Off Topic- But I got laid-off Today.
#21
06-30-2009, 02:18 PM
Cruiser
Sorry to hear that. I've been laid off about 3 months now. I could see it coming for months before it happened.
I knew all along that as an employee I was a cost to be held down. It took a couple of weeks to get used to it. Unemployment pays good here in Washington state, so I haven't had any money problems.
Looks like we might have hit bottom as things are slowly getting better. I've been hearing of people getting called back to work more and more. Things at my job are getting busier. Might be able to go back part time. That would bring in more than the unemployment check.
Anyway, I took advantage of the free time and took a trip to Sturgis last week. That was a really nice ride.
I knew all along that as an employee I was a cost to be held down. It took a couple of weeks to get used to it. Unemployment pays good here in Washington state, so I haven't had any money problems.
Looks like we might have hit bottom as things are slowly getting better. I've been hearing of people getting called back to work more and more. Things at my job are getting busier. Might be able to go back part time. That would bring in more than the unemployment check.
Anyway, I took advantage of the free time and took a trip to Sturgis last week. That was a really nice ride.
#22
06-30-2009, 02:50 PM
been there, done that, don't care to do it again, but its not my choice.
got laid off 2 1/2 years ago, after working there for 14 years. before that was on my own for about 7 years. did that cuase i got laid off where i had worked for about 1 year. went there cause i got laid off from the previous palce where i worked for about 8 years.
so it has happened to me 3 times. never fun.
i am also in the IT world. database. have issues with all the foriegners (a lot from india) coming over here doing the dba stuff.
anyway - couple of suggestions.
immediately apply for unemployment, here in illinois you have to wait 2 weeks for it to get started.
watch the med insurance thing. don't know your situation, but you probably don't want to be without it. check out the cobra thing, although that can be expensive. you can also get policies for like a 6 month thing to carry you over to you next job
make sure you have an answering service with your phone so that a potential employer can contact you (since you will be riding more)
don't initially narrow your search. broden it. again don't know your situation, but if relocation is a possiblity then spread out your search. and if you have to travel for a interview (like a road trip) the expense is deductable, just get documentation.
and go for a vaca or something (again depending on your situation) because once you start a new job you might not have vaca for awhile. but even when gone, good idea to keep looking for jobs. pick up local papers.
check out the sites like liinkedup.com (you probably already are, but just incase your not)
there are a lot of contract/consulting positions available, although sometimes those are just cattle shops, but money is money. if you do go into that, i can offer some insite into what you can do. like expenses and stuff, from when i was independant.
as mentioned in another post - when i was out of work, i would spend 8am till around noon doing the "look for a job" thing, and then do whatever i wanted after that. i would try to like set a minimum of resume's that i would send out per day. i would send out backup letters and such (but then again, the whole job thing is just so different with online resumes and such)
when i was looking for a job and searching the internet, i would find a job thing, but it would be thru a headhunter (hate them). but it is amazing how they just copy the company description from their web site. so quite often you can find the company by just searching for that phrase from the job description and go after it yourself.
and some place i read that job loss was one of lifes worst crisis, right up there with divorce and death of a family member. but on the flip side, it does in a weird kind of way allow you to open your eyes to other possibilities.
got laid off 2 1/2 years ago, after working there for 14 years. before that was on my own for about 7 years. did that cuase i got laid off where i had worked for about 1 year. went there cause i got laid off from the previous palce where i worked for about 8 years.
so it has happened to me 3 times. never fun.
i am also in the IT world. database. have issues with all the foriegners (a lot from india) coming over here doing the dba stuff.
anyway - couple of suggestions.
immediately apply for unemployment, here in illinois you have to wait 2 weeks for it to get started.
watch the med insurance thing. don't know your situation, but you probably don't want to be without it. check out the cobra thing, although that can be expensive. you can also get policies for like a 6 month thing to carry you over to you next job
make sure you have an answering service with your phone so that a potential employer can contact you (since you will be riding more)
don't initially narrow your search. broden it. again don't know your situation, but if relocation is a possiblity then spread out your search. and if you have to travel for a interview (like a road trip) the expense is deductable, just get documentation.
and go for a vaca or something (again depending on your situation) because once you start a new job you might not have vaca for awhile. but even when gone, good idea to keep looking for jobs. pick up local papers.
check out the sites like liinkedup.com (you probably already are, but just incase your not)
there are a lot of contract/consulting positions available, although sometimes those are just cattle shops, but money is money. if you do go into that, i can offer some insite into what you can do. like expenses and stuff, from when i was independant.
as mentioned in another post - when i was out of work, i would spend 8am till around noon doing the "look for a job" thing, and then do whatever i wanted after that. i would try to like set a minimum of resume's that i would send out per day. i would send out backup letters and such (but then again, the whole job thing is just so different with online resumes and such)
when i was looking for a job and searching the internet, i would find a job thing, but it would be thru a headhunter (hate them). but it is amazing how they just copy the company description from their web site. so quite often you can find the company by just searching for that phrase from the job description and go after it yourself.
and some place i read that job loss was one of lifes worst crisis, right up there with divorce and death of a family member. but on the flip side, it does in a weird kind of way allow you to open your eyes to other possibilities.
