August will bring a brave new world to the fore
July is ending much differently than I expected. Planning is almost impossible in this age of hope and change.
Both of my guys and the process engineer for the area interviewed at other companies in June. All three expected to be working for new employers come July. Each of them was a strong candidate who felt that the interview went well. But in every case the process lengthened and then collapsed by month end. The engineer took a second, less desirable position with a second employer, effective in late August.
I suspect that all of the recent bad economic news is responsible. The debt crisis, dramatically lower GDP values for the past three quarters and poor consumer spending is clearly demonstrating that the world is still in iDepression 2.0 that is perhaps getting worse. Why hire employees when you may just have to let them go in a few months?
So I'll keep my guys. They both said that they will sit tight for awhile and see how things work out where they are now. The loss of the very talented are engineer will be bad but we'll muddle through it somehow. It's the director's problem to fix, not mine. Being a versatile survivor, I'll get by.
But a new, unexpected surprise rolled up this month. Global commodity management was deployed in the company. That means that I don't choose the vendor that I get parts and services from. I can only spec my needs while clerks bid the work. Where previously I built relationships with vendors now I must build relationships with four powerful clerks. Where before I convinced my area engineer and director of the worthiness of a project, now I must convince a GCM clerk as well. Everything my group does just became more difficult. I may have my guys but getting them stuff to do their work just became much more difficult. I'm more of a staff wienie from now on.
And my calibration/ ISO/TS/QS staff functions increased this month. Instead of nine weeks of work a year, it has become an almost full time activity. Not only do I manage the contractors and records but provide guidance on what gets calibrated and how often. So I'm involved with every process, process manager and most process engineers. Significantly more responsibility without clear authority or compensation. Odd.
But I am an experienced professional and survivor with only 284 weeks left to work before retirement. I'll get by and make it work. Whatever "it" is. I expect to see more change in the next 5 1/2 years than I've seen in all of the previous 42 years! Tis good that I adapt and evolve well.
August will bring a brave new world to the fore.
Both of my guys and the process engineer for the area interviewed at other companies in June. All three expected to be working for new employers come July. Each of them was a strong candidate who felt that the interview went well. But in every case the process lengthened and then collapsed by month end. The engineer took a second, less desirable position with a second employer, effective in late August.
I suspect that all of the recent bad economic news is responsible. The debt crisis, dramatically lower GDP values for the past three quarters and poor consumer spending is clearly demonstrating that the world is still in iDepression 2.0 that is perhaps getting worse. Why hire employees when you may just have to let them go in a few months?
So I'll keep my guys. They both said that they will sit tight for awhile and see how things work out where they are now. The loss of the very talented are engineer will be bad but we'll muddle through it somehow. It's the director's problem to fix, not mine. Being a versatile survivor, I'll get by.
But a new, unexpected surprise rolled up this month. Global commodity management was deployed in the company. That means that I don't choose the vendor that I get parts and services from. I can only spec my needs while clerks bid the work. Where previously I built relationships with vendors now I must build relationships with four powerful clerks. Where before I convinced my area engineer and director of the worthiness of a project, now I must convince a GCM clerk as well. Everything my group does just became more difficult. I may have my guys but getting them stuff to do their work just became much more difficult. I'm more of a staff wienie from now on.
And my calibration/ ISO/TS/QS staff functions increased this month. Instead of nine weeks of work a year, it has become an almost full time activity. Not only do I manage the contractors and records but provide guidance on what gets calibrated and how often. So I'm involved with every process, process manager and most process engineers. Significantly more responsibility without clear authority or compensation. Odd.
But I am an experienced professional and survivor with only 284 weeks left to work before retirement. I'll get by and make it work. Whatever "it" is. I expect to see more change in the next 5 1/2 years than I've seen in all of the previous 42 years! Tis good that I adapt and evolve well.
August will bring a brave new world to the fore.
posted by lugh lampfhota at 10:06 AM
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