Everything goes wrong? Blame NASA!

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Hi! I’m Peter, CEO of Kickresume, and these career-related stories caught my attention this month — and might catch yours too.

So, there I was, on a plane cruising at 30,000 feet, minding my own business, when I realized something…the plane was a Boeing. 

I started to feel uneasy in my emergency door seat, because, well, Boeing’s track record with doors staying attached isn’t exactly reassuring. 

But hey, I guess I could still count myself lucky. At least I wasn’t going to be stuck up here for six months waiting for an Airbus to rescue me, right?

Wondering where I’m going with this?? No worries. By the end of this newsletter, everything will come together.

Feeling stuck at work? Boeing’s astronauts know exactly how you feel.

In June 2024, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft launched for what was supposed to be a routine, eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). But…

…in what has become typical Boeing fashion, things didn’t go as planned. 

Soon after launch, the spacecraft started experiencing technical problems—there were helium leaks, and several of the thrusters stopped working. This made it difficult for the spacecraft to maneuver, which is a pretty big deal when you're in space. 

Luckily, Starliner managed to dock safely at the ISS. 

But that was just the beginning. Once at the ISS, it became clear that Starliner’s issues weren’t going away anytime soon, despite the engineers' best efforts. 

So, after weeks of analysis and attempts to fix the problems, NASA made the call: 

Starliner would return empty—no astronauts aboard​.

Instead, NASA decided to keep the astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, on the ISS until February 2025, when SpaceX’ Crew Dragon will arrive to safely bring them home.

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‘We hate SpaceX’... But also, ‘please help us’?

As you'd expect, Boeing employees have started speaking out about the situation. 

You’d think this would be a moment for accountability or maybe some reflection—at least when talking to the media.

Yeah, no. That didn’t exactly happen.

Instead, what we’re hearing is that they’re feeling humiliated. But you’d assume it’s not the worst thing, right? Well, actually, it kind of is.

They're not feeling humiliated because their spacecraft malfunctioned. Oh no.

They’re humiliated because SpaceX, their biggest competitor, is stepping in to save the day.

Take a look at some quotes from an NY Post article, where Boeing employees shared their thoughts anonymously:

NASA’s decision to let SpaceX handle the rescue is apparently hitting harder than the actual technical failures​.

After a tough year at Boeing (or… actually a tough couple of years), it’s becoming pretty clear that Boeing’s real problem isn’t just the tech failures—it’s the internal culture. 

For years, Boeing has been busy trash-talking SpaceX. Now they're also blaming NASA. But guess what they aren't doing? Owning up to their own failures.

And, of course, Reddit users wasted no time offering their two (pretty accurate) cents:

Jump the (space)ship

So, why am I telling you all this? 

Well, September is a bit like a new chapter in the world of job search and also a good time to reflect on what you want— and don’t want from a company. 

So, here’s something to add to that list: be on the lookout for company cultures that seem overly obsessed with the competition. 

A company culture that fosters this kind of negativity can turn toxic fast, and the last thing you want is to end up in the ranks of disillusioned Boeing employees.

If the environment you’re in starts to feel like that—take it as your sign to jump the (space)ship.

It might sound like a niche issue, but trust me, you’d be surprised how common it is—especially in tech.

And secondly, (I'll get a little philosophical here, so apologies in advance but fearing for your life on a plane does that to a person…) I'm also telling you this because I wanted to remind you (and myself) that obsessing over the competition can make you lose sight of what truly matters—whether it's the job at hand or long-term goals. 

When we get too caught up in what others do, we tend to forget to do our own thing. The thing we do best. 

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Random piece of career advice

A letter of introduction is a valuable tool for making new connections, reaching out to potential employers or clients, or helping you during your job hunt.

There are a couple of different situations when writing a letter of introduction is appropriate. For example when:

• You want to reach new clients and customers

• You just started a new job

• Someone you know recommended you to someone

• Someone asked you to write one for them

• You're looking for a new job

• You're looking for a business partner/collaborator

The details may vary slightly depending on the context, but following these 7 steps will help you prepare a strong letter of introduction in any scenario:

1. Add a header with contact information. Make sure to list your name, address, phone number, and email at the top of the letter.

2. Include a salutation. Use "Dear [Name],". If you don't know the recipient, "Dear Sir/Madam," works just fine.

3. Introduce yourself and your contact (if applicable). ​​Share who you are, why the company is relevant to you & why vou decided to reach out.

4. State the purpose of the letter. Explain what you hope to achieve from this & the value this relationship could bring.

5. Highlight your accomplishments or previous relevant work. Show your credibility and what you can bring to the table.

6. Close the letter by suggesting further communication. HIghlight how excited you are to talk again and share when you have time to meet.

7. Sign off professionally. A simple "Looking forward to hearing from you" does the trick every time.

If you’re still in doubt about writing your letter of introduction, don’t hesitate to use these example letters.

I hope you didn't think I'd forget! 

As a token of appreciation for your excellent scrolling skills, here’s a 20% discount code for Kickresume Premium. 

Catch you later! 

Peter