Scantlings

What would be a cool job to try?

Depends how much money you need. Most of the jobs I have planned for my next life don't really pay all that well.

I'd like to own a smallish boatyard in a nice place but I need machinist and spray painting training first.

Well, you could throw your hat into the ring and run for POTUS.

Based on what I know about you, I trust you would do a better job than most of the people who want that job (and most of the people who have had that job!)

I would vote for you Rick!

I'd like to own a smallish boatyard in a nice place but I need machinist and spray painting training first.

Me too. However I seem to need to make a fortune first - so I can make it a small fortune in the marine industry.

I had actually considered getting a boat yard, but then I got to be friends with the two owners of CSR and I got a good look at what owning a boat yard is REALLY all about. Boat owners are tough customers to have......

kimbottles wrote:I had actually considered getting a boat yard, but then I got to be friends with the two owners of CSR and I got a good look at what owning a boat yard is REALLY all about. Boat owners are tough customers to have......

You think it's hard to deal with the State and Fed Environmental regulations as a waterfront homeowner. From what I see, you don;t want to deal with them as a businessman trying to eek out a living.

I do agree. Rick for President.

For me. I like my "transition to retirement" job but not always the management team at HQ that is entrenched, 20-30 year vets of the company and cut off from the business gene pool as far as policies and procedures. I elected to not move to Long Island and intentionally stay away from that role. Having run a large business division 3-4 times the size of this company, I find myself biting my tongue when I hear the "that's not how we do things" from folks who wonder why growth is slow and profitability down. Some small businesses are good because they are agile. Some represent a population cut off from business evolution. One day, I'll probably lose my temper and resign with prejudice. No pension or 401 matching from them so nothing to lose.

I gotta tell you guys something.

I have fantasized about being POTUS. I know. Crazy, right? When guys like Colin Powel say 'No Fucking Way' when asked to run for president, you know it's not a job anyone with any credibility should take on.

It's a bit sad, really. To me, that position would be an ultimate expresion of your citizenship. The ultimate honor, recognition, and representation for all of us to be a steward of the Modern Age.

Unlikely that I'd be suitable, however. I'm fairly intolerent of low aptitude and helplessness. Combined with wry wit and a short attention span, I can't imagine the types of policies I'd put forth.

wait, I CAN imagine them. So yeah, not a good idea

I sort of have the ideal job for a guy like me and I don't enjoy it every day. I wouldnt mind spending a few hours a week with kids, though...

LarryHoward wrote:

kimbottles wrote:I had actually considered getting a boat yard, but then I got to be friends with the two owners of CSR and I got a good look at what owning a boat yard is REALLY all about. Boat owners are tough customers to have......

You think it's hard to deal with the State and Fed Environmental regulations as a waterfront homeowner. From what I see, you don;t want to deal with them as a businessman trying to eek out a living.

I do agree. Rick for President.

For me. I like my "transition to retirement" job but not always the management team at HQ that is entrenched, 20-30 year vets of the company and cut off from the business gene pool as far as policies and procedures. I elected to not move to Long Island and intentionally stay away from that role. Having run a large business division 3-4 times the size of this company, I find myself biting my tongue when I hear the "that's not how we do things" from folks who wonder why growth is slow and profitability down. Some small businesses are good because they are agile. Some represent a population cut off from business evolution. One day, I'll probably lose my temper and resign with prejudice. No pension or 401 matching from them so nothing to lose.

This is why I had to buy a company, I don't do well with higher authority. My long suffering wife says I am "unemployable". Fortunately all of that is behind me now that I have sold the company to employees and have retired.

Soñadora wrote:I gotta tell you guys something.

I have fantasized about being POTUS. I know. Crazy, right? When guys like Colin Powel say 'No Fucking Way' when asked to run for president, you know it's not a job anyone with any credibility should take on.

It's a bit sad, really. To me, that position would be an ultimate expresion of your citizenship. The ultimate honor, recognition, and representation for all of us to be a steward of the Modern Age.

Unlikely that I'd be suitable, however. I'm fairly intolerent of low aptitude and helplessness. Combined with wry wit and a short attention span, I can't imagine the types of policies I'd put forth.

wait, I CAN imagine them. So yeah, not a good idea

I would make a terrible POTUS, but I would be a pretty good Benevolent Dictator. There are so many good solutions to our national problems that we can't get implemented because there is no political will to do so. My business partner and I had no problem doing the right thing for our company and all of our employees because we had absolute power to do so. Once in a while a few of our employees would actually realized we had done the right thing for everyone and they thanked us for it. That was nice.

Arthur C. Clarke had an idea for staffing the political side of government. Everyone who met a predetermined list of qualifications would be entered into a database. Every 4 years (or whatever period) the computer would select a slate of people who would be drafted into the job. They would only serve one term and since they HAD to serve they would more than likely do their best.

