An Offer I Can't Refuse

The small software company made me an offer. Today, on my planned day off from FEMA, instead, I'll be heading in to my new job out in Glendale instead of trekking out to North Hollywood. Since I do have the next day off as well, I'm pretty sure I can do these couple of days with the software company to close out the week and then show up Saturday and Sunday to finish out my work relationship with the government agency. I'll have to let them down easy, since I'm such a great worker and all. Besides, I don't want to make a whole government agency cry . . .

The job was so inane. Apart from meeting a couple of cool people, I won't miss it. I won't miss almost dozing off while filling out applications for people that I can barely understand. What's up with that southern accent anyway? It's terrible. And let's not talk about the phone reception. Yesterday I was trying to talk to a man about his claim and it sounded like I was talking to the teacher in those Chalie Brown cartoons. "WhaWhaWha WhaWhaWha" . . . "Um, ok sir . . . did you say your house had flood damage?" "WhaWhaWha WhaWhaWha!"

It's becoming more and more likely that I'll let the interview with the internet giant come and go without me showing up. It would be nice to work for them, but you never know when one of those places is going to sell you out *ahem*EARTHLINK*ahem* and outsource your job somewhere where they can pay someone $1.25/hr and not have to pay taxes or social security for them. Oh well . . . my recommendation, if you have a certain internet provider . . . make the switch to cable with your local cable provider. Sure, they may suck donkey nuts *ahem*ADELPHIA*ahem* but at least you know that they have employees living and working in your city. I don't recommend DSL 'cause it's crap. And you don't want the tech support nightmare that is having to call someone in India or the Phillipines.

So, what was offered to me? Well . . . let me copy and paste making sure to censor a couple of key elements while still keeping all the pertinent information.

Base: $**,***/yr ($**/hr paid bi-weekly) plus bonuses

Bonuses: Bonus structure is laid out in Salary Agreement which is signed at the start of employment with ***** Software

Benefits:
Medical, Dental, and Vision Plan – Employee premium paid by company, employee pays for dependent coverage. Company pays premium for $50,000 life insurance policy as well as Short Term and Long Term Disability insurance.

10 paid holidays per year – New Years’ Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas.

5 Paid Sick Days per year

One week paid vacation after one full year of service. Two weeks paid vacation after two full years of service. Three weeks paid vacation after five full years of service. Four weeks paid vacation after eight full years of service.

I don't anticipate being with this company for more than a couple of years, so regretfully, I won't be seeing this four weeks of vacation. But who knows, maybe I won't move to Sacramento next year to work for a computer manufacturer and hip youth icon. As much as I want to move there, sticking around with this company might for a bit might pay out. They're expanding rapidly, from 25 employees a couple of years ago to just under 100 now, and looking to have 600 by the end of 2007. That might put me in some sort of management position in the near future.