Finding a Colorado Job

I have really enjoyed my career at Intel and had a great desire to continue it even after moving to Colorado.  When we tried previously to find work in Colorado I did look both internally and externally to Intel, but was coming up empty in both areas.  I have learned that without  networking contacts it is extremely difficult to even get an interview, so I knew my best bet, and in fact my desire, was to get a new position with Intel.

When we made the decision to try again, I wasn't very hopeful because the Intel's presence hasn't been very big in Colorado.  When I looked previously the Colorado Springs site was being closed, the Fort Collins site didn't have positions for the kind of work I do.  There was also a small site (if it could even be called a site), in Longmont Colorado where half a dozen people worked on firmware which is like what I do in that it is writing code, but it is a very different kind of code and I had no experience.  I did apply when we first started looking but was quickly turned away.

Five years later I was surprised to find several software engineering positions available at the Longmont site. Apparently it had grown, however, I still wasn't very hopeful because the type of programming was still outside of my skill set.  I definitely had a lot of software engineering experience, but it was in the wrong area. I decided to apply anyway, but by the time I had a resume crafted to emphasis the experience I did have along with my abilities to learn and ramp quickly, all of the positions had been removed from the internal job posting.  Feeling like not all of the positions could have been filled that quickly and all at the same time I inquired about them and if there were any still available.  The hiring managers informed me that there was a hiring freeze and they weren't sure how long it would last.  The only disappointment I had was the amount of time I had spent on my resume which, at this point, seemed to be in vain.  I knew it was a pretty long shot anyway.

Then an idea was given to me and I began to see Heavenly Father's hand opening doors and providing opportunities.  The idea given to me was to take advantage of the hiring freeze.  These groups in Colorado obviously had a need for additional help that there weren't going to be able to satisfy, at least right away.  I needed an opportunity to learn a new skill set and prove my ability to do that within a short period of time.  I communicated my desire to my manager and he fully supported me offering part of my time to the Colorado hiring managers as a temporary assignment.  I would be able to use 25% of my time for 3 months to work with a team in Colorado.  My manager and the hiring managers met and made the arrangements.  It would be a win-win situation.  The team in Colorado got at least a little extra help and I got an opportunity to prove myself and make some more networking contacts.  The only party that lost was the team I was leaving, but my manager was very supportive of my direction, in part possibly because he was moving into another position as well.  Again, another situation that seemed to align with the direction we were headed.

So I began to work with this new team.  Everyone was excited to work with me and I began to learn a lot, though I was discouraged how much I felt like I needed to learn.  It really seemed like I was working two jobs, using a lot of evenings to try and catch up with the work responsibilities I had.  It was a difficult time because Annie was in school as well and had her classes at night.  But I was very grateful for the opportunity and I put as much effort as I could afford into it.

The Colorado Decision

After trying a few times without success because of the economy and a lack of job opportunities, Annie and I started to wonder if we weren't meant to stay in Oregon.  We moved to Hillsboro to be closer to work and even though we were renting to avoid establishing roots, we started to look at houses again and thinking of buying.  We decided on Annie going back to school which was going to be a 3 - 5 year commitment in Oregon. We got the kids in good schools and we started making friends in Hillsboro that we would miss.  And of course we wanted to stay closer to Sara and Spencer.

Even though we never made the decision to stay in Oregon we did lose the goal of moving to Colorado.  We both felt kind of lost and unsure of what the future would bring and we were living somewhat complacently. We became very busy with Annie's school and everything else life was bringing to us. Our focus became just surviving the day to day, and whenever we looked up to see the direction we were headed in we really couldn't see very far.

Then one day in a regular one on one meeting with my boss at work, he told me that he was moving into a new position at Intel and he thought that I should apply for the management position he was leaving.  I have never done management and wasn't sure if I would want to, but it would be a promotion and potentially a very good opportunity for my career.  I knew this particular management position would be extremely stressful and even more so for me as a new manager.  It was exciting to think about, but I did not feel good about it, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to bring the additional stress to my family. I decided not to apply for the position, but this opportunity forced me to think long term about my career and where I wanted it to go. At Intel there are well defined tracks for both management and technical positions, but the industry and corporate USA as a whole seem to value managers a bit more. I could probably become a good manager with enough time and experience, but I really like the technical aspect of my job and I'm not sure I would want to lose that. As I was thinking about management versus technical, Annie and I finally decided that what was more important than a position, was our family and being closer to family. So instead of targeting a specific career position, or type of position, we started to again, target Colorado.

At first we made the goal to do whatever it took to get to Colorado after Annie was done with school in a few years.  We hoped by then the economy would improve, and that it would be easier to find work. Thinking about this goal, our future became somewhat clearer than the uncertain cloud we had been living with, and we were excited to have a defined goal again and have something to work towards.

In a discussion with her mom, Annie was expressing some concern about the school program she would be doing and the stress it would bring to the family, and she was asking her mom if she would be able to come help us during a term or two.  In the discussion Kaylene suggested that Annie do the program in Colorado and that we try to move before the program started. Annie only had a few prerequisite classes left before applying to the program in Oregon, so that didn't give us much time, but in discussing it, we really liked the idea and it felt good.  We weren't very hopeful that it would work out, but we started the process again for trying.

It was this decision to start the process again that actually got us here to Colorado. Thinking back to my bosses suggestion to me to make a pretty severe career change was just the nudge we needed to reevaluate our long term goals and get out of the complacency we had been living with.  I have no doubt that Heavenly Father had a hand in helping us to make this decision and that he set up the events that caused us to make the decision that eventually brought us here to where we are today.

We made it to Colorado

When Annie and I were first married both our parents and families lived very close to us in Oregon City Oregon. It was a huge blessing for us and we loved it. We were excited that our kids would be close to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. And of course the free babysitting wasn't bad either. Slowly, however, family started to move away. Annie's parents ended up in Colorado and mine in Kansas.  Between Colorado and Kansas we knew we had a better chance of finding a job in Colorado, and we couldn't give up both the ocean and mountains, so our goal became to move to Colorado.  Well that was over five years ago, and it has taken us that long to achieve that goal.  But we did it!  We are living in Colorado now and couldn't be more excited.

We know that we couldn't have done it alone.  Heavenly Father has supported us in this goal, and we had many faith building experiences along the way.  We experienced answered prayers, doors opening, and guidance and inspiration that has led us here. We are just as  grateful for the blessing we have received to be able to move to Colorado as we are of the journey and experiences along the way.  In future posts I will make an account of some of those experiences ... so stay tuned ...