Anyone who actively sought the position would be forever excluded from it.

I think it could work pretty well.

New job.....

Design
Build
Teach
Grow

Or, retire........takes a while to work up to it, but what a life.

Just remember that what ever you do, you have to learn how to sell it.

SloopJonB wrote:Depends how much money you need. Most of the jobs I have planned for my next life don't really pay all that well.

I'd like to own a smallish boatyard in a nice place but I need machinist and spray painting training first.

I know a guy, who was financially successful, and after selling his company, bought a boatyard. Smallish, but in a boat-focused market (RI). Less than two years later, he decided to sell it. It was like an alligator eating his leg, money-wise. My impression is that owning a boatyard is like owning a restaurant: the normal rules of business don't apply, and most people who are successful at it are born into the business/industry, learning "how things are really done"


Rick - with your CAD (and now 3D printing) skills, you could starting building a book of business's on the side, and eventually migrate to that full time. We've got a pretty diverse and we'll connected group here. If you hung out a shingle, we could probably generate some intros/opportunities.

Interesting idea, Charlie, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about using Scantlings as my personal lead generator. I truly appreciate the friendship and camaraderie of everyone here and that's quite a reward in and of itself

The problem is that my company's IT infrastructure is under a a great deal of change. The kind of change that rivals plate tectonics. We are THE largest company of our type. Everyone on this board is probably at this very moment using something we produce. The company has been around since 1865 and the culture that grows from a company like that is a beast in and of itself. I work in a division of our company that trades energy - power, natural gas, petroleum as well as industrials such as steel and ocean transportation. The IT needs of this group is staggering. Our company is eliminating approx. 80% of its internal IT infrastructure. We're not just talking hardware but software development and service operations. It has all been outsourced to TCS (Tata Consulting Services). I have a small team of developers who are basically a SWAT team that does software repair when something breaks. The management layers several above me are playing musical chairs so I have no idea what our leadership structure looks like other than being told "it's all going to change, but keep doing what your doing. For now."

Our fiscal year end is May 31. Bonuses will be healthy as we've done well in spite of ourselves. But the undertone is that after the new financial year starts, we'll be badge flipped or let go completely. The uncertainty is maddening.

So, when I say I don't like my job, that's not entirely true. I actually love my job. But like that cute girl I liked in 8th grade, I'm afraid her family might be moving out of town. There are some potential opportunities in the company that may work out. These are basically the job I'm doing now. But I'd have to apply for it.

Sounds insane, doesn't it? But on principal, the company has a lot to offer. The challenges we're facing from an IT standpoint are the result of decades of discrete operations that are rife with inefficiencies. I don't approve of the methods we are using to mitigate these challenges. Sometimes the best way to make things better is to position yourself in a way that causes change rather than becoming a product of it.

But then I think back to my engineering days and how much fun it was to draw stuff then go down in the shop and build it. I wouldn't mind going back to that, but it would probably mean a 50% decrease in salary. With 2 kids entering college this year and next, that would be irresponsible.

wouldn't it???

Be patient Rick, I have a feeling things will work out well for you.

(Of course I still want you to move to Puget Sound.)

Soñadora wrote:Interesting idea, Charlie, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about using Scantlings as my personal lead generator. I truly appreciate the friendship and camaraderie of everyone here and that's quite a reward in and of itself

The problem is that my company's IT infrastructure is under a a great deal of change. The kind of change that rivals plate tectonics. We are THE largest company of our type. Everyone on this board is probably at this very moment using something we produce. The company has been around since 1865 and the culture that grows from a company like that is a beast in and of itself. I work in a division of our company that trades energy - power, natural gas, petroleum as well as industrials such as steel and ocean transportation. The IT needs of this group is staggering. Our company is eliminating approx. 80% of its internal IT infrastructure. We're not just talking hardware but software development and service operations. It has all been outsourced to TCS (Tata Consulting Services). I have a small team of developers who are basically a SWAT team that does software repair when something breaks. The management layers several above me are playing musical chairs so I have no idea what our leadership structure looks like other than being told "it's all going to change, but keep doing what your doing. For now."

Our fiscal year end is May 31. Bonuses will be healthy as we've done well in spite of ourselves. But the undertone is that after the new financial year starts, we'll be badge flipped or let go completely. The uncertainty is maddening.

So, when I say I don't like my job, that's not entirely true. I actually love my job. But like that cute girl I liked in 8th grade, I'm afraid her family might be moving out of town. There are some potential opportunities in the company that may work out. These are basically the job I'm doing now. But I'd have to apply for it.

