So I got a job offer

[anjali189]

A headhunter hit me up on LinkedIn a week or so ago. I figured I'd talk to them as it wouldn't hurt anything. I know a guy who works there already and he'd told me good things.

I had a phone interview with them late last week and they called me Friday after 5 wanting me to come in after the three day weekend. So I came in on Tuesday morning after getting no sleep (stupid dog. Gonna turn him into a rug.) and felt like I did horrible. It seemed like every question they asked me I answered, "I don't know" or "I'd have to look that up." I regret the fact that I know TCP and UDP are different but have no idea why. Also was unable to talk about the advantages/disadvantages of NTLM vs Kerberos.

In any case, they were apparently uber-impressed which makes me question the quality of candidates they've been interviewing. They called two hours later and offered me a first shift position making $15k more than I made last year and with stock options to boot. I have to review the offer packet and read all the fine print, but I'm definitely inclined to accept. Just wanted to pass along the excitement.

Congrats Man :congrats:......and Good luck to you for your new role. :thumbup:.......i hope you will rock there...:thrasher:

 

[A.Nonymous]

So ,are you saying that in America, as well as having no employment law to protect you against wrongful termination, you also don't get statutary holidays? I don't know how/why you guys do it. Then you have to do your own tax forms?

We do have a laws to protect us against wrongful termination. There are Equal Opportunity Employment laws here. Most states are "at will" states so the employer or the employee can terminate employment at any time for any reason. Some states are different.

I don't know that legally companies have to give you holidays, but most do. The job I worked before this was a 24/7 operation so they just paid you 8 hours extra if you worked on a holiday. I have workaholic tendencies so I have a hard time taking time off. Yesterday I did laundry, a couple of loads of dishes and wandered through a Star Wars exhibit at the local science museum. Then I played DC Universe Online for a few hours.

Today I am going to replace the sink that has been leaking for ages (I keep slapping $15-20 replacement sinks on it, but I'm fixing it for reals this time) and clean the house. I need to clean up the yard as well after a hailstorm came through a few days ago (golf ball sized hail) and get with the insurance company if they don't call me back. I have a feeling by Monday I'll be bored.

Edit: Pics of the Star Wars exhibit - http://s860.photobucket.com/albums/ab166/Chinnp/Star Wars Exploration Place/

 

[NYCHitman1]

I have a feeling by Monday I'll be bored.

I think that's the life of being unemployed? Some people actually enjoy this time. If I were you, I would enjoy it as well. There has to be SOMETHING you can do to occupy some time in your town/city.

 

[mplevy]

Congrats on the new job. I actually had applied for one recently but the company is in a hiring freeze. Fortunately, I wouldn't be going far or changing responsibilities signifcantly, it's direct hire with the company I'm currently supporting as a contractor. My time will come, and I expect approx. the same as far as a raise goes (and I know my current employer probably couldn't match without a significant role change).

Check the employment laws in your state. Some states require that if an employee intends to put in 2-week notice of departure but the employer walks them out the door immediately the employer is still required to pay the employee for the 2 weeks. Those same laws may also require them to pay any time-off benefits that you earned but didn't use prior to departure.

 

[DblDragon]

oh that sounds nice! congratulations

even though you don't know me and i'm just new here i still want to congratulate you!

 

[A.Nonymous]

I think that's the life of being unemployed? Some people actually enjoy this time. If I were you, I would enjoy it as well. There has to be SOMETHING you can do to occupy some time in your town/city.

I went to the science museum today. There's the zoo and I have a membership and haven't been in a while, but that's 2-3 hours a best. It's a nice zoo with very nice exhibits, but not very big. That is about it around here. I've lived in this city all my life so I've seen just about everything here. I'm debating making a day trip to Kansas City or Oklahoma City or maybe both, but that's only two days. Not sure what to do beyond that.

Check the employment laws in your state. Some states require that if an employee intends to put in 2-week notice of departure but the employer walks them out the door immediately the employer is still required to pay the employee for the 2 weeks. Those same laws may also require them to pay any time-off benefits that you earned but didn't use prior to departure.

