Goodbye Old Friend

I received an e-mail this morning.

"Well, it has finally happened. It has been just more than 3 years since ITS was brought under F&A, 2 years since ITS was moved under Jim Fisher, and just less than 6 months since Laura/FAST was moved under ITS' new CIO, Jeanne Casares. Effective yesterday FAST officially no longer exists. I wish I could say that what I've predicted would happen didn't, but it has. I wish I could say this is a good change, but unfortunately its neutral at best...."

It goes on to detail the current state of things, and the direction things will most likely move. It's sad, reading that e-mail felt as if I was reading an obituary for a friend. I worked for Finance Administration Systems Technology (FAST) on and off during my time at R.I.T. and had the pleasure of taking classes with the head of FAST Development, Dan Pedersen. I miss him, and though we have kepr in contact it's not quite the same.

So I guess I have to say the following.

Good luck Dan, I wish you only the best, and if at some point your ready to strike out on your own I'll help in any way I can.

Rest in peace FAST, hopefully down the road someone with more foresight then those in charge now will realize this mistake for what it is and give you back your people and your culture.

Good luck all.

The Problem With Small Companies.....

Is that you know everyone.

In a larger company, say 100-300 souls, you have a little more anonymity. My current dilemma has to do with the complete lack of anonymity in small companies.

I'm just wrapping up a second stint with a very small company, six souls all told, myself included. I decided to leave the company for a variety of reasons but what upsets me so much was the reaction I received. It is as if I'm abandoning them, casting them out into the street, dooming them to starvation and ruin.

Do I feel a little guilty for leaving? Yeah, I know I played the owner during the interview, and neither of us handled things as well as we should have but at the end of the day I can't keep a job that does not pay my bills, especially when I have a $50,000 plus benefits offer in hand.

My current boss feels I should stick with him and the company, thinks I should stay in a job when I have my degree with nothing to look forward to other then eventually making $15 an hour with minimal health benefits that I have to pay 50% of cost for. It just bothers me.

I'd love to stay, I enjoy the work, it's hardly challenging but I enjoy it and my boss is a good guy but at the end of the day I need to make my money, establish myself, get my experience and my money. I have a wedding, bills, car repairs and a fiancee all that need paid for, taken care of, maintained and I just can't do that on my current wage, yet I still feel bad for leaving.

I guess I'm soft at heart. Oh well.

Famine to Feasting, Part II

As of yesterday, October 6th I have one job offer, the potential of a second and a second interview with a third company.

Currently I like Gleason the most, I like the idea of writing control software, of working with huge powerful machines. Just seems like fun. However, Info Directions is the only actual offer I have. So, if Gleason does not come through with an offer then guess they are out of the running. Lastly, I have BlueTie a Java software shop. BlueTie is looking for a second interview and frankly are last of the three. It's not that they are a bad company I'm just not thrilled with the idea of writing Java full time. I'm in need of a change of scenery.

It Has Begun...

I got my first full time job offer today.

Info Directions, a software company that makes billing software for small to medium size telemarketing companies.

$50,000 + benefits to start.

I'm still calm, it hasn't sunk in yet. I think I deserve a beer tonight.

From Famine to Feasting

There is a certain irony of going from looking for internships and literally begging on bended knee to barely having the time to get to all your interviews.

My first career fair I handed out twenty-five resumes and got no response. I ended up getting my first job through a online job board. It sucked.

However, once that first job was on my resume things got easier yet my GPA, being less then a 3.0 was an inhibiting factor. Now that graduation nears I find myself beating off employers with a stick. Not that I'm complaining.

Let's just hope I don't choke on my new found bounty.