Have Gun; Will Travel

Posted by FirmWarez on 29 Nov 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

Some of you folks know a bit about my history and current status. I’m an engineer (computer engineering) with an MBA. Here’s a link to my CV.

So let’s cut to the chase: I’m looking for work. Contracts, gigs, dream job, career path, whatever you want to call it. Gainful employment. Full time, part time, contract, consulting. I can do technical work, hire and fire; assist in strategic planning, trouble-shoot, play skunk-works operator.

For most of this year I have been working on some products I’ve developed for a niche market, trying to get a start-up off the ground. I still believe that these are good products with a promising future; however as yet I have not been able to connect to the partners I need to continue on this path.

I have done some contract work to keep some cash-flow going. This has been sporadic, and unfortunately it looks like my main project is about to shut down.

I need work.

My experience as a techie has been embedded systems:
C for embedded
4/8/16/32 bit microcontrollers
sensor interfacing
embedded networking (TCP/IP, 802.15.4)
hardware specification and design
PCB layout

I have over a decade of management experience:
selection, hiring, management of cross discipline technical teams
budgeting
sales and marketing
customer interaction
strategic planning
PR efforts and public speaking

I can be cocky. In some ways I’ve managed to do many things I’ve set out to do, even things I once thought were beyond my reach. I’ve won class in one of the most difficult performance rallies in North America (real racing on real roads). I have experience with a bewildering array of small arms (for a civilian). I have six years experience as a volunteer firefighter in one of the busiest volunteer districts in my state (1000 calls per year). I’ve been inside burning buildings, surrounded by fire, exploding chemicals, and arcing power lines. I’ve had burning gasoline floating around my boots putting out a vehicle fire. I’ve seen and dealt with horrific motor vehicle accidents. I’m qualified to drive a 55,000 lbs pumper. Yes, I do have a gun. I have a concealed carry permit and work very hard to maintain those skills and not just have a card. I’ve also held a nationally recognized competition license with a major sanctioning body. I’ve been lucky to see inside and help in the world of movie production. I’ve been to celebrity birthday events where the featured party favors were belt-fed machine guns. I can run a lathe, milling machine, and weld. Not bad for a nerdy engineer who moved in to management.

I also have my self-doubts. I grew up poor, in a zip code that was used as a local insult. Like anyone my early life can hang over me like a specter.

In addition to my volunteer firefighting, I have also volunteered my time to judge collegiate business plan competitions, do work for local museums, and advise technology organizations.

I will not work for (yes, these are real things that have happened to me):
Those who feel breaking federal law is “good customer service”
Those who claim lying to government (military) prime contractors is “just sales”
Those who feel the fair labor standards act doesn’t apply to them
Those who claim to hire me because my skills and experience will help them grow, but really just want a “yes man”

I make a lousy “yes man”. I am a valuable addition to the right kind of team, the team that needs real things done, that places accomplishments over pretentiousness. I bring my skills, experience, best abilities, and admittedly bizarre hacker ethic. I guess, if some strange circumstance had me working for organized crime, I would accept being a criminal. However if working for a “legitimate” business, I feel the law must be followed. Picking and choosing should be done at a strategic level; policy, procedure, and action should then follow that strategic vision.

So maybe by this point someone is still reading. Even less likely is that someone is reading who needs a no-nonsense player like me who’s not afraid to call the difference between shit and shinola.

If so, please give me a shout. It’s not that hard to figure out. I’m FirmWarez at FirmWarez dot com.

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