Checking in: update on my new job and relocation

I had not posted in awhile because, as I posted last summer (http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-7903 and http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-8049#comment-77307), I was starting a new job that was 1200 miles away. I am just posting an update / keeping in touch; no advice request.

I moved, then family moved, the house sold (5 days to full price offer), and now my wife got a new job. The relocation plan was even better than I thought. My old relocation plan (7 years ago), which was standard for pharmaceuticals, was better tham what was described in the podcast here. This one was even better, covering me substantially for the loss on value of my house, which may be why it sold in 5 days (because I priced it lower). Unfortunately, my wife's job is 30 miles away (since she didn't have it when we found a place to rent) and full time. My wife is partially disabled and has worked part time for the last three years. So we'll see if she can continue it or not, or we find some alternatives (change daycares so something not as close to her work, so I can pick the toddler up).

My job has been going well. It's the same therapeutic area I've always worked in, but a very different function (regulatory instead of R&D). At times I felt "lost" getting used to all their systems, but since I'm good with Excel, file directory structures, and databases, I have picked up the systems very well. They value me because none of them have PhDs or even R&D experience. I also understand why my boss wanted ME: my projects are a result of an acquisition they made, and that technology involves a lot of engineering, which is my background. Furthermore, the company we acquired told me they saw my resume 2 years ago and wanted me but they heard I wasn't interested (they were much smaller back then and doing business with my employer at the time). Another thing I like about this job is people are really seeking my input, whereas in my previous job I felt like no one ever listened to me. This job, like my last job is big on timelines, but here they REALLY commit resources to get it down and have a very involved senior management who makes rapid decisions. But it is more demanding, and I do have things coming at it me a lot that I have to respond to quickly.

I have sent e-mails to a lot of the good and mostly good recruiters I knew, and other contacts I had. I have not, however, returned calls from the so-so recruiters that leave me messages and won't tell me why. I think they want to know my salary, and for now, I'm keeping that between my wife and I. Story about a bad recruiter at the end of this. I've also had a lot of recruiters contact me about jobs via Linkedin (~3/week), but I just click on Not Interested and tell them I just started a new job, but if they have jobs in my old area, I can forward to people I know. I'm too busy right now to call each recruiter like I used to.

My departure from my last job was not quite as positive as I had hoped. On my last day, my boss lectured me for 30 minutes about rumors she heard about what I was leaving. and how those rumors made her look bad and I need to think differently. I didn't really pay attention, didn't really say anything, and was glad to get out. For whatever reason, HR didn't know it was my last day, so I just left badge, my keys, and my computer at my office and left. No exit interview. I forgot my credit card but met our admin for coffee later that day and turned it in. However, I had many good conversations with people I had worked with, and many people thanking me for changing their lives because of books I recommended to them.

That was mid-August. In late October, my old job had massive layoffs. My department (under boss's boss) lost a lot of people, coincidentally people that my boss then didn't like. None of the people that I trained or who worked on my projects were laid off, which I'd like to think because I caused them to be so valuable to the organization. My old boss, that I had complained a lot about here (2010 - 2012) (http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-7568 and http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-5937) was laid off. Everyone got generous severance backages (26 - 52 weeks of pay + 52 weeks of health insurance + receive their 2013 bonus). I tried to get get laid off, and get the severance, but was unable to do. Oh well, I got a good job, and the biggest thing, I am appreciated and not have so much uncertainty. 

Meanwhile, my company has had openings, at many locations. I've gotten a few of my top coworkers to apply. but just because of timing,they are going other places. One appreciated some MT podcasts on resignation and counteroffers I sent her.

I also wanted to mention crazy that happened with a recruiter. I posted these two threads:http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-7563 and this one http://www.manager-tools.com/forums-7400 about a recruiter who had a job for me, they were going to make an offer, and then they pulled back because I asked him questions about the job. I was disappointed, but my current job is much better. That was Dec/Jan 2013. That recruiter has always been poor about returning my calls when he doesn't have a job. In March 2013 he told me had a job in my current company - in R&D (not what I am currently doing). Never heard back from him. April/May/June 2013 I told him I was aggressively searching and tried to call him many times. All he wrote back was that he was busy and he didn't call me despite me providing times. In late June 2013, I got the call from recruiter from current job, interviewed early July, and had the offer a few days later. Anyways, this recruiter who is poor at calling me back, E-mailed me after I started my new job saying the position from Dec/Jan 2013 was open again, in case I was interested. I replied back with my new job contact info. I cannot believe what he did next. This recruiter, who was poor at calling me back, started leaving me messages left and right to call him back over the next 24 hours. I did not because I was travelling and moving. He then called HR at my current job claiming he should get credit for the job I started in Aug 2013 since he told me about a different job, with a different manger, in a different division at the same company in March 2013, but never returned my calls or E-mails. I advised HR and they told that recruiter tough luck, He left me a message that he was going to let this one go but he wished I had asked him for advice. I sent him an E-mail that I really, really wanted his advice but because I didn't hear back from him, I had to proceed. Didn't hear anything after that. 

Anyhows, so I am still adjusting to a our much smaller place, and to my wife's job and commute, but I do like new job a lot and my new location, and am glad I got out of my old place.