Many of you have heard I got a new job. I thought I would share a little about it. The hiring company is L-3 Communications and the team I am working with is located on a former Air Force Base which is now Mesa-Gateway Airport. Across from the airport is a Fighter Pilot Training Research Facility where three companies (L-3, Boeing and Lockheed Martin) share a defense contract with the Air Force. I had interviewed for one job that involved research for using the Wii and other video games to create training for Allies. That sounded fun but I didn’t get the job. I didn’t match the skill set but they liked me so they called me back for another position. The interview went well but months passed and I still hadn’t heard. I pestered them as much as I could without being too much of a pest. It must have been the right amount because out of the blue last week I got an email asking if I was still available. I’m almost always available. Especially if it means less of a commute and working on something interesting.
My goal is to break a record and stay at this job for at least 2 years. I used to think it was the jobs and the companies that were the problem but I’m starting to wonder if I’m the problem. Honestly, I like to learn new things and the thought of doing the same thing year after year scares me. A younger co-worker wanted me to write him a recommendation on LinkedIn and so I did and he was surprised to see so many recommendations on my profile as well as jobs. He said something like, “You’ve had 3 jobs in 3 years?” By the way he said it, I felt like I had to explain myself to him. I resisted correcting him by stating that with this new job it would make 5 in three years. That does sound pretty bad. I can justify each change in my mind but if I keep this up it will probably get harder and harder to explain to interviewers. My strategy is to not disclose every job on my resume and that has seemed to work just fine. What if I built a resume with every job?
- Building large graphic laminators at Axiom Graphics
- McDonald’s Cashier
- Recycling Plant Laborer
- Crop Dusting – Loading planes with fertilizer and pesticides
- Roof Inspector
- Demolition and Asbestos Removal
- Landscaping
- Carpet Cleaning
- Dish Washer
- Teaching Assistant
- Research Assistant
- Computer Engineering Intern at Intel
- Software QA Manager at WiLife (now Logitech)
- Webmaster/Online Sales and Marketing at WiLife
- Software Engineer for Video Game Startup
- Software Quality Engineer for University of Phoenix
- Software Engineer at L-3 Communication
I think that’s all of them. 17 official jobs where I was on payroll. Let’s do the math. 17 jobs in 9 years (not including 2 year mission). Makes it about 6 months per job! I’ve had a lot of bosses and coworkers, a wide variety of work environments and interesting stories with most of the jobs I’ve had. Like the time I got cussed out by a crop duster when I splashed a few drops of fuel on his windshield. Boy, was he ever mad. I’ve had hundreds of interviews. Believe it or not, I haven’t accepted every job offer given to me. Amazing, I know! Just in the past 3 years I’ve turned down at least 3 job offers. I need to write a book. “How to get a job in 10 days” … or “How to lose a job in 10 days”. I’ve never been fired. I did get sent home once from the asbestos job and I thought I was fired but ended up staying. I don’t have any regrets and I look forward to the new experiences to come.
