OT: so...I lost my job today

[JAllen]

What a year! The company budget was missed badly, we were headed into the slow season, and one of the sales guys got fired for shoving the other one. So with it now being down to one sales guy.... I was the last one on and the first one to go (besides the guy who got fired).

[csm]

Ouch. We were bought for the second time in a year. Supposedly nothing is going to change but....
I've been through what you're going through. It's not easy but life does go on.


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[brockd15]

Man, sorry to hear that.
Hopefully you can find something else soon. Best of luck in the search!

[Louis]

Bummer. :( Best of luck as you look for your next job.

[AngryScientist]

Hang in there J.

I'm a big believer than when one door closes another door opens to a better path.

stay positive.

[Schmed]

Sorry to hear. What type of sales do you do?

[93legendti]

Sorry to hear it. Getting fired really feels lousy. I hope something new comes your way quickly.

[regularguy412]

Yah. I feel that. Been there -- long time ago. And to top it off back then, I had just gotten married two weeks prior. Talk about 'blind-sided'. Dig in yer heels and don't give up. In a case like this, it's not what ya know but WHO ya know. Use yer network. At least, that's what worked for me.

Mike in AR:beer:

[thwart]

Hope some good luck is headed your way.

[tumbler]

Sorry to hear this JAllen. Keep your head up, keep moving forward, and things will work themselves out.

[JAllen]

Sorry to hear. What type of sales do you do?

I wasn't on the sales side, although I had initially applied for it. I was on the recruiter side of things. In other words: the sales guys would get accounts and I would find people to work at the accounts.

[JAllen]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Losing two jobs in a year is rough. Although, I'm happy to say I'll be starting school and networking with folks to find work. I'm leaving on good terms and I think that will serve me well on these next steps.

[likebikes]

file for unemployment tomorrow.

[JAllen]

file for unemployment tomorrow.

Outside of a solo ride, laundry, and cleaning around the house ; it's topping my list.

[marciero]

Sorry to hear. School is good thing to look forward to. Best of luck.

[Cicli]

Bummer. You can have mine.

Good luck, good people always come out fine. You will be fine.

[shovelhd]

Been there too often. These are tough times, but as long as you keep your head, it will work out.

[JAllen]

Bummer. You can have mine.

Good luck, good people always come out fine. You will be fine.

Ha! What do you do?

[Veloo]

Hang in there. I know too many folks that have lost their jobs and pretty much all have gone on to bigger and better.

[fuzzalow]

Most unfortunate news and sorry to hear. Hang in there, do not be discouraged and do not be deterred. Frankly, sometimes running through a bad patch of jobs is just a bad luck streak of jobs you wouldn't want to keep anyway - there were just there so you took 'em. It will get better as long as you keep fightin' at it so you can get to the point where you catch a break and the trajectory changes.

Good luck.

[Tickdoc]

sorry to hear, bro. Hang in there and hope that another opportunity opens up.

[guido]

That really sucks. Good luck with your search!

[Len J]

Sorry to hear that.

Looking forward to better times.

Len

[MattTuck]

Am I wrong in remembering that you or your partner were thinking about school or a big move?

Maybe this is a time for reflection and making sure you're headed down the path you want.

[texbike]

Man, sorry to hear that! I'm in sales and just went through a lay-off as well (the 2nd one in two years!). The good news is that there's a LOT of opportunity out there right now. At least in the technology space... and the Portland area has a nice concentration of small, tech-centric companies that need talent.

Feel free to PM if you would like to compare notes.

Cheers,

Texbike

[Lewis Moon]

Really sorry to hear that. Every time I hear this from a friend or acquaintance, it elicits a visceral fear response. There are few things that feel worse than being unemployed.

My impression of the economy right now is that of a box full of balloons. If one balloon deflates, the others get bigger to fill the space. The trick is to find the inflating balloon.

[OtayBW]

The last time I lost a job, I remember driving home, and after an ~hour of initial shock, I actually felt HUGELY RELIEVED. It was a bad situation and it was actually best to get gone sooner rather than later. Most of us deal with some kind of crap in our work lives from time to time and sometimes it takes a shake-up to fully accept that and move on to something better.

You will get another position and hopefully something more suitable.

[sloanfiske]

Hang in there J.

I'm a big believer than when one door closes another door opens to a better path.

stay positive.

Concur. I've had a pretty interesting year.

Without going into it, I'm having a spectacular experience being "unemployed" and busier than I have been in years. I might be making a little less and having to deal with paying a premium for things like health insurance, but it's all kind of on my terms. I say this as I knock a large piece of wood. Last time something like this sort of happened, I moved across the country and really started my adult life.

P-town is a great place to be right now. Opportunities are probably hiding in plain sight.

[gasman]

Oh man , sorry to hear that. Best of luck with school and the next phase of you life.

[Saint Vitus]

As was previously stated: Good people always come out ahead. Godspeed man, enjoy the time off ;-)

[redir]

Good luck JAllen. I lost a job and took the opportunity to go back to school and change directions and it has worked out well for me. IF you keep your head up and think of it as an opportunity then that's exactly what it will be.

I know it sucks though.. Sorry.

[druptight]

file for unemployment tomorrow.

