31 years...

[JoeP]

Well, it has been an interesting week for me.

On Wednesday I was told that due to slow sales and the resultant gap in production and another factor which I cannot get into right now, my last day would be today along with 3 other people in my department. Since my job is to design and/or model the hulls, appendages, superstructure and related tooling it occurs at the front end of a project and since there were no new projects and the two we do have are well past the mid way point it makes sense in light of the situation. I am not bitter or mad but it sure is a weird feeling to suddenly be in free fall. Tons of emotions. Both my boss and the owner of the company told me that it was temporary and that they would hire me back the instant things changed and in fact they told IT to leave my workstation alone in case they got a job or needed to bring me back for small projects. Each of them wrote me really great letters of reccomendation and my boss actually started to tear up when giving me the news. They are very caring people to work for. They also said that if I chose to move on to another company they would understand.

So now I have a whole range of options and it is a bit exciting and a bit daunting. I let my marine industry contacts know on Wednesday and immediately received 3 "send me your resume" notes so I am feeling optimistic.

Do you folks have any advice for working from home, sole proprietor businesses, contract employment or other such things?

Edit: Oh yeah had a flat tire on the way home tonight. 31 years of 64 mile round trip's and no flat tires. Until now. Go figure.

[Panope]

Joe, you did have a sweet gig at Delta, but I think there may be a silver lining here: Maybe, just maybe you will get a job working with SAILBOATS!

Change is good.

Steve

[JoeP]

Good point Steve and I have a few possible leads in that direction.

[Olaf Hart]

That's pretty short notice Joe, hope they took care of you .....

[JoeP]

That's pretty short notice Joe, hope they took care of you .....

In my experience small to medium size family run businesses in the industrial sector rarely give severance packages. We do have an employer matching 401k retirement plan which gets changed to an individual retirement account (IRA) when someone leaves and I have contributed fully to that over the years so in the sense that they provided that option and matched our contributions yes they definitely took care of me. The short notice was a bit hard to take but I was aware of what was happening with the company and we had some layoffs in April due to the same circumstances. We were told at that time that there would be more layoffs if matters did not improve for the company. That gave us some idea that we had to be prepared for this eventuality. Still, charging along and then finding yourself in midair made you appreciate what Wiley Coyote must have felt.

[Jamie]

No annoying comments from me now. Maybe later...

But you do have my thoughts.

[Orestes Munn]

No advice here, just concern and best wishes.

[kimbottles]

Contacts you might want to follow up with Joe:

Tim Nolan - 360-379-9689
Jim Franken - 360-643-4347
Brandon Davis: 360-385-9637
Jim Betts - 360-299-2311
Josh Armstrong - 360-457-5752

Please feel free to tell them I sent you.

Jack Sarin has an office on Bainbridge, unfortunately I don't know him like I do the others, so I can't offer you an introduction to him. But he might be worth calling 206-842-4651

Kim

[LarryHoward]

Joe,

Same here. Even when it's a logical decision, and likely one you would have made in the leadership's position, it is a sudden shock to the system with lots of emotional baggage. Also agree on the small business/sole proprietorship lack of termination package.

Best wishes and good luck

Larry

[kimbottles]

We were small, (average of 125 employees depending on the year and the economy.)

But we DID give severance on the few times we had to lay people off.

Usually my partner and I just sucked it up and stopped taking our pay when we hit a slow time. Keeping the band together was much more important to us than money. But we both lived modest lifestyles so we could hang on fairly easily.

[JoeP]

Thanks for the contact list Kim. Giving severance pay was a great thing for you to do.

During the depression my Dad was driving to the shipyard with his dad, my grandfather, when my grandfather a normally stern, stoic, flint eyed man started to cry. My dad had never seen him cry and asked what was going on. He said things were slow at the yard and he did not want to lay off his employees especially during such dire economic times. But my grandfather found a solution. He gave his employees, suppliers and creditors a share in a boat built on spec, and they would be paid back when things got better and the boat sold. This saved the yard and all involved and earned him the love and respect of all involved.

My dad had to close his aerospace machine shop. He found enough work to pay off the few outstanding debts he had and then found jobs for each and every employee before he closed the doors.

The owners of Delta remind me strongly of my dad.

[kimbottles]

Thanks for the contact list Kim. Giving severance pay was a great thing for you to do.

During the depression my Dad was driving to the shipyard with his dad, my grandfather, when my grandfather a normally stern, stoic, flint eyed man started to cry. My dad had never seen him cry and asked what was going on. He said things were slow at the yard and he did not want to lay off his employees especially during such dire economic times. But my grandfather found a solution. He gave his employees, suppliers and creditors a share in a boat built on spec, and they would be paid back when things got better and the boat sold. This saved the yard and all involved and earned him the love and respect of all involved.

