Well, for those of you that are curious, I've been courted by a company in Skagway, Alaska for the last month or so. It's been tough times, very trying on my family and now, here's the latest update. Scroll to the bottom paragraph if you'd prefer the bottom line.
Last month, I got a call from a tourist rail company called White Pass & Yukon Route. (www.wpyr.com) I had a preliminary interview, and then a follow up interview with some IT consultants in Anchorage. A few days after that, White Pass decided to fly my wife and me up for a few days. And so we did.
After we got back, we heard nothing for two weeks. One week was bust, the hiring folk were in San Diego. The next week, still no answer, they told me it was down to me and one other...I thought it'd be another coin toss I'd lose, but I decided to keep my faith, keep asking for prayers, and work when I could one what I could. They say God never gives you more than you can handle. Doesn't feel that way sometimes, does it folks? Anyway, we cashed in a lot of favors, ate a lot of humble pie, and swallowed a lot of pride since my layoff in January. Things were spiralling downhill faster than ever before.
We got a call from White Pass last Thursday, it was the accounting manager needing our itinerary so that they could get us a per diem check cut for our expenses. We saw it as, well, let's face it, still no answer on the job, they just wanted closure on this candidate. Get them the info and at least I'll have a dollar or two to pay some bills. Back to square one, I guess.
The very next day, White Pass called again. It was Friday, and the accounting manager asked me what my schedule looked like. Pretty much wide open, I mean, well, I'd hate anything to interfere with my fishing....
He said that the president of the company wanted me to fly to Tucson for breakfast on Sunday. I had to put my fishing pole down to pick up my jaw.
The flight went fine. I flew to Tucson for breakfast with the president of White Pass, and one of the vice CFO's of Tri White, one of the parent companies that own White Pass. He's kind of a big deal. I did my best to not get nervous...don't think that worked, so I just tried being myself. We talked fishing, hunting, lack of daylight, abundance of daylight, working under pressure, and a hundred other things that seemed to be just a blur. He dropped me off at the airport and I headed for my gate. I no longer got through security, headed to the restaurant, ordered a drink, settled in to watch Bristol, called my wife, when I was interrupted by a 907 area code call on my cell...Alaska. 907
They offered me the job. The salary isn't crazy, I don't think I'll make a million, but the benefit package is better than any I've ever even heard of...and since it's technically a railroad...railroad retirement, too. There are its drawbacks, small community (if you view that as a drawback), remote isolation (if you view that as a drawback), windy, have to order stuff online (if you view that as a drawback), no movie theater, no mall...things like that.
Now for the kicker...they want me there in three weeks. Keep the prayers comin', folks, we're going to need the strength more than ever now. And we've got stuff to get rid of.
Last month, I got a call from a tourist rail company called White Pass & Yukon Route. (www.wpyr.com) I had a preliminary interview, and then a follow up interview with some IT consultants in Anchorage. A few days after that, White Pass decided to fly my wife and me up for a few days. And so we did.
After we got back, we heard nothing for two weeks. One week was bust, the hiring folk were in San Diego. The next week, still no answer, they told me it was down to me and one other...I thought it'd be another coin toss I'd lose, but I decided to keep my faith, keep asking for prayers, and work when I could one what I could. They say God never gives you more than you can handle. Doesn't feel that way sometimes, does it folks? Anyway, we cashed in a lot of favors, ate a lot of humble pie, and swallowed a lot of pride since my layoff in January. Things were spiralling downhill faster than ever before.
We got a call from White Pass last Thursday, it was the accounting manager needing our itinerary so that they could get us a per diem check cut for our expenses. We saw it as, well, let's face it, still no answer on the job, they just wanted closure on this candidate. Get them the info and at least I'll have a dollar or two to pay some bills. Back to square one, I guess.
The very next day, White Pass called again. It was Friday, and the accounting manager asked me what my schedule looked like. Pretty much wide open, I mean, well, I'd hate anything to interfere with my fishing....
He said that the president of the company wanted me to fly to Tucson for breakfast on Sunday. I had to put my fishing pole down to pick up my jaw.
The flight went fine. I flew to Tucson for breakfast with the president of White Pass, and one of the vice CFO's of Tri White, one of the parent companies that own White Pass. He's kind of a big deal. I did my best to not get nervous...don't think that worked, so I just tried being myself. We talked fishing, hunting, lack of daylight, abundance of daylight, working under pressure, and a hundred other things that seemed to be just a blur. He dropped me off at the airport and I headed for my gate. I no longer got through security, headed to the restaurant, ordered a drink, settled in to watch Bristol, called my wife, when I was interrupted by a 907 area code call on my cell...Alaska. 907
They offered me the job. The salary isn't crazy, I don't think I'll make a million, but the benefit package is better than any I've ever even heard of...and since it's technically a railroad...railroad retirement, too. There are its drawbacks, small community (if you view that as a drawback), remote isolation (if you view that as a drawback), windy, have to order stuff online (if you view that as a drawback), no movie theater, no mall...things like that.
Now for the kicker...they want me there in three weeks. Keep the prayers comin', folks, we're going to need the strength more than ever now. And we've got stuff to get rid of.
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