So it's been a while since I last posted any updates. This is because lots has happened since our last adventure. The biggest piece of news is the job offer I received from Caterpillar. On Sunday, August 17 I went to Peoria, IL for an on-site interview with the Caterpillar Operator Environment & Interface group. I flew to Peoria and spent Sunday with Marilyn driving around and familiarizing myself with Peoria. That evening I had a dinner meeting with my host, Bob, who was very nice and friendly. We had a very interesting conversation and before we knew it we had been talking for 3 hours.
The interview itself was on Monday and it started at Cat headquarters in downtown Peoria. After breakfast and an introduction with a bunch of other recruits, Bob picked me up and we went for a tour of the Tech Center in Mossville. It was quite impressive and I got to see quite a bit in the two hours we spent walking around. After the tour, it was time to go pee in a cup for the drug test. That was uneventful and as I later found out, I was clean... After a brief lunch with my host and my would-be supervisor, the actual interviews commenced. I had three of them back-to-back. It was grueling and at the end I felt much like a rag feel after being wrung out. Luckily, after the third interview I was invited to test out a ride simulator designed to simulate the ride of a bulldozer in action. Dare I say it rocked my world? It was very eye-opening to see how harsh the ride is in these earth moving machines, and it was a good way to end the visit and to whet my appetite for the job and the opportunities Caterpillar is offering. All in all, I think the interview went well and everyone seemed relatively pleased with me and my credentials.
After the interview was over, Marilyn threw a "grill-n-chill" party with some of her friends. It was really nice but I was exhausted and not much fun. I apologize to Marilyn and all of her friends.
The next morning, I flew back to Blacksburg, thinking that it would be a few weeks before I would find out anything, I went about my business. Imagine my surprise when I received a job offer on Wednesday. This must be a new record. Regardless, it is a very good offer and I am seriously considering accepting. However, I will not do anything until Amber and I will get a chance to go visit Peoria together so she can see where our future may take us. I have 'til October 15 to make up my mind. I'll keep you posted.
