I guess I am the exception...
I left during the downsizing/buyout. Everyone, including me, thought I would land a job immediately. I didn't. Of course, I didn't try for the first 2 or 3 months.
During all the downsizing discussions, the folks in my district learned just how little we earned compared to technicians in other districts/regions. Perhaps, it could be due to our cost of living -- maybe it is lower, thus garnering lower wages.
Anyway, I have yet to be offered a job where the wage or salary(calculated) equals what I earned at UPS. I have yet to read a post where a former technician hasn't made more, substantially more. Please tell me what area you live in, I'm interested in relocating -- half LOL, half serious.
I have a college degree, over 6 industry certifications, over 10 years experience, no felonies or misdemeanors, I present nice in a suit, and I have good written and verbal communications skills. I keep getting offers for $35 to $40k. The headhunters and others keep reporting that I have rock-solid skills -- rock-solid general skills. They keep harping about the specific technology skills.
I don't doubt that others are doing great, but I wonder what the job market is like in your area. It is tight in my area. I interviewed for a job last week where 32 people had face-to-face interviews -- this is after sifting out the others by just reading through the resumes/applications. Another job I applied for had over 70 applicants. In my area, you'd better be a programmer proficient in 3 or more languages and with 5 to 10 years experience, OR, you had better have LINUX with 5 or more years experience, OR, you had better have been a Microsoft Engineer or AD administrator (full-time for 5 years). And when they say engineer and administrator, they don't mean installing a PAS workstation and putting the user in the PASSUPERGROUP or whatever group that was. What they mean is every day of the working week experience, all day. You can't swap Eltrons and reinstall WS 8 and call yourself an engineer or administrator.
By the way, I didn't say the above to put-down or beat-up you guys. I was there. I am trying to overcome all this. It ain't easy.
Luckily for me, it appears that I am starting to get some really good interviews that could provide jobs at or above where I was at UPS.
If you want to leave UPS, start today. No, don't quit, but get your mind and resume in order. Apply for every reasonable IT job in your area. Don't worry, if you don't meet their qualifications, they'll know, and throw your resume in the trash. If you get an interview, don't lie. Most of the interviews I have had are conducted by panels of management and technicians. They will quiz you and make you look like an
if you try to embellish or flat-out lie.
Interestingly, almost no job I apply for do I have all the qualifications. More interesting, most employers know this, and are looking for as many qualifications they can, along with an employee who has the look and personality they want. What I am saying is,... don't sell yourself short, apply, apply, apply. The companies look for a 10, and will settle for cute 6 fixer-upper. Remind any of you of your own life? They know you don't have everything, but dream of it, just the same. A lot of times, they are just looking for a reasonable fit with potential.
If you want to leave, apply every week for every reasonable job. If this seems like too much trouble or the scheduling will be difficult, ...you still aren't ready to leave UPS -- go back to griping daily, but doing nothing about it.
Lastly, to all of the technicians who have some certifications, or are their management's go-to-guy, or are the big Senior Tech-on-Campus, don't take yourself so seriously. What I, and others, have discovered is that UPS provides almost no useable skills (beyond rock-solid general) to land a really good job. You already have good time-off, benefits, retirement, 401k, and pay. If you just want to replace UPS with another company and the same compensation, it can be done, but you need to make your looking/searching a new part-time job. If you want to do even better, your 8-hour UPS-day's worth of skill-building ain't gonna cut it. You might look into doing some part-time work with a contract or temp technology recruiter in your area.
Sorry for the doom and gloom. I just couldn't read another post about former UPS technicians conquering the world without giving one man's experience, along with some advice for those still looking to leave.
Oh, if this means anything at all, I don't regret leaving for a minute.
