My Repeat Failures with the Corporate Culture of US of A

The year was 2007 and I was in talks with a network test equipment firm out in LA. We liked each other much but they did not allow me to have a desk with daylight as I having at that point up in Canada so the f/t talks came to an end.

Ironically 2009 was the year when I took a 2-year contract in Corning, NY and I had myself a desk at a window in the Sullivan Park site overlooking an expansive vista and a forest and cris-crossed by deer.

Last year I've contracted at a nice virtualised eNodeB startup in Boston/495. Being that my rate plus the agency rate were quite dear they've offered me a f/t with a promise of gc (which is something I've been seeking for a long time).

My reservation was that they give a pass to most US long weekends and the team seems to put in crazy hours. Alas I'm useless past 45h/week and I like my vacation time. This being a 3+ year engagement I asked for +1 week of unpaid vacation (no point working it as the IRS and Canadian Taxman gang up on me to take ~50% of my marginal take-home pay) and no sustained overtime.

These stipulations seem to have touched the unwritten pack rule of corporate USA. I just got this back after my declining of their offer:

Thank you very much considering a position at XYZ. I am sorry to see you come to this decision.

I believe we have an extremely flexible work culture here that works for everyone and making an exception is unfair for the rest of the team.

As much as these concerns/requests you have highlighted can be taken care of within the bounds of the system we are all working in – this is not something than can be made formal or part of an employment offer.

Am really sorry I've hit this wall again, they've been really nice to me. As I am 40+ and have young ones at home I need all the free time I can get.

These corporations like me as a contractor but not so much as an employee. Interestingly the situation is reversed in Canada.

-ulianov