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Crazy Job Market

What's the CMM job market like near you?

I live and work in the far northern outskirts of Chicago. There is a fair amount of industry around me, but there are typically only two or three CMM job openings at a time within my commuting area. Most of them are normally the same few jobs that nobody wants or they just don’t pay enough.

However, right now it seems like there are quite a few jobs available near me that I'd be happy to take if I didn't already have a good thing going. Also, where I work we have been down a CMM programmer for many months and recently lost two more who left for greener pastures. HR tells me that no one is even applying, let alone anyone with good qualifications! We are working to build talent from within, but it's going to take some time.

How about you?
Are you currently understaffed? Or should I say, more understaffed than usual?
Do you see a lot more job openings near you?
Am I the only one dumb enough to do this for a living? What am I missing here?
  • I guess I'll add to the good news... I have accepted a new job! Massive pay bump (25%), 80 hours vacation time on day 1, full benefits on day 1, 401k at 90 days and they will let me flex my hours for my racing! They also encourage headphones which makes me really happy and they have no issue with me being on here while at work!

    I feel stuck in my position at my current job. The new job is CMM programmer/inspection manager. I will be the sole programmer and will have 3-4 operators (between 2 shifts) working under my direction. I will also be organizing the filing structure for CMM programs and writing work instructions as well as updating all old programs. Basically the company is giving me control of the inspection area. They have a decent setup now but they and I know that there is a lot of room for improvement which is why they are bringing me in.

    I interviewed Monday for 2.5 hours, my longest interview ever. The quality supervisor wanted to give me a formal offer that day but, since it was later in the day and key people had already left, the official offer had to wait until yesterday.

    The only downside is my drive to work doubles to an hour one way but that has never bothered me before at previous jobs. This job is taking me out of the aerospace world and into surgical but I am ok with that since I will be having almost full control of inspection.

    I honestly can't wait to start and I will be starting right after my birthday!

    Oh, and to top it off... one of the shops capabilities is 3d printing stainless and titanium!

    I guess I'll keep this account so I don't lose my post count Sunglasses


    Sounds like a blast. Congrats and have fun.


  • I was (and still am) 50/50 if they will have me work out the 2 weeks. On one side we are slow as h e l l but on the other side I have a lot of knowledge that no one else here has and that knowledge is built into a lot of our (my) programs. My boss is on vacation until Tuesday so, when he gets back, there is a possibility they may not have me work it all. I'm ok either way. One way I make money and the other way I get a nice bit of a break before I start the new job. I have some funds saved up so I can go for about a month with no work and be just fine.


    how'd everything work out? still employed?


  • how'd everything work out? still employed?


    Yep, still here. That being said, my immediate supervisor is on vacation till tomorrow so my current employment may change still.


  • Yep, still here. That being said, my immediate supervisor is on vacation till tomorrow so my current employment may change still.


    wack 'em for 16 hours today! lmao


  • wack 'em for 16 hours today! lmao


    Wish I could but we are set at 8 and I am running out of work quickly.
  • Well, I'm still here. The new job is eager for me to start but understand the respect of giving two weeks notice. My boss just got back from vacation today so there is still a possibility. I know the drill so if I get an email for a meeting in his office at 2pm, I know I'm done. I already have my area cleaned up. I also already took home my DMIS bible, my level 3 book as well as having copies of all the things I made (passwords for my Hexagon learning account, template programs, blank efficiency excel logs, ect... nothing proprietary) at home. On the last day I will pack up my tools and my chair then head home!

    I have also changed the email and password on here and the other forum so I retain control of them. I am the ONLY one here that uses them anyways plus I really need to keep that post count so I can show the new job how cool I am! Sunglasses
  • Well, I'm still here. The new job is eager for me to start but understand the respect of giving two weeks notice. My boss just got back from vacation today so there is still a possibility. I know the drill so if I get an email for a meeting in his office at 2pm, I know I'm done. I already have my area cleaned up. I also already took home my DMIS bible, my level 3 book as well as having copies of all the things I made (passwords for my Hexagon learning account, template programs, blank efficiency excel logs, ect... nothing proprietary) at home. On the last day I will pack up my tools and my chair then head home!

    I have also changed the email and password on here and the other forum so I retain control of them. I am the ONLY one here that uses them anyways plus I really need to keep that post count so I can show the new job how cool I am! Sunglasses


    Maybe just make a new account and leave it logged in. No one will ever know that you kept your account!
  • Well, I'm still here. The new job is eager for me to start but understand the respect of giving two weeks notice. My boss just got back from vacation today so there is still a possibility. I know the drill so if I get an email for a meeting in his office at 2pm, I know I'm done. I already have my area cleaned up. I also already took home my DMIS bible, my level 3 book as well as having copies of all the things I made (passwords for my Hexagon learning account, template programs, blank efficiency excel logs, ect... nothing proprietary) at home. On the last day I will pack up my tools and my chair then head home!

    I have also changed the email and password on here and the other forum so I retain control of them. I am the ONLY one here that uses them anyways plus I really need to keep that post count so I can show the new job how cool I am! Sunglasses


    Thanks for the update! I feel oddly invested in knowing how that plays out.

    That got awkward, you are nearly a week into your two weeks notice before the boss returned from vacation. It is what it is, you can't time these things.

    Packing up at the end of a job is always odd. Little by little all the little pieces of you leave the worksite. I find it makes for a nice transition as things gradually get more 'real'.


  • Maybe just make a new account and leave it logged in. No one will ever know that you kept your account!


    They honestly don't care... I don't think.

    If they do care... I don't care. I have too much time invested in the off-topic section and too shady of a reputation to let them have.Rolling eyes
  • Well, I'm still here. The new job is eager for me to start but understand the respect of giving two weeks notice. My boss just got back from vacation today so there is still a possibility. I know the drill so if I get an email for a meeting in his office at 2pm, I know I'm done. I already have my area cleaned up. I also already took home my DMIS bible, my level 3 book as well as having copies of all the things I made (passwords for my Hexagon learning account, template programs, blank efficiency excel logs, ect... nothing proprietary) at home. On the last day I will pack up my tools and my chair then head home!

    I have also changed the email and password on here and the other forum so I retain control of them. I am the ONLY one here that uses them anyways plus I really need to keep that post count so I can show the new job how cool I am! Sunglasses


    Cherish that post count! Rolling eyes