only the wind can dry my tears

[CrayonX]

I don't know why I'm telling you guys this, I guess you're all kind of like part of my online family, but I just got laid off from work today.



That's all.

 

[Becka]

I'm sorry.

 

[Apollo]

Well if its any comfort, you're not alone. I know back home Boeing is kicking people out by the tens of thousands. You should look at your new-found time as a benefit. Maybe if you have money saved you could go back to school, and then get an even better higher-paying job after you're done than the one you just lost.

Also things are beginning to look better. The stock markets are on the upturn, and this depression we've been in looks like it will be ending soon, which means more people will be hiring in the near future.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

You and 10,000 others What area of the civil service were you in might I ask? Both my folks are at risk as well (and so's my free cable! )

Edit: That was fairly presumptious of me, but I just assumed anyone fired today was once government-employed.

 

[VoodooAce]

My employer, a fortune 500 corp is, so the rampant rumor has it, will be having a "Black Tuesday" party themselves after this three day weekend.....

Sure wish I'd spent a little less time being a civfanatic and a little more time kissing my bosses ass

There should be an emoticon for sh!tting bricks

 

[CrayonX]

Thanks for your sympathy, everyone.

Actually, I didn't work in civil service, but I feel for those guys too. I worked as a materials planner for a privately owned computer manufacturing company (around 150 employees) which just decided to lay off people.

Now I can't get on this forum while I'm sitting at my desk at work.

VoodooAce, hope you're going to make it past your "Black Tuesday".

Fortunately, I do have $$$ saved up, I don't have a mortgage to pay (I rent) and I'm not in debt of any kind, so I am kind of fortunate. I do plan to go back to school, get into publishing or writing. I'm only 27 so I guess I'm still pretty young, huh? It does suck though that I've been laid off twice in the last three years.

In the short term though, I have some..uh...plans (he he he).

 

[King O'Rome]

let us know if you write a book, and I hope those plans don't include destroying the world without letting us in on it!

 

[G-Man]

Let's see... You're young, you've got money and you don't have any debts... I think a lot of working ppl were glad to be in your condition. Cheer up!
Anyway, the entire computer industry is now in a low-point, but things are almost sure to get better in the near future so maybe this company will need you again.

 

[Jugulator]

Originally posted by CrayonX
I don't know why I'm telling you guys this, I guess you're all kind of like part of my online family, but I just got laid off from work today.

--------------------------

"No matter how hard the wind blows the mountain shall not bow"

It is easy to say just get up and get on with it, but after the crying has finished you realise that you can actually stand on you own two feet.

Everything happens for a reason, just think positively and that this will open the door for something new and more exciting for you.

So dance your fears away and the night away, sit down and think things through, I'm sure there must be something that you have always wanted to do....[dance]

 

[VoodooAce]

It continues.....

We didn't have our 'black tuesday'.....

The rumor is they couldn't get everything organized in time, so it's going to be tomorrow, Wednesday.

Organized in time?!?!?! How big's this thing going to be?

Anyway, STILL on pins and needles. They don't mind making us squirm, I'll tell you that.

And, G-Man, I'm old, broke and have many bills....

Sigh....

 

[Jimcat]

My sympathies go out to the laid-off. My own household was hit with a double-whammy by the current downturn. I lost my job (at a software company) in April of 2001. It took me a few months to find a new job, but I found a great position at a healthcare company in November 2001. All things considered, it's been an improvement -- I like project implementation a lot more than sales, and the salary is comparable.

But, as if that weren't enough... my wife got laid off from her job as a newspaper reporter just a few weeks ago. Print journalism is a tough area to be in, as the field has been shrinking for decades. But that's where all her experience is -- she started doing part-time reporting work when she was 16, so at age 25 she's already got almost ten years of journalism experience! But reporters with even better credentials are still having a hard time getting hired. The papers just aren't the business they used to be.

Oh well, it could be worse. At least we're not both jobless at the same time.

Advice to the unemployed (at least in the US) -- for mid-level workers, the current average time to find a new job is six to nine months. Put your resume out on as many sites as you can -- I recommend CareerBuilder, HotJobs, and Headhunter. But expect a lot of frustration as you respond to classified ads. Only about 5% of jobs are actually filled through these channels. The best thing about these job sites is that real live recruiters can find you, and they are usually the ones with the real opportunities.

If, like many people in the computer world, you had recruiters bugging you constantly during the late-90's boom, now is the time to re-open those relationships. I hope you saved some business cards or e-mail addresses. And for the future: always be polite and friendly to recruiters, even if you currently have no interest in changing jobs. You never know when the tables may turn.

Once again, my sympathies and best wishes to all those looking for work. I've been there.

 

[damunzy]

Originally posted by Jimcat
Advice to the unemployed (at least in the US) -- for mid-level workers, the current average time to find a new job is six to nine months.

I sure as hell hope it doesn't take that long! I have been without a job for two months now, the first month I wasn't looking b/c I was taking some vacation and moved twice in that time, one time more than 500 miles. I can't afford 6 months!

 

[VoodooAce]

Originally posted by PaleHorse76
I sure as hell hope it doesn't take that long! I have been without a job for two months now, the first month I wasn't looking b/c I was taking some vacation and moved twice in that time, one time more than 500 miles. I can't afford 6 months!

Me neither. I was kind of thinking that if it does happen today, I'd just take a week or two, live off my severance, and then begin the hunt for new employment.

This 6-9 months thing kind of blows that all to helll.

At least I will be getting a package if it happens. Probably looking at 2-3 months. So 6 months will not cut it. Closest thing I have to money saved is my Arrowhead water bottle full of pennies and the rare nickel.

If it was just me I wouldn't be anywhere near as stressed, but I have a 12 year old boy (i'm a single parent) that I've just seen situated in school, where he was having difficulties. This means I HAVE to stay in the same neighborhood. This means I need to find something withing 2 months.

I can see a few graveyard, burger flipping nights in my future.

 

[VoodooAce]

Well, the hammer came down hard around here, today. Some 300 fewer employees around here, today. A lot of people crying and hugging in the parking lots.

But, as of 2PM, with about an hour left to go in the bloodletting, and I'm still here. Have just been assured by my bosses boss that I'm safe!

I would put a bunch of happy, partying icons here, but I just witnessed too many friends have their lives turned upside down.

I might allow myself a private little celebration tonite , but it will be with something of a heavy heart.

 

[Knowltok]

Glad to hear that you are still there. Hope your luck continues to hold.