ELT getting out very soon

[nicad]

Hey guys,

been lurking here for months and reading all I can.  great site with lots of info.
I've been in for four years and am getting out medically.  I just got the lovely news that I will be separated at the end of the month, which leaves me very little time to start looking for a new career.

I've been looking around at the various utilities about landing an operator position (unlicensed of course) and it looks like dominion is hiring and southern company as well.  Anyone have any insight about them?  the threads about dominion seem to be folks reminiscing about the good ol days there.  What kind of time frame is expected to get hired on? I've seen anywhere from a month to BZ's account of 6+ months at TVA

I have also been taking the practice POSS tests that are linked from here as well.  Is there a way to translate my scores on there to a passing grade by a utility? I realize it varies by utility, but any kind of guidance would be appreciated.

NNSY also has my eye for a possible RCT job there, but I may not get in the door as quickly as I would like.

it seems I am just getting a little anxious and might just seem some reassurance from the regulars here 

thanks for any guidance,
justin

[visserjr]

BZ?

[dac]

Get the experience in commercial (Bartlett Nuclear)...plan the two seasons...get your degree and plan for a good career with all the new prospects...DIGELT Instructor class7206...dac

[hamsamich]

You can always contract with Bartlett to get a feel for what the insides of nucplants are all about.  but you would have to wait until the fall most likely for contracting; you should be able to get a house operator job very easily if you don't mind going wherever.  took me only a month or so to get hired on as an operator.  I had been out for a couple of months and was working at EPI in charelston but decided to interview and they offered very soon after to start almost immediatly. when I was hired as a chemtech at another plant I could have went there in 2 weeks but opted for a month instead.

don't forget you can easily get unemployment after seperation.  that might give you some $$$ cushion and a break before you start your next job.....then you could do some contracting in the fall if you want.

[Rad Sponge]

Whats up Smag?

Your friendly neighborhood former ELT type here.

I can help you with your resume preparation and job searching. Make sure you go to TAP. However, TAP is populated by a diverse audience of the Navy's finest and not so finest. Make use of it as much as you can.


PM me privately and we can discuss your education goals, work goals, etc.

[nicad]

sorry, BZ = broadzilla, not our worlds finest motivational combination of phonetic characters 

thanks for the advice.  Jason I will PM you

i'm trying to roll into TAPs next week, so we'll see how that works out.  yes, from what I hear it is a pretty diverse makeup, and some of it might not be suited for what I'm looking for.  plus I have to squeeze back into my whites 

[Rad Sponge]

Just some friendly advice:

I too had a weight problem (can't wait to eat!).

There are many fat asses in nuclear power and many former fat ass Sailors that got out to become fat ass operators. Like me.

However, I have been diligently working on my weight for health's sake and have dropped over 30 pounds since starting.

It would behoove you to take a turn on the scale. My back feels so much better now that I do not have a big belly pulling down on it.

I hear from my brothers in the box that the control room is notorious for putting on weight.

There are not too many fat operators in my plant, because a day in the Turbine Building is a workout in itself if you keep rounding and for go the plethora of cookies and chocolates in the ready room.

Wanna drop 5 pounds? Go do pushups in the service water rooms. 

[nicad]

 

that was just a light hearted joke.  I am in no way fat or getting out of the navy because of it 

[Roll Tide]

While you are searching the site, consider the following:
Where to file for unemployment (you can choose any state, so get the one that pays the most); probably MASS.

The "Talk About ..." threads are basically gossip pages. Look under this board (getting out) or NRC for help with transition from Navy to Commercial (NRC regulated) Nuke.

Swinging a meter is a great way to get some experience in the business. Contract RADCON is a life some prefer; you may like having winter and summer off and only working spring and fall. Bartlett is good about taking your resume and putting it into a format that utilities would want to hire you for an outage. Unlike the resumes you normally write, you need an exhaustive resume so they can trim it down to what is needed.

[Rad Sponge]

that was just a light hearted joke.  I am in no way fat or getting out of the navy because of it 

Cool, then let it be good advice for my fellow chub clubs!!

[nicad]

While you are searching the site, consider the following:
Where to file for unemployment (you can choose any state, so get the one that pays the most); probably MASS.

The "Talk About ..." threads are basically gossip pages. Look under this board (getting out) or NRC for help with transition from Navy to Commercial (NRC regulated) Nuke.

Swinging a meter is a great way to get some experience in the business. Contract RADCON is a life some prefer; you may like having winter and summer off and only working spring and fall. Bartlett is good about taking your resume and putting it into a format that utilities would want to hire you for an outage. Unlike the resumes you normally write, you need an exhaustive resume so they can trim it down to what is needed.

good advice.  the wife wouldn't like me too much if I was a road tech type of guy, and I agree with her.
I looked into unemployment on various websites, but I wasn't aware I could apply for it in any state.  are there any limitations  to this, or is it possible simply because I was in the military?

[Roll Tide]

I looked into unemployment on various websites, but I wasn't aware I could apply for it in any state.  are there any limitations  to this, or is it possible simply because I was in the military?

Because you were military you can apply in any state.

(I need to send you a PM regarding a job; we don't post them on the board for companies too cheap / too dumb to advertise on Nukeworker)

[LaFeet]

Because you were military you can apply in any state.

(I need to send you a PM regarding a job; we don't post them on the board for companies too cheap / too dumb to advertise on Nukeworker)

Hey Tide  got any other sweet deals?

[nicad]

hey tide thanks for the help.  I've been looking into the MA unemployment stuff by reading this pertaining to interstate claims.

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,9461.100.html

i still have a few more questions so I'll probably PM you about it.

I applied to 4 plants in the SE that are hiring, so we will see where that goes.  how long does it usually take for someone to contact you back, and if I don't hear from them should I follow up with a courtesy call about a week later?

[nicad]

quick update to my situation.  just received my offer letter today for a utility operator position at anheuser busch.  I'll be working in the powerhouse at a brewery providing steam, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, etc.

paid medical/dental, etc.  pension, 401k, few weeks vacation a year, two free cases of beer a month.  starting pay is $26/hr with all the overtime I could ever want to work.

I'm pretty excited!

[Roll Tide]

CONGRATULATIONS!!

By the way, working OPS at the powerhouse can possibly qualify as "responsible experience" if you ever consider crossing over to commercial nukes. I had a buddy that got credit for working OPS for a "trash to energy" plant and another one that got credit for OPS at Disney World powerhouse!

Of course, you can also choose to bloom where you are planted and never look back.

[nicad]

thats cool to know.  I like this place because its in the town I grew up in.  both mine and my wife's family lives here, all of our friends are here, etc.

they had to hire another opreator because all of their hire tenure guys working there had more vacation time to take than there is time in a year.  crazy.  attrition rate is something like 2%