Sounds insane, doesn't it? But on principal, the company has a lot to offer. The challenges we're facing from an IT standpoint are the result of decades of discrete operations that are rife with inefficiencies. I don't approve of the methods we are using to mitigate these challenges. Sometimes the best way to make things better is to position yourself in a way that causes change rather than becoming a product of it.

But then I think back to my engineering days and how much fun it was to draw stuff then go down in the shop and build it. I wouldn't mind going back to that, but it would probably mean a 50% decrease in salary. With 2 kids entering college this year and next, that would be irresponsible.

wouldn't it???

Rick

More than one or two of us are unsuccessfully trying to retire. I retired from the service and started with a major defense prime "to keep my hand in". Got sucked into the vortex and 5 years later was making good money with an 80 plus hour a week job averaging g 3 weeks a month on the road with programs across the U.S. and in Europe and "collaborating" with other execs across the globe. Heady stuff and wel compensated but sucked the life out of me.Took a restructuring buy out and stayed home for almost a year. Got itchy and joined a small company in a position with a lot of direct customer contact. I may be expensive but I can run a program such that the government customer can ignore it and it will come in below cost, on schedule and deliver 110% of contracted capability.Took a 30% pay cut but lots of day to day satisfaction. Just have to stifle the " I ran an operation 3 times the size of our company and you are screwing it up" thoughts and stay away from the fight. I got off that merry go round. Periodically I tell head hunters to go away but there is a powerful lure to run things. There is also great fun in going back to tactical managent where success is a day to day thing. I'm making less but spending evey weekend and 90% of my nights with my bride and that's pretty good.

I guess I'm saying that there is more to it than money. I'll probably hang around for another 5 years but could economize and retire now. I go in every day because I provide needed capability to some really deserving sailors and I'm vain enough to think I do it better than most. Having a young CPO walk up to me and tell me that she is thankful that somebody built a great capability for her that enhances her job is pretty special. Best part is that she is in the community that I was a part of when I joined the Navy in 1972 and it's pretty special to be the old guy passing the torch and making sure that she and her crew have what they deserve to be productive.

Hard to get your arms around it but do things that you are passionate about. You will be more productive, successful and most of all, you will look forward to going to work each day because it is not work. It is what you are.

Rick,

Don't listen to me, I have never known what I really wanted to do when I 'grew up' and I still don't. I can't keep a job, because I keep trying new stuff. I don't even stay in the same general area physically or market. But, it has been fun. One thing I've learned: I can't retire it is too damned boring. So, I restore boats, become a US Sailing Race Officer, a US Sailing Judge, a navigator for other folks, etc.... all are just excuses to use my energy in some way that keeps my brain from rotting. Today I had lunch with a guy who quite literally made a billion dollars starting his own company, selling it to Lucent, then having what he owned of Lucent sold to someone else, and spinning bits of it off. He's my age (early 60s) and what he's found he loves to do is advise the US Military on what they're doing wrong. Because he has absolutely no axe to grind, and has never been in the military, he has a lot of credibility when he says: "Does this, this and this make sense to you?" of course it doesn't, so my friend writes a little report and the brass reads it and actually changes things. That's his "retirement" job and he pays them to do it.

For me, I've found that I have to be learning something all the time or I get really grumpy. I also have learned, after a lot of mis-starts and misapplications of my own skills that what I really love is leading a team. So, after all these years I'm back running a small company. For me, and I don't expect this to transfer to anyone else at all, leading a team in a very difficult situation is heaven. It took me at least 12 jobs in five different industries over 45 years to figure this simple thing out. Now that I've got it figured out, I'm almost too damned old to do it well.

I saw a display of tech/art a few of my friends put together and thought of you and your sculpture. Find what you love. Do it. This isn't a damn dress rehearsal, this is the one time you get to live. Do what matters to you and those you love.

BeauV wrote:
For me, I've found that I have to be learning something all the time or I get really grumpy. I also have learned, after a lot of mis-starts and misapplications of my own skills that what I really love is leading a team. So, after all these years I'm back running a small company. For me, and I don't expect this to transfer to anyone else at all, leading a team in a very difficult situation is heaven. It took me at least 12 jobs in five different industries over 45 years to figure this simple thing out. Now that I've got it figured out, I'm almost too damned old to do it well.

For what it's worth, the schools I really enjoyed were the inner-city ones. Yes, there were mind-boggling issues ... but at the end of the day you felt (usually) that you were making a difference. Of course, it came with a price called blood pressure, which is why I passed the torch.

Sons, sounds like you like the job but don't like the company.

Maybe time to get back on the market, sharpen up the CV and discretely put the word out.

I suspect you wouldn't want to be around if everything is outsourced to Mumbai.

Just remember, the good jobs are not advertised, they are placed through the networks.

Excuse the pun, but how are your network connections?

