Bit of a conundrum

I left there a little over a year ago after needing a second shift job so I could finish school, no burnt bridges. Just a handshake, good luck, and we'll keep in contact.

I stopped in every now & then, needing a sprocket or another part here & there, sometimes just to shoot the breeze with them.

I like where I work, but if I had to deal with the 1st shift at the place I'm at now, I'd probably quit real soon. Second is nice & quiet, 5-6 guys, and the whole shop to ourselves, no management. My supervisor is great, so I'm keeping him in the loop. (he won't tell anyone, he hates the 1st shift managment too)

The downside of second shift is not being home for supper (leftovers every day just ain't the same) and not seeing my fiance a whole lot.

The other shop I used to work at is just 5-6 guys, 1 shift, and it was my first and only other job. Great bunch of guys to deal with, plus I can use any machine I want for my own projects. I have that same benifit at my current job, but I can never get on the lathe, and theres just a bunch more red tape to go through.

I really like second shift and the guys I work with everyday, but I'm very strongly considering going back. I told my old boss to make me an offer and I'd think it over. he'll probably get back to me tomorrow, and then we'll have to start talking it over.

If the deal is sweet enough, I'll probably go, but this is still gonna keep my head spinning for a good while yet... The next few months are gonna be a bit interesting to see how it all pans out...

Donovan from Wisconsin

Getting married next May so I'm starting a new chapter in my life. So far I'm stuck on the fence, but I gotta see what they offer before I can really go much farther. If it's good but not great, I may have to stay where I'm at. Still very unsure about what to do.

My brother went through a similar decision a couple months back. A company he worked for wanted him back, and offered hima pretty nice benifits package. It was a hard decision for him, but he ended up taking them up on the offer. I think he got a pretty good size raise along with the benefits.

Donovan from Wisconsin

If your first boss wants you back, that sounds like he was more than happy with your performance and was sorry he let you get away. Good chance he'll pony up this time around and do what it takes to keep you there.

Shift preference is a personal thing. Myself, I always prefered 1st shift. You mentioned a fiance. Unless she's on second shift also, that's a difficult way to go through what will be one of the biggest life-changing events you'll ever make, getting married. From experience, you DON'T want her at home wishing she had more time with you. Women are funny that way. They marry someone because they want to spend time with them.

A job is a job. Most of us never do get to the point where we look forward to getting up every day just to go punch the clock. It's what sort of life away from the shop a job allows that's important. Think about that when making your pick.

kinda going back & forth yet, but now I'm thinking better opportunities are at my current job. Still waiting for an offer, but I found out that the guy that started the week after I quit, was given an unsolicited job offer at a competitors shop, so he took it.

I just don't think he's all that smart or good at what he'd be doing at the other shop, as they have a completely different way of doing business and they really push hard there. No school past high school either, graduated from there in '06, and has a 1 1/2-2 yr old kid because he couldn't keep his pants up to save his life.

I do like the 3 day weekends. Gives me lots of time to do the farming, and Fridays i use to fix stuff and get it ready so when dad has the weekend off, we can both go at it and get stuff done.

Donovan from Wisconsin

For overall training, The former job is a little less mainstream. I think I'd be the only one there with any formal training. I'm sure I would be doing a little bit of everything again, just like I was before hand. That part I like, but at the same time I'm kinda worried about what I might forget about the machines I run now and hurt my chances in the future for a better job if something doesn't pan out.

As far as the atmosphere, the former shop is almost like working with a second shift crew. Very easy going, and farmer friendly.

Gonna be a hard decision, maybe I'll have to work there part time if I can and see how that would go. Trouble is, now is the busy part of the year on the farm.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Job advice would be to negotiate the best deal for you all around, salary, shift, work conditions and culture of the people you work with. There is nothing worse than going to a job you hate every day. I would play it by ear, see what kind of offer you can get, find a way to put it in laymans terms about the quiet'er 2nd shift without all the managment around, most 2nd shifts are like that except in larger operations where there must be a management presence, I agree, it makes the work environment more relaxed, less stress in many situations, you come in, do your work, go home, no B.S.

Day shift would be nice no doubt, see what the offer is, and in some articulate way, get the point across about the environment of the 2nd shift being favorable, yet everyone is productive and gets the work done, it is a good point and quite true, but some may interpret that to be the shift that goofs off more if you know what I mean, not about goofing, it's about management not in your face all the time and people left alone to do their work with the B.S.