[Tfug] Raytheon work

[bpoag at comcast.net]

| 
|On the other hand, I had also tried finding a software job through 
|"professionals", and it was one of the lamest experiences I have 
|ever had. It was like being led around by a blind, deaf, smell-less 
|seeing eye dog who kept piddling on the carpet. 
|Fortunately I could see, hear, and smell, 
|so I was able to get rid of the dog. 
| 

LOL! 

Dude, you should have gotten a cyber internets professional dog. Maybe Shawn LeMaster can hook you up with one. :) 

I came _that_ >< close to getting royally porked by a headhunter firm called Aerotek outside of Chicago when I was about 18 or 19.. They lined me up for a job at Northern Illinois Gas where I would have been doing on-site troubleshooting of employee's PCs. All the way leading up to my first day on the job, they kept pushing me to sign the contract paperwork in a rush and get it back to them ASAP. For whatever reason, I can't remember why I forgot to fill it out and get it to them, but thank God I didn't..I showed up for my first day's work and found out Aerotek's definition of "on-site troubleshooting of Northern Illinois Gas computer systems and networks" meant "Sit in a cubicle with a red flashing siren light on it that goes off if you spend more than 2 minutes troubleshooting PCs over the phone." When I realized i'd been conned, politely told the boss there to f#@k off (in so many words) and walked out. 

Well, the Aerotek folks didn't like that too much. I got a call an hour later threatening me that I now owed them something on the order of $2000 or so, the balance of the money I would have earned had I stayed for the full duration of the contract. 

"....What contract, bitch?" would have been a fitting reply, but...I let him know in a more proper manner that I hadn't signed a damn thing. I'd forgotten to bring the contract with me that morning. They can't hold me legally to anything. 

"You realize, this puts an end to any future opportunities you might have with Aerotek." they said. 

I remember laughing, and just hanging up in disgust. 

Headhunters can be good for you, or bad for you. The one thing you need to understand is that there is an immediate adversarial relationship between you and them. They want to use you, so, feel free to use them right back. They don't give a wet fart about your career direction--Their job is to put meat in a chair for X dollars per hour and meet cost objectives. Those jobs at Raytheon are bought up like Orbitz/Priceline/Travelocity buy hotel rooms. Companies like Raytheon will have a need to fill a bunch of positions, and is willing to pay $50/hr --- headhunters buy them up, and then rush to find a college kid willing to do it for $18/hr. They sign the kid to a contract, and pocket the difference. That's why they write into their contracts that you're not allowed to ask what the regular employee pay rate is where you're working -- Because then, you'll realize how much the headhunter is taking off the top, and how badly you're getting screwed. 

Only go with a headshop if you are a) young and need industry experience, or b) need the money. They are NOT a valid long-term career strategy , no more than a whore makes for a good wife. 


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