A little bit OT: Anyone live in Nebraska?

[Doc Nickel]

I suspect a combination of someone who may be a difficult employee and not hearing the whole story.

-Agreed to both. As I said, he can be a bit abrasive- at times a LOT abrasive and I suspect he comes off similarly in person. And I'm also quite certain we're hearing a creatively written interpretation of events- not necessarily falsified, but maybe embellished a little, and/or missing the other side of the argument.

(And for those thinking the excerpt quoted above was anything but tongue-in-cheek, even if written verbatim, geeze, grow a sense of humor, wouldya? He was about as serious as somebody saying he'd "kill" to have one of those, or that he'd "give his left arm" to have that whatever. Up here in the backwoods, our colloquial phrase is "I've got a swamp and a shovel" or "hey, the bears gotta eat, too!" )

However, I've read some of the guy's descriptions of CAD and 3D printing problem-solving, including some innovations that got widely distributed through printer community during the C-19 thing, and he's by no means entirely full of hot air. He knows what he's taking about.

But I have to admit a similar touch of skepticism- for someone with his qualifications being unable to get a good job (and not just during the outbreak) one really does have to start wondering what the common denominator is.

On the other hand, I have heard similar horror stories from other corners- not this systemic and not necessarily from Nebraska, but I think everyone has a collection of tales of bad bosses, botched interviews, or getting hired for one thing and being stuck on another job. Personally, I had a poor experience in the oil field, with bad bosses, power-hungry administrative types, and a ton of backstabbers- that I thankfully got to watch as a contractor, from the "outside", rather than a direct employee. But that was enough that convinced me that no matter how well they paid, I wasn't interested in a career of soaking in that particular septic pond.

I'm pretty sure that at this point, if I had to go work for somebody else, especially if it wasn't a very good boss, there's probably be bloodshed. (That's called "hyperbole", by the way, and was not said as a statement of truthful fact. )

Doc.

[Mcgyver]

yes on the two sides thing, I mean his story is his is the perfect resume and the whole state is messed up. I wonder how many of those horrible employers were actually just oh so thankful to see the last of him? We don't know the guy so anything is possible, but the story is highly suspect. When you hear a tale like this, its always good to remember the farmer and two travels fable....https://spellbinders.org/story/the-t...nd-the-farmer/

As en employer, its always tough to get good employees and when you get them you do everything you can to keep them. Skills/knowledge is only a part being a good employee - there's attitude, interpersonal skills, integrity, commitment etc. My message for life and the workplace: nobody exists in isolation and all of our success comes from other people - a strong EQ is probably more important than IQ in the workplace, probably in life for that matter.

How to fix it? Assuming low EQ, imo its like substance abuse....hopeless unless they acknowledge the problem and want to be fixed. I know someone like that, good guy, integrity, not abrasive, but just always thought he should several wrung up from he was and could never humble himself to letting hard work and patience get him there. So he always screwed it up needing to flex his ego somehow end up resenting the place/people. Not fixable as he sees it entirely as the fault of others. If these people learned a few life/sales/leadership basics, like you need to own the reaction you generate in others, they'd be able to self correct.

If he really was that great, and Nebraska so bad....rather than internet whining, he would have moved already.

[Mcgyver]

This thread reminds of a great HR joke.

Guy is in for the interview and the HR person is running through the standard list of questions .....

HR: "So what do you think your biggest fault is?"

Candidate "Well, I guess I would say I'm just too honest"

HR: "Really, I don't think of honesty as a big fault"

Candidate: "Who the f**k cares what you think?"

[J Tiers]

................
However, I've read some of the guy's descriptions of CAD and 3D printing problem-solving, including some innovations that got widely distributed through printer community during the C-19 thing, and he's by no means entirely full of hot air. He knows what he's taking about.

But I have to admit a similar touch of skepticism- for someone with his qualifications being unable to get a good job (and not just during the outbreak) one really does have to start wondering what the common denominator is.

On the other hand, I have heard similar horror stories from other corners- not this systemic and not necessarily from Nebraska, but I think everyone has a collection of tales of bad bosses, botched interviews, or getting hired for one thing and being stuck on another job. Personally, I had a poor experience in the oil field, with bad bosses, power-hungry administrative types, and a ton of backstabbers- that I thankfully got to watch as a contractor, from the "outside", rather than a direct employee. But that was enough that convinced me that no matter how well they paid, I wasn't interested in a career of soaking in that particular septic pond.

.........

Doc.

There is NO doubt that "bad" bosses outnumber "good" bosses by a considerable amount.

There ARE however, "good" bosses. Sometimes you have to "find" the good boss inside of the bad one. You do that by being a "good" employee. It's like neighbors.... to have good neighbors, you need to BE one.

Does it ALWAYS work? Heck no.

But if a person is unable to find a "good" boss, it suggests that they have no interest or ability to be a "good" employee. The people like that are indeed often quite good at what they do. But being good at what you do is not always enough. You have to have enough ability to rub along OK with the other employees and management to not be "the stone in the shoe", because the stone is dumped out of the shoe at the first decent opportunity.

