Am I proud to tell my family what I did today?

That’s right, I am currently talking with our favorite ethics company about a possible dream job.

Well I guess I should give some background. So in my current state of joblessness, I have found myself checking out the local cigar lounges. It was at one of these lounges where I meet my new friend, the senior VP and GM for the un-named defense company (I am keeping the name of the company and my contact anoynomous due to the public nature of this blog and to respect the privacy of the contact, so if you know what I am talking about please don’t mention the company’s name). I told him that I am an engineer looking for a job, he took my resume and said he would get back to me. I didn’t think much of it until, I got an email from him saying that we should meet and strategize.

At the meeting I told him that I was considering the Sales/Business Development side of engineering. His response, “well I was waiting for you to say that.” (Apparently my resume and experiences tell everyone but me what I am supposed to be.) So he proceeded to tell me about how he wants to hire me for a rotational systems design/business development/operational management program of his own design to put me on the fast track to upper level management. Okay, one check in the totally sweet box. When I asked about the nature of the work, he told me about how his business is all about systems design and network integration and that my systems background is perfect. He proceeded to espouse that it is the systems engineers who will be the next big thing in engineering. Okay, one check in the “I didn’t make a mistake getting the systems design degree” box. So I clarified with him, “you want me to work with the Biz Dev and the Technical groups on your systems integration project?” His response, “Both that group and the unmanned air vehicles group as well and you will be working with the operational side of both groups.” At this point I am running out of napkins to lap up the drool. He is custom designing a management rotational program that over two years will get me technical, business dev, and operational skills in running a Fortune 70 company! So I ask him the hard question: how does the work of the company affect the battlefield? Well, the two groups that I would be working with are the communications and the UAV’s neither of which are bombs or guns but enable the usage of those weapons. Okay hmmm…

So there is the dilemma: A dream job that integrates my educational background, my interest in management and getting into the C-level, my desire to be on the cutting edge of technology, and my enthusiasm and energy that is on my moral boarder line. Oh yeah, it is also located in San Diego.

Well I don’t have a job to turn down yet, but the meeting I had last night indicates that it won’t be long until I do.

Major lesson from this experience: Cigars may not be so bad for your health.