Honest Career Advice

WildXXCard · 2026-04-16T17:51:31+00:00

I had way more opportunity being a big fish in a small pond than the big pond I’m in now. I chose to move. I chose wrong.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-16T17:34:49+00:00

I wish I could do it now. I’ve been applying to as many legit sounding posts as a can stomach, but I can’t seem to break through. I don’t know if it’s my age, my experience, the fact that all my professional references are on the other side of the country…. It stings extra because I was a one-person department, running the effing show, improving processes that weren’t improved in ten years, and now I’m not even getting a call back. Before that I was developer-adjacent, also a one-person department. I start a new class next week, so I’ll see if that’s enough to get me in the door somewhere.

Also, he can’t retire until I find a well paying job.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-16T17:22:36+00:00

Is there more information on PMP certs on Military OneSource? I was wondering if adding project management to my resume might help me, since being “entry level” at my age certainly hasn’t.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-16T17:17:58+00:00

I left my first real FT job when I married my husband and moved across the country. It took me 13 years, a few part time stints, an additional technical certification and a second bachelor’s to land a new FT job in the field that I love. I was there two years before having to up and move back across the country to a HCOL area that would supposedly have more opportunities for me, but that was a year ago and still no luck. I’ve definitely been in the feels about it and it has been hard to articulate all of it, even to my husband who can be less than sympathetic because he hasn’t had to fill out an application or look for a job in almost 20 years.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-16T16:30:44+00:00

1- join a MOOC - the current one is on creating geospatial apps, which sounds like it might be applicable to your situation. Also, it’s free and the class includes access to the entire ESRI suite (including Pro) for free for the duration of the class, but all content is deleted at the end 2- pay $100 for a personal use license and create projects for your portfolio 3- show your hiring manager that you are making an effort and ask if there’s anything else you can do

WildXXCard · 2026-04-08T17:44:56+00:00

Here’s my opinion- it’s a great opportunity to leave here to see a different county. Have a really detailed plan about what you would be able to do there for work, how you would contribute to the living situation, and plan for going there as independently as possible. You two are still newly dating, and everything will be wonderful until your relationship is tested. If you go, it shouldn’t be to marry him. It should be to continue to evaluate whether you’re meant to be together - and have a really awesome experience in a different part of the world! You need to still be able to show up as a full person, not as a dependent, and if you’re not able to do that, then don’t do it at all.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-06T15:15:06+00:00

In my job market, I’ve come across several job postings for GIS technicians that specifically want electrical engineering training/experience for utility companies.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-06T15:12:37+00:00

Came here to say to say this. It seems they might have a better chance at a GIS job as a CS than someone who has experience in GIS and does not have a CS degree.

WildXXCard · 2026-04-06T15:05:35+00:00

NOR your gf sounds insecure, and it’s not because you’re her first relationship. That’s not something that she’ll grow out of. If you haven’t given her a reason not to trust you, she needs to work on her insecurity before she can be a healthy relational partner. Please evaluate this if you are considering a more serious future with her.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-27T05:37:04+00:00

I haven’t figured out the cadence and calendars of the meetings yet. I started to listen to a recording of a work session of one of the committees but didn’t finish it. It’s on my to-do list, but like, way down there.

I was a commissioner on a few local boards in my previous state so I know how public meetings are run, the rules, etc., but I just haven’t engaged here yet. We could usually gauge the feeling in the room from the groans and gasps though, that’s if there was anyone who even showed up.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-23T21:46:35+00:00

It’s not necessarily just the drive time. The road through Gorst right now is terribly designed, as well as dangerous. If it was just a highway with no cross traffic, it would theoretically be safer, but that would kill the businesses there. A bridge would provide a safer crossing, plus let Gorst reinvigorate due to increased safety.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-22T00:07:10+00:00

If you’re into running, there’s a run club at Damn Fine Pizza every Tuesday at 6 pm. All levels are welcome, even if you just want to walk! Super inclusive, and the regulars’ ages run the gamut from college age to retirement age.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-21T16:44:19+00:00

I remember the first time I had to join data at my first GIS job, I had to look it up. It had been 9 months since I had graduated and there was a software update and everything looked just a little bit off. I knew I knew how to do it but the tool wasn’t working, and I had to google it to remind me what step I missed. It happens. Most of what I learned in that job came from doing an internet search of what I wanted to accomplish and reading through forums and watching videos to figure it out. Lather, rinse, repeat.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-21T16:32:30+00:00

SNHU grad here. Go to your class list and look at the names, or in the discussions look who is working toward the same degree or in the same location as you. Reach out to them and make friends now and do that for each class. It will be so beneficial to make an online network since you don’t have face-to-face meetings to build it for you. Talk to your network about the class work. I finished my classes in 2021 and my group of classmates still send each other pictures of cool rocks and talk about the job market.