#23
06-30-2009, 03:48 PM
been there, done that, don't care to do it again, but its not my choice.
got laid off 2 1/2 years ago, after working there for 14 years. before that was on my own for about 7 years. did that cuase i got laid off where i had worked for about 1 year. went there cause i got laid off from the previous palce where i worked for about 8 years.
so it has happened to me 3 times. never fun.
i am also in the IT world. database. have issues with all the foriegners (a lot from india) coming over here doing the dba stuff............................................. ..............................
got laid off 2 1/2 years ago, after working there for 14 years. before that was on my own for about 7 years. did that cuase i got laid off where i had worked for about 1 year. went there cause i got laid off from the previous palce where i worked for about 8 years.
so it has happened to me 3 times. never fun.
i am also in the IT world. database. have issues with all the foriegners (a lot from india) coming over here doing the dba stuff............................................. ..............................
Just a thought:
I guess I won't have a chance getting a job riding my StreetGlide from bar to bar to sample their beer temperatures. (But if I'm gonna dream......)
All of your advice is sound. I have absorbed many of those practices back when I was looking for this most recent job (that I just lost).
Head-hunters are everywhere and are stale with postings. They're trying to collect resumes while they cherry-pick the talented job market.
I am well aware of the flood of foreign nationals scooping up the market at $9 per hour. There are tons of folks displaced because of cheep labor in the IT world.
I am not bashful about reaching out for help; with bruised ego aside, I have always been a glass half full kind of guy. I'm good with electronics, firmware development (although rusty), and an assortment of other talents. For example, I have a current USCG Merchant Marine Masters (50 ton) license that I may just put myself back on the water again. I have a Class C Commercial Driver's License that I've used to run tour trams around Daytona Intl Speedway.
Most of all I am trying to preserve my quality of life; which I feel is already fairly humble. I don't necessarily want to leave Patti at home with two dogs and all the chores if I'm out and about trying to start a new career. I mean we'll do whatever we have to do, but I am sensitive to the toll it will take.
The most bitter pill (right now) is going from $1300/week down to $275/week. I have already registered for Florida Unemployment benefits to get that great news. Patti (wife) is switching my health benefits over to her policy. (less out of pocket than my 35% share with Cobra).
Any way I cut it, it sux.
Last edited by PoorBoy; 06-30-2009 at 03:52 PM.
#24
06-30-2009, 06:24 PM
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Wow Paul, surely fitting into your tag name now arent ya Paul? :-/
It's definitely not NEWS but hurts any way you look at it. Its a whole ne wexperience actually going through it vs. thinking about it happening.
Don't give up the Harley whatever you do! You will surely go nuts if you lose the 'therapy'
It's definitely not NEWS but hurts any way you look at it. Its a whole ne wexperience actually going through it vs. thinking about it happening.
Don't give up the Harley whatever you do! You will surely go nuts if you lose the 'therapy'
#25
06-30-2009, 07:38 PM
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07-01-2009, 04:37 AM
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#27
07-01-2009, 05:21 AM
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#28
07-01-2009, 05:50 AM
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#29
07-01-2009, 06:44 AM
#30
07-01-2009, 08:33 AM
Paul
I am sorry to hear that this happened to you. It SUCKS!
It sounds like you have a lot of technical skills so I hope you are able to find something soon. I was laid off (ok... fired) from a job the day before Christmas once by an employer who did it to spite me. I was looking for a better job and interviewed with my employer's competitor. When he asked me why I was looking to leave my current job I told him how I didn't like the quality of work they put out and the quality of the equipment they had for us to use. I thought I was demonstrating how quality conscious I was! Wrong. Turns out the two business owners were good friends. My employer waited a few weeks until christmas and gave me my 2 minute notice. I guess i did it to myself but my point is I know how bad it feels to suddenly be out of work.
I think Mark10 has a lot of good advice. When I was looking for a job years ago I was surprised to find out how many jobs I qualified for that were not directly related to my most recent position. I thought I had to find a job doing exactly what I was doing before. I had a friend who convinced me to look beyond my previous position and it amazed me how many other jobs i was qualified for. Anyway, it sounds like you got your ducks in a row already. I wish you the best. I know you have a great group of friends there supporting you so take advantage of that. Even a quick ride for lunch with a buddy can be a great lift, especially on one of those days when you don't feel like doing anything. Hang tough Paul. These things often have a way of turning out to be a blessing in disguise. Sorry for the long post. I think i got carried away.
I am sorry to hear that this happened to you. It SUCKS!
It sounds like you have a lot of technical skills so I hope you are able to find something soon. I was laid off (ok... fired) from a job the day before Christmas once by an employer who did it to spite me. I was looking for a better job and interviewed with my employer's competitor. When he asked me why I was looking to leave my current job I told him how I didn't like the quality of work they put out and the quality of the equipment they had for us to use. I thought I was demonstrating how quality conscious I was! Wrong. Turns out the two business owners were good friends. My employer waited a few weeks until christmas and gave me my 2 minute notice. I guess i did it to myself but my point is I know how bad it feels to suddenly be out of work.
I think Mark10 has a lot of good advice. When I was looking for a job years ago I was surprised to find out how many jobs I qualified for that were not directly related to my most recent position. I thought I had to find a job doing exactly what I was doing before. I had a friend who convinced me to look beyond my previous position and it amazed me how many other jobs i was qualified for. Anyway, it sounds like you got your ducks in a row already. I wish you the best. I know you have a great group of friends there supporting you so take advantage of that. Even a quick ride for lunch with a buddy can be a great lift, especially on one of those days when you don't feel like doing anything. Hang tough Paul. These things often have a way of turning out to be a blessing in disguise. Sorry for the long post. I think i got carried away.