Job search takes Eagle Mountain couple to Taiwan
. Jim and Vickie Hoover moved to Taiwan when he was laid off from his construction-related work in Salt Lake City. They hope to return in 2012 to their Cedar Valley home and shorten their work commute. Photo courtesy Hoover family
When Jim Hoover lost his job in March 2010 at Woodbury Corporation, a large commercial development company based in Salt Lake City, he worried he wouldn't find another job.
"Honestly, I felt betrayed," Hoover said. "I had committed to Woodbury to stay there until I retired. I had even turned down other higher paying job offers to stay with them."
He turned to a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Employment Resource Service Center for assistance.
"They gave me some of the best advice: 'Treat your job search as if it was your job,' and I did just that," he said.
Hoover would wake every morning at 5 a.m. and spend eight to 12 hours a day searching for work. "It gave me purpose and kept me busy," he said.
Over 50 years old, with two handicaps -- hearing loss and double vision -- he said he worried nobody would hire him.
"Several people told me I needed to set my sights on lower-paying jobs," Hoover said. "I started to grow frustrated and even depressed."
His diligence paid off, though, and he was hired by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a firm that provides consulting, planning, engineering and program and construction management services.
Living in Cedar Valley, a lengthy work commute is the standard, but Hoover's commute was about to grow enormously. PB's main office is in New York, but they have offices all over the world. He and his crew were assigned to work on a surveillance radar project in central Taiwan.
Hoover left his family, was released from his church positions, and in the fall of 2010 went to live in Taiwan for the duration of his job.
Vickie Hoover, Jim Hoover's wife, quit her job of 13 years in February to move to Taiwan with her husband.
"It was really hard to quit, but our kids are grown and I knew my place was with my husband," Vickie Hoover said. "If I was going to support him, Taiwan was where I needed to be."
He came home for a couple of weeks to help her get everything in order for the move. They left their home in the care of family friends and returned to Taiwan.
The Taiwan surveillance radar project is scheduled for completion by December.
"I plan on being home by the end of this year, but life never gives us guarantees on anything, we just go along for the ride," Vickie Hoover said and smiled. "Taiwan is just beautiful with its greenery and flowers, but it's also full of great people."
Before her move to Taiwan she went to visit her husband for six weeks.
"I had to give it a trial visit to see if I could really live here," she said. "While visiting, the people reached out to me; they were awesome. It helped in my decision to come back."
Growing tired of white rice and craving Mexican food, the Hoovers sought out western hemisphere food.
"We found a little store called Wellmans, who carries American food but it's really expensive," Vickie Hoover said. "Our favorite dinners we once enjoyed are now hard to come by."
Delighted to see a Costco, Jim Hoover went to buy food for dinner one night and purchased a rotisserie chicken.
"I love rotisserie chicken and was really looking forward to a good meal," he said. "But when I got home, I opened the package and the chicken's head flopped out from under the wing and the feet were still attached. I cut the head and feet off and tried to eat the rest of the chicken but couldn't. Maybe it was the thought of the feet and head, but I ended up not eating it and throwing it away."
His employment with PB is long term. When the job in Taiwan is complete, they will reassign him to a new project. PB serves as the global professional services division of Balfour Beatty plc, based out of London. Balfour Beatty is the company constructing the data center at Camp Williams.
"I hope to get on there," Jim Hoover said. "That way I can move back home, but if needed I will take another out-of-country assignment. I'll go anywhere, as long as my greatest supporter, Vickie, goes with me."
"Honestly, I felt betrayed," Hoover said. "I had committed to Woodbury to stay there until I retired. I had even turned down other higher paying job offers to stay with them."
He turned to a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Employment Resource Service Center for assistance.
"They gave me some of the best advice: 'Treat your job search as if it was your job,' and I did just that," he said.
Hoover would wake every morning at 5 a.m. and spend eight to 12 hours a day searching for work. "It gave me purpose and kept me busy," he said.
Over 50 years old, with two handicaps -- hearing loss and double vision -- he said he worried nobody would hire him.
"Several people told me I needed to set my sights on lower-paying jobs," Hoover said. "I started to grow frustrated and even depressed."
His diligence paid off, though, and he was hired by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a firm that provides consulting, planning, engineering and program and construction management services.
Living in Cedar Valley, a lengthy work commute is the standard, but Hoover's commute was about to grow enormously. PB's main office is in New York, but they have offices all over the world. He and his crew were assigned to work on a surveillance radar project in central Taiwan.
Hoover left his family, was released from his church positions, and in the fall of 2010 went to live in Taiwan for the duration of his job.
Vickie Hoover, Jim Hoover's wife, quit her job of 13 years in February to move to Taiwan with her husband.
"It was really hard to quit, but our kids are grown and I knew my place was with my husband," Vickie Hoover said. "If I was going to support him, Taiwan was where I needed to be."
He came home for a couple of weeks to help her get everything in order for the move. They left their home in the care of family friends and returned to Taiwan.
The Taiwan surveillance radar project is scheduled for completion by December.
"I plan on being home by the end of this year, but life never gives us guarantees on anything, we just go along for the ride," Vickie Hoover said and smiled. "Taiwan is just beautiful with its greenery and flowers, but it's also full of great people."
Before her move to Taiwan she went to visit her husband for six weeks.
"I had to give it a trial visit to see if I could really live here," she said. "While visiting, the people reached out to me; they were awesome. It helped in my decision to come back."
Growing tired of white rice and craving Mexican food, the Hoovers sought out western hemisphere food.
"We found a little store called Wellmans, who carries American food but it's really expensive," Vickie Hoover said. "Our favorite dinners we once enjoyed are now hard to come by."
Delighted to see a Costco, Jim Hoover went to buy food for dinner one night and purchased a rotisserie chicken.
"I love rotisserie chicken and was really looking forward to a good meal," he said. "But when I got home, I opened the package and the chicken's head flopped out from under the wing and the feet were still attached. I cut the head and feet off and tried to eat the rest of the chicken but couldn't. Maybe it was the thought of the feet and head, but I ended up not eating it and throwing it away."
His employment with PB is long term. When the job in Taiwan is complete, they will reassign him to a new project. PB serves as the global professional services division of Balfour Beatty plc, based out of London. Balfour Beatty is the company constructing the data center at Camp Williams.
"I hope to get on there," Jim Hoover said. "That way I can move back home, but if needed I will take another out-of-country assignment. I'll go anywhere, as long as my greatest supporter, Vickie, goes with me."
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