I'm not worried about it and don't really care TBH. What happened is standard in my (IT) industry. They don't want employees who are leaving running around with access to customer data. I get it. It's not that unusual and happens all the time. The law here states that employers don't have to provide vacation time. It also says that they don't have to pay you for any of it when you leave. That's per the Department of Labor's FAQ on their website.

 

[SUroot]

Thats awful. I get 25 days a year plus national holidays, Christmas and Easter. I was a contractor for years though so no work=no pay so although holidays are pretty standard for everyone here, they're kind of new to me again.

 

[A.Nonymous]

It's really not that bad. Employers here compete for employees by offering benefits.

 

[SUroot]

Forgive me if you mentioned already, but what benefits are you going to get in the new job?

 

[A.Nonymous]

Forgive me if you mentioned already, but what benefits are you going to get in the new job?

16 days off a year (that goes up as you gain seniority), 401k match of 100% for the first $1k and 50% after that. Health, dental, vision, free access to a gym, on site cafeteria, they give me paid time off for volunteering in the community, life insurance, long term and short term disability, 200 vesting shares in the company stock and I can purchase discounted company stock as well.

 

[SUroot]

401k match of 100% for the first $1k and 50% after that.

No idea what that means to be honest?

they give me paid time off for volunteering in the community

That must be an American company thing. Accenture used to do that.

 

[A.Nonymous]

No idea what that means to be honest?

I forget you're a Brit sometimes. 401k refers to a section of the US tax code that governs retirement plans. Basically, it lets you put money in a tax-deferred account for retirement. A Roth 401k lets you put money away post tax and any gains are not taxed. A traditional 401k lets you put money away pre tax and you are taxed when you withdraw. I'm not sure which one this one is.

That must be an American company thing. Accenture used to do that.

It's not an every company thing. It seems to be more west coasty I think. The company I'm going to be working for is headquartered there.

 

[LoyalServant]

Congrats! Hopefully you can use the extra $15K to buy a loyal dog.

Hey I resemble that remark

 

[NightAngel79]

There's a Star Wars exhibit in town I really want to see. That will keep me busy until next Monday. Then what?

Yesterday I did laundry, a couple of loads of dishes and wandered through a Star Wars exhibit at the local science museum.

Edit: Pics of the Star Wars exhibit - Star Wars Exploration Place pictures by Chinnp - Photobucket

Star Wars?? Where is this? lol

16 days off a year (that goes up as you gain seniority), 401k match of 100% for the first $1k and 50% after that. Health, dental, vision, free access to a gym, on site cafeteria, they give me paid time off for volunteering in the community, life insurance, long term and short term disability, 200 vesting shares in the company stock and I can purchase discounted company stock as well.

Damn!! What company is it (if you dont mind disclosing that)

 

[TxGoat]

Damn!! What company is it (if you dont mind disclosing that)

Something tells me he's going to mind disclosing it....


I remember working for a company that did all that for its employees. We even had a beach volleyball sand pit onsite that the company would have a cookout for its employees on. We even had company sponsored basketball tournaments. Unfortunately, that company was swallowed up by a bigger company and big companies don't generally do "nice" things for its employees....

 

[A.Nonymous]

I'd rather not say the company in case they have some obscure policy about their employees talking about them. I'd rather not get fired before I start.

I'm already starting to be bored out of my gourd. I can feel the cabin fever coming on. I cleaned the house from top to bottom, cleaned out the garage, re-organized my tools and leveled up my character in DC Universe Online. I also fixed the leaky sink that's been that way for ever, scrubbed some of my counters, re-organized all of my various and sundry cleaning fluids and found myself weeding my backyard. That was when I realized I had lost it. What do I care about weeds in my backyard? Or my front yard for that matter?

