Quit My Job!

[Otto]

After 7+ years at my current job, I decided to leave to go on to different opportunities. I'd been at this current company doing firmware engineering, and, most recently, management of same. It's been a great job and a great company. It was an extremely difficult decision to leave, but I believe I've done the right thing. Hey, if I didn't do it, I think I would always ask myself "what if?...."

Although I have a new job lined up, and will be starting sometime in November, I'm currently unemployed!

It's a weird feeling. After about six weeks of somewhat secretive negotiations with this new company, it's a very relieving feeling! My wife also had a minor surgery this week, which was the culmination of a whole other bunch of "waiting." It's been kinda stressful around here.

I think I will go shopping with my wife and daughter today.

Maybe do some BBQ baby back ribs.

It'll be nice to have a week off, just hanging around home. This would be a good time for my preamp vendor to release their new firmware.

Any other "I quit my job" stories?

[Mike P.]

Enjoy the week at home, that doesn't happen very often. Your previous job was firmware engineering and management. Will your new job be the same thing or something different?

[Otto]

Hi Mike,

Yeah, the new job is pretty much the same thing. I'll be doing straight firmware development work, no management. My previous job involved working a lot of issues, and was less focused on development, so it will be a change in that sense. I'm looking forward to it.

And, yeah, I'll enjoy that week off. I had a week or more off last Christmas, and was just at home with my family (wife and kid only, no in-laws or parents, etc.). It was very nice and relaxing. We did a family vacation in Cancun (with all the in-laws, etc.), but it wasn't exactly relaxing.

[SteveCallas]

I know exactly what you are talking about with the sneaking and secret negotiations thing. When I left my previous job for this new one, that was the most difficult part. I'd get several calls from the new place while still at the old place, and would always have to answer my cell phone with "Can I call you right back please?", then go out to the parking lot or something to call them back I think my boss was catching on near the end, but everything worked out great.

The two weeks off I had inbetween were the two best weeks of my life. Minimal responsibilities, sleep late everyday, do whatever I wanted. Can't wait for early retirement.

[Sonnie]

Well congrats for being unemployed...

I've got a quit my job and go shopping story myself.

Back in 1993 when I worked in corporate America, the company I worked for called us into a meeting in Charlotte, NC. We were to fly in and fly out the same day. Well the meeting ran late and I missed my flight. I had to catch a cab, stop by the Seven-Eleven and pick up a toothbrooth/toothpaste, etc... find a room at the last minute and get up the next morning wearing the same clothes. During that meeting the president of the company made a statement that hit home with me. He said that we should put the company first in our lives... 24/7/365. He was serious! When I got to that motel room, I called my wife and told her that after eleven years of it... I was quitting! She could not believe what I was saying. But it was time.

So... I get back home the next morning, drive to my office and my supervisor happened to be there. I advised him I was resigning. You didn't work out a notice in the position I was in, so I had to turn in my company car. I was friends with my supervisor, so I asked him if on his way to the airport he would drop me off at a car dealer where I had a few friends. He asked me what for... it was an hour away from my office. I advised him that I had to have something to drive. His remark, "Wow, quit your job and buy a car!"

[Scuba Diver]

I worked for a company in 1996 that made the comment that "the companies goal was to structure each position in a way that any guy flipping a burger could come in and take over your job" He was serious. After the employees busted their back to make the company run like fine tuned clock the management began to fire off the higher paid employees that were there the longest and began hiring "burger flippers" no joke a real burger flipper. It took 3 months to get the guy to even begin to make progress.

I quite exactly 4 months from the date of that so called inspiring speech.

[Otto]

Well, Sonnie, I certainly didn't go out and buy a car! I could barely find two shirts, a pair of jeans and a sweater (you know, a tightly knit bunch of wool, used in an effort to keep one warm). And shoes, I can never find shoes....

I know the new job is going to be a challenge, but I hope I'm not getting into a 24/7/365 situation. Actually, there's no way it'll be that bad, but it might require more hours than my previous job. But I expect that, especially in coming up to speed. We'll see how it goes.

As to the burger flippers, we sometimes see that in our jobs -- but it's more with our jobs going to Asia. It's just the way it is sometimes. We complain about it, but I still believe that the best way to secure your job here is to do the best you can. If you are a truly valuable player in the company, they'll keep you till the end. Now, if they close the whole place down, well, then, you're out no matter how good you are.....