My dad had to close his aerospace machine shop. He found enough work to pay off the few outstanding debts he had and then found jobs for each and every employee before he closed the doors.

The owners of Delta remind me strongly of my dad.

I once had a neighbor couple who were close friends of the Delta Owners. They spoke very highly of them.

[Soñadora]

Think big...
It's a tiny industry and talent is extremely valuable. Time to consult. Reach outside the US. The marine design industry in the US is weak. Look at commercial builders in the Nordic countries or France for recreational work. I believe you have experience with Catia. Tough to find people with that kind of expertise. Reach out to the big design firms. I have no doubt this could be lucrative for you. The business side is the hard part. Always has been for me.

[Charlie]

Joe,

On the work-from-home front, take the opportunity to get together with those you've been meaning to grab lunch or coffee with. It's very easy to get isolated. You've got the time. Use it. Your contacts are likely to jump at the chance to get together. And you never know where the next opportunity will come from. Nearly all of my jobs have been through personal contacts.

Charlie

[Olaf Hart]

https://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your- ... 1511311541

[JoeP]

Think big...
It's a tiny industry and talent is extremely valuable. Time to consult. Reach outside the US. The marine design industry in the US is weak. Look at commercial builders in the Nordic countries or France for recreational work. I believe you have experience with Catia. Tough to find people with that kind of expertise. Reach out to the big design firms. I have no doubt this could be lucrative for you. The business side is the hard part. Always has been for me.

Thanks Rick. No Catia experience for me. Good thoughts on the International scene. I had not considered that.

[JoeP]

Joe,

On the work-from-home front, take the opportunity to get together with those you've been meaning to grab lunch or coffee with. It's very easy to get isolated. You've got the time. Use it. Your contacts are likely to jump at the chance to get together. And you never know where the next opportunity will come from. Nearly all of my jobs have been through personal contacts.

Charlie

I hear you on possibly getting isolated. Yes personal contacts are important. Some of mine have immediately come through with leads and ideas.
Thanks Charlie!

[JoeP]

https://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2017/dp/1511311541

Good idea Paul, the old classic! I haven't read that in, well, 31 years. I will check out the new edition.

[Ajax]

I guess retirement is not yet an option?

I'm sorry to hear about the abrupt notice. Wishing you a speedy turnaround.

[kimbottles]

I guess retirement is not yet an option?

I'm sorry to hear about the abrupt notice. Wishing you a speedy turnaround.

Joe is way too young to retire........

[JoeP]

Well the job hunt has paid off finally. I took a position at a well established naval architecture outfit which designs fishing vessels, tugs, and various offshore support vessels. I will be doing pretty much what I did at my last job (hull and superstructure design and modeling) but no fiberglass work as far as I know. The commute will be slightly longer but I think I can tough that out until I decide to retire. It sure feels good to be back in the saddle again.

[BeauV]

Well the job hunt has paid off finally. I took a position at a well established naval architecture outfit which designs fishing vessels, tugs, and various offshore support vessels. I will be doing pretty much what I did at my last job (hull and superstructure design and modeling) but no fiberglass work as far as I know. The commute will be slightly longer but I think I can tough that out until I decide to retire. It sure feels good to be back in the saddle again.

Well done!!! They're lucky to have you!

[Ish]

Good news, Joe. Hope they treat you well.

[kimbottles]

That company is VERY LUCKY to get you Joe.
Congratulations!

[Panope]

That great news, Joe.

I'd much rather work on fish boats and tugs than mega Yachts.

Steve

[Ajax]

Hey Joe, that's great news. I hope you're breathing easier. They are definitely lucky to have you.

[Jamie]

Well the job hunt has paid off finally. I took a position at a well established naval architecture outfit which designs fishing vessels, tugs, and various offshore support vessels. I will be doing pretty much what I did at my last job (hull and superstructure design and modeling) but no fiberglass work as far as I know. The commute will be slightly longer but I think I can tough that out until I decide to retire. It sure feels good to be back in the saddle again.

Great news! No surprise.

This is the irony of life: When you are between jobs and have time, you stress because you are looking for a good job. Once you find a job, you wish you used your free time better during the interregnum, now that you are tied down with work. Well, at least for me.

[JoeP]

Thanks you guys. The company is Jensen Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. They used to be a locally owned independent company but are now a part of Crowley Maritime which is a big national outfit.

Steve, I agree with you on that. I was getting pretty jaded with the mega yachts. Small sailing and power yachts would be awesome and I may do some designs for those on my own in the future.

Jamie, I felt/feel exactly as you describe.

Joe

[Rob McAlpine]

Way to land on your feet!

[JoeP]

Way to land on your feet!

Thanks Rob!