Cobwebs and Tumbleweed

Well, I haven't been updating this blog with much of any interest in a long time. Truth is I can't seem to motivate myself these days with regards to the blog... and life if I'm honest. I'm finally getting away for a break next week (to Norn Iron to visit the folks) which will hopefully be good for me. The reason for the break is because my contract finishes on Friday with no hope of renewal as they're laying off lots of Engineers (boo) and Managers (hurrah).

Once again I find myself at a career crossroads since being made redundant in November. My soon to end contract was fantastic from a personal point of view - great money, 35 minutes door to door along beautiful country roads with little traffic and a job I could do with my eyes shut (and often did). The downside was there was often little to do which made the working day drag and the general state of the company (now run by accountants meaning profit in the short term, doom in the mid/long term). The worst aspect of contracting (for me) is the lack of ownership. I like "owning" the projects I'm working on, they're mine and I'm the man to ask. This doesn't happen with contractors. You're just the hired hand and although you know more about it than anyone else you're not the one who's asked/consulted regarding the project - this annoys me. I am a fecking Design Engineering genius after all.

Obviously this is not a good time to be without work due to the recession, rampant inflation, job losses etc. Thankfully our cash situation is good but I need to secure something to see out the next couple of years. I will not relocate, that much is certain, last year I turned down the chance to move to San Francisco so there is nowhere that will attract me away from where I am. Work in Aberdeen or Fife seems the most likely but my salary level combined with lack of Oil & Gas experience is an issue. Not really wanting to take a massive pay cut just to gain some experience and spend 2 hours+ a day travelling back and forward (I know, I've been spoiled rotten for the past 10 years with a good salary, interesting job and flexible hours, all handily located within 25 miles :-)

Anyhoo, not really looking for anything until we've come back from Norn Iron and then the search will start in earnest. I fecking hate recruitment companies, interviews, job hunting whatever. It's such a fecking game! Hopefully the break will give me some energy/interest to do something about the poor state of the blog, but I've been saying that for years.

Category:

• Personal