Sometimes "abrasiveness" is really a serious lack of social skills, which often goes with above average intelligence and ability. Some jobs tolerate that easily, others cannot tolerate it at all.

[wierdscience]

He reminds me of a guy we hired about 15 years ago. We eventually nicknamed him "The Gymnast", he had the ability, but had a dump truck load of excuses why he couldn't do what we needed done. He was a gold medalist in the 200 excuses why he couldn't do something event. Every time he sensed overtime coming, even for just a couple hours a week (which we compensated for monetarily) he suddenly had a family emergency that he must attend to. Poor b**tard lost four aunts, three uncles and six grandparents in the space of a year as well.🙄

And ailments, he had every allergy known to man, special diet, odd religious practices, back problems (this was a tried and true excuse for why he moved like a 96 y/old woman at 36 years old) and had diseases and afflictions unknown to modern medicine to boot.🙄

After six months, the entertainment value was worn thin, we were getting maybe 10 hours of actual work a week and 30 hours of whining, complaining and excuse making. We finally gave him his walking papers and hired a replacement. The guy that replaced him still works for us, he was a breath of fresh air. I had forgot what it was like to ask someone to do something, and then they just did it without a million excuses why they couldn't. 😀

[old mart]

I'm glad I retired some years ago. Having had several jobs over the years I found it was always best to keep your head down until you are well settled in and not be the newbe rocking the boat. I remember a new guy starting where I worked who immediately wound everybody up with his attitude. I actually had to go and see the boss about his attitude on his first day. The boss was a great person to work for and listened to my comments and admitted immediately that he had made a mistake and the new man was given a days wage and left there and then.

[metalmagpie]

The solution is simple: retire!

This country .. now there's little food in stores, the government lies routinely, and we're all just getting used to it. Soon we'll be arguing over the next Five Year Plan or perhaps Great Leap Forward. Sheesh.

[nickel-city-fab]

...the government lies routinely, and we're all just getting used to it.

You say that like its a new thing. It is not. What is new is people finding out about it, and publishing it. What else is new is that they aren't trying to hide much any more. For that matter any entity in a position of power, not just the government.

[vectorwarbirds]

An acquaintance of mine that posts regularly over on my board currently lives in Nebraska, and is continually running into extensive and systemic problems with.... well, basically the entire manufacturing sector in the state. He's posted several updates on his board/blog.

In a nutshell, and to keep this from being too long to wade through, the guy's got a clean record, married, multiple degrees, lots of experience in a range of disciplines (plastics technology, 3D printing, welding, machining, CAD/CAM, etc.) no drug use, etc. And yet he still can't find- and keep- a job.

Yeah, the dude's a bit abrasive, and while I admit I'm really only hearing his side of the story, it sounds like he's competent and dilligent.

The problem appears to stem from what's basically institutionalized graft and fraud. The manufacturers only want to hire cons on work-release, ex-cons or fresh (and possibly undocumented) immigrants- All of whom so they can pay them crap wages, neglect or remove benefits, and just generally treat them like s**t.

So: two questions: One, is that.... I guess, 'normal' for Nebraska? I mean, really, unless the guy's been spinning a lot of tales, virtually every place he's applied at has turned out to be badly-run, fraudulently run, dishonest, etc.

I'd ask why he never managed to find that one "good" company that's got to be out there, but the answer to that is simple- those companies aren't hiring. In that kind of environment, a good reputable company likely gets all the qualified applicants they ever need, and the people that work there rarely turn over. The bad ones on the other hand have massive turnover- those guys are always hiring.

The other question: Any ideas on a solution? He and his wife were basically lured there from New York on the promise of a career job, but said job turned out to be staffed by a temp agency, who habitually turns everyone over after 60 to 90 days so they don't have to pay bennies or give pay raises, etc.

And that came to light only after they'd closed on a house, bought a car, etc. and so they're effectively now financially stuck. They've been trying to sock away enough to move, but without a steady paycheck, that's been difficult.

Ideas, questions, comments?

Doc.

I am reminded of the old saying: His side, their side and then the truth.

[thaiguzzi]

This thread reminds of a great HR joke.

Guy is in for the interview and the HR person is running through the standard list of questions .....

HR: "So what do you think your biggest fault is?"

Candidate "Well, I guess I would say I'm just too honest"

HR: "Really, I don't think of honesty as a big fault"

Candidate: "Who the f**k cares what you think?"

This one?

[Kevintaylor]

Wow. I have been in Nebraska since 1960. Strong work ethic. VERY Strong work ethic. Technical skills maybe not so strong but the willingness to learn would get you a Jurious doctorate at Harvard. (A lawyer). If you can’t do 40 hours work in 40 hours you are not an employment option. And that is in front of a machine, on a horse, or in a truck moving stuff.. I work in healthcare and can’t find anyone willing to really work in the facility trades. Do you understand what steam is?

[J Tiers]

Sounds like..... "Wherever he goes, there he is......"

I "used to know" a few people like that.