How is your company treating you? - RF Cafe Forums

RF Cafe Forums closed its virtual doors in late 2012 mainly due to other social media platforms dominating public commenting venues. RF Cafe Forums began sometime around August of 2003 and was quite well-attended for many years. By 2012, Facebook and Twitter were overwhelmingly dominating online personal interaction, and RF Cafe Forums activity dropped off precipitously. Regardless, there are still lots of great posts in the archive that ware worth looking at. Below are the old forum threads, including responses to the original posts. Here is the full original RF Cafe Forums on Archive.org

-- Amateur Radio

-- Anecdotes, Gripes, & Humor

-- Antennas

-- CAE, CAD, & Software

-- Circuits & Components

-- Employment & Interviews

-- Miscellany

-- Swap Shop

-- Systems

-- Test & Measurement

-- Webmaster

Loren A.
 Post subject: How is your company treating you?
Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:54 am 
 
Lieutenant
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:12 pm

Posts: 4

Hi folks. Just a quick question for you. In past slow business times companies have been known to exploit the people remaining that have not been laid off. Do you see that happening this time? The place I work for (major defense electronics company) has not laid off a lot yet, but then they're always abusing people's time :?

How about your place? Company names not necessary, but hey, if you feel the need... :wink:


 
   
 
biff44
 Post subject: Re: How is your company treating you?
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:37 am 
 
Colonel

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:07 am

Posts: 33

Yep, it has been pretty rough lately! Working 24/7 on some projects. Never enough development money available to do a thoroughly funded job. Not enough money to get latest software or test equipment to make the job easier. Not much in the way of tech support out there if you get in trouble and have a question. Long lead-times on components that used to be off-the-shelf, so you get squeezed on schedule and have few work-around options. And my boss is a real slave driver!

Unfortunately, since I am my own boss (consultant), I can't complain that much!

Things are tough all over. If ya can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen!

_________________

Rich

Maguffin Microwave Consulting

www.MaguffinMicrowave.com


 
   
 
biff44
 Post subject: Re: How is your company treating you?
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:45 am 
 
Colonel

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:07 am

Posts: 33

On the positive side:

There are forums (like this one) where you can post questions and sometimes get enough of an answer to show you the way to a solution.

There are online resources (papers, app notes, webinars, etc) that are a real help. You no longer have to keep your own library of data books and cut-out IEEE papers stuffed into an overflowing file cabinet.

There are SOME parts that you can get overnight. Some websites, like digikey or hittite, are really well laid out and tell you what is available and the price--no need for playing phone tag, or being out of luck at 2 AM.

The various people that you have worked with over your career are still out there, and I have found that they are all pretty helpful to tap for a new project, or to just bounce a question off of. There is so little new/innovative design work going on, they are usually intrigued at helping on novel new projects.

Computers are soooo fast nowadays, you can crunch away and get a solution (assuming you have the right software). Not too long ago, you needed a sharp pencil, a compass, and a fresh smith chart to do the same!

_________________

Rich

Maguffin Microwave Consulting

www.MaguffinMicrowave.com


 
   
 
dwolze
 Post subject: Re: How is your company treating you?
Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 12:21 am 
 
Lieutenant

Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 10:54 am

Posts: 1

Hmm I am thinking that the question was directed at someone like me who is an employee at a corporation. Yes I have felt the pinch; got laid off couple of years ago. And I am much closer to 60 than 50... BUT got in with an electron beam microscope accessory outfit (RF plasma generation) Little bit lower pay package but still meets the rule of successful engineer (>2x age in k$) Lam Research recently had a job fair out here; they also do RF plasma type stuff. Gatan; where I am at is a very nice place; in fact one of the best job's and working environments that I have had out here in Silicon Valley.

Posted  11/12/2012