BV, you hit it. I am learning so much about this industry (energy) and it's fascinating. Rob McAlpine

The thing about change is that it's like turning soil. All the good nutrients and grubs and stuff get turned out.

I will give it a bit more time here. After FYE, things will be more clear.

I am highly marketable and could easily be in a new position tomorrow if that's what I was after, but we'll see how this goes.

Take your time Rick, don't run away from anything, run towards something.

kimbottles wrote:Take your time Rick, don't run away from anything, run towards something.

exactly. That's always been my policy. I have never 'left' a company, I've only 'joined' one

Soñadora wrote:BV, you hit it. I am learning so much about this industry (energy) and it's fascinating. Rob McAlpine
The thing about change is that it's like turning soil. All the good nutrients and grubs and stuff get turned out.

I will give it a bit more time here. After FYE, things will be more clear.

I am highly marketable and could easily be in a new position tomorrow if that's what I was after, but we'll see how this goes.

What does this mean? Do you occasionally just gratuitously type my name?

Change can be traumatic for a lot of people. They get stuck into a comfortable routine, and an unknown future scares some folks.

Anyone who thinks there is security with big corporations is fooling themselves. The most security you will ever have is betting on yourself, your own work ethic and your own abilities. That said, it seems that the job itself isn't boring or dissatisfying, but the current uncertainty is stressful.

I've met you and your family Rick, you're a super smart guy with a great support system. No matter what happens, I am absolutely certain it will be great for you. Oh, and Carl says "hi".

I have to deal with an apparently disgruntled crew member, seems not to like being listed as "cook", and see if I can make him gruntled.

Rob McAlpine wrote:

Soñadora wrote:BV, you hit it. I am learning so much about this industry (energy) and it's fascinating. Rob McAlpine
The thing about change is that it's like turning soil. All the good nutrients and grubs and stuff get turned out.

I will give it a bit more time here. After FYE, things will be more clear.

I am highly marketable and could easily be in a new position tomorrow if that's what I was after, but we'll see how this goes.

What does this mean? Do you occasionally just gratuitously type my name?

Change can be traumatic for a lot of people. They get stuck into a comfortable routine, and an unknown future scares some folks.

Anyone who thinks there is security with big corporations is fooling themselves. The most security you will ever have is betting on yourself, your own work ethic and your own abilities. That said, it seems that the job itself isn't boring or dissatisfying, but the current uncertainty is stressful.

I've met you and your family Rick, you're a super smart guy with a great support system. No matter what happens, I am absolutely certain it will be great for you. Oh, and Carl says "hi".

I have to deal with an apparently disgruntled crew member, seems not to like being listed as "cook", and see if I can make him gruntled.

HA! Sorry about that Rob. A squirrel ran across my desk and I didn't finish what I was going to say which was along the lines of how interesting the energy industry is

Hi to Carl and crew. Your generosity is repeatedly mentioned around the Hormone Ranch. In fact, my wife thinks your son would be a good match for our oldest daughter

The one thing I like about a large company is the amount of resources at your disposal. Sure, it takes a while to find clandestine ways to access them, but if your creative (i.e. sneaky) it's not hard to get what you need.

Rob McAlpine wrote:Anyone who thinks there is security with big corporations is fooling themselves. The most security you will ever have is betting on yourself, your own work ethic and your own abilities.

Absolutely correct. I would go so far as to say that the LEAST secure employment you can find nowadays is with large corporations. They don't give a shit about their staff - the short term bottom line is the ONLY concern. The senior people who's compensation is mostly stock generally have the career life expectancy of a mayfly so they focus on pumping up the short term share price before they get moved out.

In those environs, staff or "HR Units" have no more significance than a filing cabinet, despite all the feel good chatter about "engagement" and "teamwork" and the other buzzwords de jour.

It used to be very different and better.

Could we please agree to keep this site free of politics?

Rob McAlpine wrote:Could we please agree to keep this site free of politics?

Yes, please!!

One of the best things that happened to me was getting fired. I was a young and green electronics tech and one Friday they booted me with about 15 minutes notice. I eventually figured it out (interdepartmental politics, plus I was a hippie slob), but I was stunned for a couple of days. Fortunately, I had three job offers within a week and quickly moved on to bigger and better things.

But the firing really calibrated my outlook on the company / employee relationship. As an employee I do my best in every way, but always remember that this is not a "till death do us part" relationship. My job can always vanish due to circumstances beyond my control. As a manager / employer I do my best to hire and keep good people, but sometimes you have to let good people go. It's better to let deadwood go, but you don't always have that option.

Bottom line, I learned to be flexible, and to not fear change or the opportunity to grab or make something better. Staying aboard an obviously sinking ship is rarely a good idea.

so, nobody else saw that squirrel?

Soñadora wrote:so, nobody else saw that squirrel?

I thought it was a rabbit....