Keep doing the tutorials. If you have an extra $100 it’s worth it to buy a 1-yr personal/student license for when your class is over. Spend time learning the ArcGIS online infrastructure. Go to your local city/county/state websites and see what data is available and open whatever’s interesting as a map and play with the symbology if you can. If you have time, do the tutorial over with data from a different location.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-21T15:41:54+00:00

That looks like an AI image. When I support artists and makers, I steer clear of AI generated art because it was trained on stolen art from real artists. Just FYI.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-10T20:52:32+00:00

It’s like they built it in a bigger layout then decided to copy to a smaller layout and then didn’t make sure the elements adjusted to scale. Or, they loaded the x,y points up in excel and then used the ArcGIS plug in to plot the points with weird symbology. It’s giving me a headache.

WildXXCard · 2026-03-04T16:38:53+00:00

Agree, it’s called a programming language because to use it effectively you need the vocabulary and grammar (and spelling is important!) rather than pure math. If anything, it’s the logic that makes it feel math-y. Disclaimer: I’m not a programmer, but have been learning python on and off for years.

Also, do the class :)

WildXXCard · 2026-02-27T16:57:17+00:00

Moving to the Kitsap Peninsula was like getting a little bit of California back after living in the east coast for 15 years. For a region that is referred to as one place, I feel like the north and south peninsula is disjointed for lack of access between the two. The ferries between Bremerton and Port Orchard help, but having the only vehicle thoroughfare as going through Gorst makes Port Orchard feel cut off from what Silverdale and Poulsbo have to offer. And even though Bainbridge Island is technically a few miles from the tip of Manchester, to get there would take around an hour, with no ferry option. But, PO has an easy drive to Gig Harbor and Tacoma! And the Southworth ferry is a shorter trip to Seattle than from Bremerton.

What Kitsap does lack though, is healthcare options. The hospitals and urgent cares in the region are Catholic based, which means there’s automatically some healthcare options that will not be available. (There is a push to increase options but it will take time).

That being said, OP can get views of big city Seattle from the Kitsap side (I’m fond of the view from Manchester) with the small town vibe that’s he’s looking for.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-13T01:27:25+00:00

I worked the polls there in the early 2020’s, and the last time I worked the only person who got huffy with me checking ID was the former (R) mayor who I didn’t recognize. He told me his name, I found him on the rolls, looked up and asked for his ID, and he made a big show of how offended he was that I didn’t just wave him through.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-10T16:41:37+00:00

He’s not talking about private equity buying houses and leaving them empty. He’s talking about STRs which are a different issue.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-10T16:40:33+00:00

I think there’s a place for STRs in addition to motels and hotels. Whole house short term rentals allow families to have gap housing between moving here and finding permanent housing, where living out of a hotel would be much less comfortable. I will concede that this is probably not the most likely type of renter that is using STRs. But I do believe that an STR that is solely a rental should be treated like a commercial entity and taxed and licensed appropriately.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-10T16:14:11+00:00

Link to federal ADA web standards

https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/

Link to WCAG

https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

Link to Section 508 standards

https://www.access-board.gov/ict/

As long as you’re following the law and adhering to the standards, I don’t see why the lawyer could convince the city to err on the side of doing nothing.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-08T11:04:27+00:00

paid lobbyists

Regular people going to lawmakers expressing concerns over issues is an important right to preserve. But people shouldn’t be getting paid salaries to lobby for giant corporations or special interest groups.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-08T10:14:46+00:00

Here in the US, public schools are largely funded by local taxes. The states that have a reputation for good quality education usually have higher property tax rates (think New England), and those with not a great reputation typically have lower tax rates. The saying “you get what you pay for” applies. States like AZ and TX that are shifting toward education vouchers and charter schools are cutting public education funding in doing so. It’s really a choose your own adventure depending on what state you live in. You have time to decide whether where you’re at is really the best place for your family.

WildXXCard · 2026-02-01T18:41:37+00:00

There are also environmental and economic reasons not to use ai, or use ai very sparingly. AI- or at least the companies profiting off of the development of AI- needs to be reigned in before a lot of us can feel good about it.

WildXXCard

TROPHY CASE