THIS ^

I somehow missed this advice when I got laid off earlier this year and lost my first week of would be unemployment income.

Good luck in your search. There's plenty of jobs out there, and finding them is now your full time job!

[DCilliams]

I feel you, man. I've been there. While I was unemployed, one of the main things that kept me positive and recharged was exercise. Lucky for you, you're already into one of the most rewarding forms of it. :D

[donevwil]

Best of luck to you. Been there x3. Not fun, but my personal experience absolutely agrees with Angry's post:

...I'm a big believer than when one door closes another door opens to a better path.

stay positive.

I am currently in my most enjoyable and rewarding job of my career and it's my last two layoffs that got me here.

[tiretrax]

Best of luck in your search.

[Joxster]

Been there many a time, mostly because they've pissed me off over something and I've thrown my toys outta the pram and told them to shove it. I'm a model employee ;) I've chopped and changed jobs more times than a redneck has chased his sister. And I've always found something, go into your local bike shop and see if they need someone on the shop floor for Christmas or a spanner to help build bikes. Make a plan B,C and D so when you get a real job offer you can show that you've been willing to get your hands dirty.

[TBLS]

Sorry to hear. Been on both sides - the Downsizer and the downsized. Look at this as an opportunity...best results seem to be reflect, plan and act quickly. Don't take what happened personally

[Seramount]

btdt.

after 16 yrs at an env consulting firm, it was decided that my technical expertise was too expensive and that the company could hire 3 new grads for what I was being paid.

I immediately signed up for unemployment and started doing odd jobs...landscaping, house painting, whatever was available...and pumping out resumes. which is really deflating, but you still have to do it...

NETWORK your ass off...tell everyone you've ever met that you're in the job mkt.

I found a job within a month doing contract env stuff...it ended up being the highest paying work I've ever had. it didn't last very long, but it gave me some financial buffer until the next long-term gig came along.

[Joxster]

Contracting could be the way forward, I was a contract Project Manager for 4 years and was on $1800 a day but the downside was I didn't have the time off to spend the cash till I "retired"

[toytech]

Take it as an opportunity. I was forced by nagging injuries to change careers at age 50. Best thing that ever happened to me! I work for a non profit, make less money but am happier at work than I have ever been. Feels like I am retired :cool:

[pakora]

It happened to me 2 weeks ago. 12 years with the company, downsized. I'm trying to look at it as an opportunity, but don't forget that this came out of the blue. You probably need some time to grieve and make your peace with it.

I do anyway. I'm declaring this weekend the end of the mourning period.

[bobswire]

btdt.

after 16 yrs at an env consulting firm, it was decided that my technical expertise was too expensive and that the company could hire 3 new grads for what I was being paid.



And management gave themselves a nice bonus for saving the company money.

[Seramount]

And management gave themselves a nice bonus for saving the company money.

consulting is all about procuring clients...while technical work is important, mgt wants senior staff to be salespeople.

if you're not pulling in contracts, eventually you become a drag on the bottom line. I was maxed out on salary and vacation accrual...and selling has never been one of my strong points.

sooo...I got the 'your position has been eliminated' email and 2 hrs to leave the premises.

[JAllen]

Am I wrong in remembering that you or your partner were thinking about school or a big move?

Maybe this is a time for reflection and making sure you're headed down the path you want.

Sorry for the radio silence. My wife is fighting a flu and I'm teetering that line.

My wife is in school right now and I'm on her heels. I'll be starting in the winter. I'm definitely enjoying the free time right now (besides feeling under the weather). I've been noodling on my bass and my acoustic quite a bit. Been coming up with some nifty things actually. :)

as far as unemployment goes: I can't actually apply till Monday. Technically my last day is tomorrow (11-1). They did this so that I may have health insurance through the end of the month. I think I have a pretty solid job lined up by the end of November. In fact it'll be perfect while I'm in school. Granted, I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch. I've been talking to several people to see about some odd jobs and whatnot.

[oldpotatoe]

Been there many a time, mostly because they've pissed me off over something and I've thrown my toys outta the pram and told them to shove it. I'm a model employee ;) I've chopped and changed jobs more times than a redneck has chased his sister. And I've always found something, go into your local bike shop and see if they need someone on the shop floor for Christmas or a spanner to help build bikes. Make a plan B,C and D so when you get a real job offer you can show that you've been willing to get your hands dirty.

:D

Scottish humor. Well done.

Your last name isn't Chisholm is it?

[1happygirl]

and in the short term cherish the time given you away from actual work, work

[Nags&Ducs]

Best of luck to you JAllen. It sounds like things are already working itself out for the better.

I was furloughed (laid off with the right of recall) from my airline job twice. First time was a blessing in disguise since it caused me to go back into the military as a reservist. 2nd time sucked but was fortunate that I got a job working Business Continuity for DOE. Also got the opportunity to live overseas in Germany for 3 years before I eventually went back to flying. I don't mean to be talking about myself so much but wanted to show how opportunities and good fortune can come to fruition when things initially look bleak.

One thing I've always wondered is how folks that are laid off manage to sustain their mortgage/lifestyle during the period of unemployment. I'll be the first to admit that I wouldn't be able to keep up the house payments for more than 3-4 months, even with the assistance of unemployment checks.