Semi-Official "Blessing In Disguise" Thread

[PaulSmith69]

Kindly post you interesting stories!!!

I got several, but here is one for now:

Back in in the Fall of 1982, Bendix attempted a hostile takeover of Martin Marietta. Consequently, MM bought up a bunch of their stock to fight the takeover. Con sequences of that was MM was very short of cash, and they resorted to layoffs. I got caught up in the layoffs. I attempted to find a new position within the company during my two week notice period, to apparently no avail. I thought I found a place to go, but all they could say is "we'll let you know". So I left the Friday before Thanksgiving week. During that short week, I sent out a bunch of resumes.

Turns out I had a place to go all along BEFORE leaving the company, but the assholes at my old department REFUSED to let me be transferred. So was gone a whole week (Thanksgiving week) and came back, but I had gotten two weeks severance pay, and two weeks vacation pay, so when I came back, i was three (3) weeks ahead!!! (blessing in disguise 1).

When I can back, I came back as a technician, rather than associate engineer, so ALL overtime was "time and a half" rather than FREE (blessing in disguise 2).

Nine (9) months later I got a call about a position (Member of Technical Staff II) in another State, interviewed, took the job and a much better position and much higher salary, and it turned out to be THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD!!! (blessing in disguise 3).

Eighteen (18) months later, I answered an ad about position at Martin Marietta, interviewed, and got the job. Turns out, I was doing EXACT same job as before I left (even in same group with same supervisor!!!) , was about 4 salary grades higher than before, and made 45% more than before I left. (blessing in disguise 4).

 

[arcturus88]

I worked at Lockheed Martin direct but the problem was the drive was often over an hour each way. After a few years I took a job closer to home that paid more. I knew the first day that I had made a terrible mistake. They asked if I could bring I my own computer and worked us crazy hours . the boss was a napoleon who had little man complex and was a real a-hole. Anyways after about 2 months they let me go , said they wanted someone with more architectural design experience.
that was a Friday.

I went through the phone book that day and called about 15-20 engineering firms , until I found a civil engineering place that hired me. I started that following Monday.
It was a small place and the owner was a real jerk. Demanding a-hole. He was married with a prego wife, he would say, "hey come look at this!" and when I walked over to his desk he would be watching porn of some big breasted woman jumping around. so I covertly started looking again. Finally, I found a contract job back at Lockheed Martin.

The day they offered me the job (from the office phone) ...that guy fired me. I suspected later that he was listening in on my calls.

Anyways I started that job pretty quick, may not have even had a day off in between. That next job was good, good bosses and I was able to be the "project engineer" on a couple jobs even though I was only a drafter/designed. They also paid for me to go back to school wherein I changed my career.

 

[PaulSmith69]

That's cool. I did not you worked at L-M more than once!

 

[arcturus88]

That's cool. I did not you worked at L-M more than once!

the first time with you and then later with FBM.