Keep your chin up

My job is AIDS with a paycheck. And since I'm at work right now, I'm going to write a long story. A story of depression, anger, frustration, and stuff.

I've been working in the IT field for 10 years. Two years ago, I was promoted to the Director's position. It came with the benefits, salary increase, etc.

I absolutely hate it.

Almost all of my work experience is from a helpdesk role. It's what I know best, and I'm really good at it. When I moved up to director, I actually have less responsibility as I'm now working under the CEO instead of the Senior Manager. Two weeks into my job, I realized that I'd made a mistake and started my search for a different job. I was "sold" a pipe dream, but that's as far from what I have now.

I used to work in the oilfield as IT, in a production office and later working on the drilling rigs with their Pason/Totco satellites. THAT was my dream job. I worked outdoors, with good people, traveled all over my corner of the state. Well, oil dropped down to $20/bbl, layoffs, cutbacks, and my current job fell into my lap. I had no choice but to take it, or be laid off and look for work with hundreds of other people in our small town.

I've applied for over 65 different jobs over the past 2 years, and only had one interview. During that interview, I saw "Referred by _______", whom was a friend of my dad's, and was a high ranking drilling superintendent. Once I saw that name, I knew the interview was just a formality, and I wasn't going to get it.

Fast forward to recent era, I get a call from a foreman friend of mine at the oil company I used to work at. We start with they "wassup", and that quickly turns into, "what would it take for you to come work for us again?" Well... I leveled with them and said that I'd take a substantial pay cut (at least 30% pay cut) to come back and work, but I wouldn't be interested in IT work, I think I'm burned out on computers and networking.

Foreman: "Who said anything about computer work, You'll be working under me using that Fu#*ing huge @$$ brain of yours to troubleshoot problem wells.".

I got passed over for the first two positions as the company needed experienced workers to get them out of a bind. The foreman called to let me know why I didn't get an interview, which I understood. If I get beat by someone that has years of experience, are good workers, and were former employees, I'm okay with that... They are simply more qualified, and that is what the company needs.

He kept in touch over the next few months, told me that they were going to be hiring again and to keep an eye out, and to start reading up on what equipment I'll be working on.

The foreman texted me Tuesday on my lunch break saying to go to the website and put in my app. I checked it earlier that morning and nothing was there, so I went back to my office and filled it out and submitted it. He calls me late last night (Thursday) and tells me that I'm in the short list of people to interview. They're going to be hiring a handful of people, and he's been in his bosses office every week since I first applied saying how much the company needs me. As the Senior Foreman, he has other foremen below him, his two superintendents, and his top field hand toting my banner. The top field employee is like the second coming of Ted Nugent to these people, and he also happens to be my best friend.

Well, my friend was asked to write up a letter of recommendation and send it to everyone that is associated with the hiring process. He sent me a copy of it, and I haven't ever read a letter nearly that awesome. I called and thanked him, drove to his house and gave him a 5-pack of beer.

I won't apologize for the length of this. Men never say sorry for length. If you've made it this far, thanks for your time, I just needed a pick-me-up after being depressed for the past two years. Knowing that companies aren't hiring, and I was stuck in a job that I was completely miserable at, but had to stay in because my family needs stuff like the mortgage paid, groceries, and reliable transportation.