I plan to go to Kansas City tomorrow morning just to have something to do. The insurance adjuster is coming out Wednesday to look at my roof that has totaled by hail. I have no clue what to do beyond that. I had two weeks to kill before the new job starts. I lasted two days and a weekend before going nuts.

 

[Roze]

Congrats Anonymous!!! Now that you are getting a paid more, I expect you to take a vacation next year Now you don't have any excuses to take a real vacation, lol.

When you're back from Kansas and you still have nothing to do, hit up Steven58. I know the man has A LOT of work around AF that he can give you if you're THAT bored. You have to like the colour green though lol

 

[A.Nonymous]

Next year's vacation is already planned for me. My grandparents are planning a cruise for the entire extended family to celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. There is some debate about whether it will actually happen at the moment though. The hangup seems to be my cousin who married the lady who's old enough to be his mom. They can't decide if they need to invite him or not or if they can just invite him and not his wife and how offensive it will be if they tell him that he and his wife can come but not his step children (who aren't much younger than he is).

 

[batgeek]

family cruises are like the holidays....but you're stuck on a boat and can't drive away.

 

[A.Nonymous]

family cruises are like the holidays....but you're stuck on a boat and can't drive away.

That is exactly my thoughts on the subject. I can't think of a single way to weasel out of it though. It's my grandfather's 90th. They're giving me a year notice. My grandparents are offering to pay for the entire thing. I'd give my eyetooth to weasel out of spending two weeks cooped up with extended family, but can't come up with anything.

 

[Roze]

That is exactly my thoughts on the subject. I can't think of a single way to weasel out of it though. It's my grandfather's 90th. They're giving me a year notice. My grandparents are offering to pay for the entire thing. I'd give my eyetooth to weasel out of spending two weeks cooped up with extended family, but can't come up with anything.

What the...the cruise is 2 weeks!!! OUCH >_>;;;

 

[NYCHitman1]

I'd rather not say the company in case they have some obscure policy about their employees talking about them. I'd rather not get fired before I start.

I'm already starting to be bored out of my gourd. I can feel the cabin fever coming on. I cleaned the house from top to bottom, cleaned out the garage, re-organized my tools and leveled up my character in DC Universe Online. I also fixed the leaky sink that's been that way for ever, scrubbed some of my counters, re-organized all of my various and sundry cleaning fluids and found myself weeding my backyard. That was when I realized I had lost it. What do I care about weeds in my backyard? Or my front yard for that matter?

I plan to go to Kansas City tomorrow morning just to have something to do. The insurance adjuster is coming out Wednesday to look at my roof that has totaled by hail. I have no clue what to do beyond that. I had two weeks to kill before the new job starts. I lasted two days and a weekend before going nuts.

You need some Diablo 3 in your life.

 

[A.Nonymous]

What the...the cruise is 2 weeks!!! OUCH >_>;;;

That's what my grandparents want at this point. I'm trying to do the math on how long it will take to swim to shore from the middle of the ocean.

 

[A.Nonymous]

You need some Diablo 3 in your life.

I've never been a fan of dungeon crawlers. I do need something to do for the next two weeks. I'm already suffering from hardcore cabin fever. I've tackled every major project I've ever had around my house I think except for getting all of the rocks out of the flower bed on the east side of the house. It's 90+ outside with 80-90% humidity so it's just miserable to be doing that kind of work. I'll tackle it tomorrow morning. It's my last big project and I can't even work on it all day I'm bored stiff. I took a 3 hour nap today just because I was bored. I've played my MMO so much I'm sick and tired of it. I found a copy of Lego Star Wars on my computer that I've never played it. I may play it tomorrow.

I'm kind of getting sick of playing video games. So I sat around and read for awhile. Then I got sick of that. So I read comic books. Then that bored me after a while. I went to Kansas City yesterday and that killed the entire day. Now I'm bored again and have no real projects left to do in the house. I even thoroughly cleaned all three of my fish tanks.

 

[Roze]

Woah...A.Nom, you get bored really easily!!! Watch some shows/movies?