing, I urge you to do what's best for you only and I think you'll be happy. IMHO, it pays to be selfish and I think this is your opportunity to do what you want.

If I hear of anyone needing an indie programmer - I'll be sure to keep you in mind.

ProgressiveCode

The last job I quit (in 1997) was when I worked for a major computer manufacturer in Round Rock, Texas in their tech support department. This was in the days before tech support was outsourced to India. I kinda wish I hadn't quit just because of how much my stock options would have eventually been worth. But I quit because corporate jackasses three levels over my department manager made a decision that was totally asinine. It directly affected all of us in the department negatively. But I only quit after I had already been offered a programming job at AMX. I told my department manager exactly why I was leaving, but I'm sure my opinions were completely ignored.

The reason, since I've already gone into it this far, was that these managers of managers of managers who could apparently only read the emails about summaries of spreadsheets decided that all tech support reps had to maintain an average call length of 12.5 minutes per call or they would be subject to termination. I'd been doing the job for two years at this point and I knew it to be impossible IF your goal was to solve the customer's problem. The majority of folks in my department decided the best way to maintain their average call length was any of the following:

1. Pretend to be accidentally disconnected from the caller.
2. Give the caller a bogus task to follow like unnecessarily running CHKDSK and have them call back.
3. Just make up a report about the problem and the diagnosis, and send a service tech out to replace hardware unnecessarily.

Keep in mind that the average hold time for a customer to speak to us was well over an hour most nights. I just couldn't do it. I felt like the customers deserved assistance and that these tactics being used by my co-workers were wrong and negatively impacted the company.

My department manager had absolutely zero response to my concerns. So I left with a clear conscience.

TurnipTruck

Just remember that when a door closes, others open and that sometimes the thing that stands most in the way of your success is your job.

Good luck!

ericmedley

Just an update and thanks to all of you who responded to this post a couple months ago. I was humbled and overwhelmed by the support many of you offered. That support really helped me weather a storm that could have been much worse. So, my hats off to you, my forum friends! You are all saints and scholars in my book!

And the update, I am thrilled to announce that I'll be working with our very own Spire_Jeff at Spire Integrated Systems in Michigan from the Southern Command here in Charleston, SC. I'm really excited to be working with their excellent team! Thanks to Spire_Jeff for his kindness and hospitality.

So, as many of you pointed out, things happen for a reason and what seemed like a major loss was really an opportunity looking for an open door.

E

PhreaK

Congrats Eric, good to hear it all worked out.

Jorde_V

Good luck with your new job Eric, sounds like you'll be having fun over there.

glr-fti

Good luck Eric. Glad it worked out for you.

Thomas Hayes

Congrats on the job, not sure about that jeff guy, I hear he's grumpy now since he's uncaffinated(just kidding) grats again and best of luck with the new job.

rfletcher

Congrats Eric!

Always good to hear a happy ending.

setholle

Glad it worked out

Over the years we have all appreciate your help. You are an asset wherever you go.

jjames

Probably better that you'll be staying in NC because I don't think Jeff likes to work with other programmers . . . at least that the reason I tell myself as to why they never hired me. (j/k)

Congrats! :-)

Prodigal

Best of luck!

Indeed, when a door closes, a window will open.
AMX world can only gain with programmers like you!

Best wishes from Portugal

roognation

Yes, Eric, just thought I would pass along my congratulations. You have been very helpful on this forum, and I thank you for that and your continued AMX-ness.

PyroGuy

Glad it worked out. We've never met, but your presence on the forum is consistent - and I believe you've helped me out on a few "jr" questions over the years - and given me lots of tutorial reading material!

Take the new opportunity and run with it!

josefino

Felicidades

Felicidades from Mexico.

jcerecke

Glad to hear you've landed on your feet. Big things follow a big jump! I've left my old work for a multitude of reasons, now self employed doing (almost) anything to keep on top of the bills haha. As much extra work running your own business is, I am definitely a lot less stressed! Aiming to be programming for most of my time in the mid-future... although there's not a huge market in New Zealand, let alone down here in Christchurch.