Laid off

[soldierjane]

Like the Fuhrer, the company I work for is kaput and we are being laid off in the early days of January. Needless to say, this is a major bummer

Has anyone else been laid off recently? How are you dealing? (other than searching frantically for a job). I'm scared

[Ellieka]

Sorry to hear that. It sucks big time. I was laid of in September and we've been just barely getting by. We cut all unnecessary expenses like our WoW and Netflix subscriptions. We also changed our phone plan to a cheaper one. It's been really tight but some how we are making it. I hope you find work soon or win the lottery best of luck to you.

[soldierjane]

Thanks Cami and best of luck for you and Em Are you/were you in IT too?

[lisagurl]

Sorry that happen to you. The good news is the government is hiring and give preference to veterans.

[soldierjane]

Sorry that happen to you. The good news is the government is hiring and give preference to veterans.

Well, I'm not a veteran myself... OMG was this statement pure sarcasm??!!

[Ellieka]

I was in industrial robotics at my most recent job but the job before that was an IT job. Most of the jobs here are related to the recreational vehicle industry so I'm pretty much out of luck until people start spending money on vacation and travel again.

[tekla]

Even when that starts again, the vacation deal, the twin problems of high fuel costs, and the generational RV deal - in that it seems that my dad's generation is far more into that than mine - might not bring that industry back.

[Chrissty]

I'm sorry to hear you have been laid off Jane..

It's happened to me 5 times, and I have had to do it to 50 or 60 people in my career, so I know it unpeasant from all sides.

The main thing is "DON'T PANIC"!

Swallow your pride and be really nice to the people who are laying you off, they ususally have not done it to be nasty, and they can be a big asset in getting your next job (references). Take everthing they offer in support in terms of help and councilling(if offered).

Make sure you do everything to conserve cash in the short term, and start applying for your next opportunity as soon as possible.

Don't be frightened to treat this as an opportunity to get a more senior position in your next job, the more positive you are the better chance you have of winning.

I managed to get promoted in 3 out of 5 of my lay off's.

I wish you luck and hope this has helped a little....

*Big Hug* 

Chrissty

[lisagurl]

can't wait to see what our new administration has planned and does for all those "non-risk taking people" that don't just push buttons, pencils & shuffle 'lil scraps of paper in return.

I hope you like to pour concrete.

[jamie lee]

I too will be laid off in the middle of Feb. My company went bankrupt in June, and started to liquidate all their stores. My last day was to be Dec 31st but I got extended. I've been looking for a job since June sent over 100 resumes, and got only a few calls back, "Wow sounds really good and we'll get back to you " and they never do.
All of us left in the dept are having the same problem.
Hopefully thing will pick backup after the 1st of the year.

Jamie L

[mina.magpie]

Aw sweetie I'm so sorry. ó_ò

And the same to everybody else who has been or soon will be out of work. Damn.

Mina.

[Ellieka]

Please Mr. Obama, make good on your promise.

[cindybc]

I can only pray that things will improve when Mr. Obama takes office.
Find out now where to apply for unemployment before the ax drops.

Cindy

[tekla]

While it's always good to pray for bright sunshine, it's always best to prepare for rain.  And I'm pretty sure old Bush is going to be thinking (well, if he could think, and if he knew history, and if he knew French, so yeah, its a longshot I know) Apres moi le deluge. 

Obama, whatever his intentions, ain't got no money to spend.  Our national debt is off the charts (if you could even find charts that go that high, find number at: http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/ ) Every man woman and child owes (largely to China, thanks GW) about $35K as it is.

The Wall Street Journal is predicting up to 25% of the retail outlets may be closed by the end of March.  If we make it to May without a huge fallout, we'll be in for some hard years, if it really crashes and burns, it might be well over a decade before any real recovery is possible.  Be prepared - we are poised for this to get very, very bad.

And, what Obama is going to invest in is infrastructure - concrete pouring - and green technologies, which is not the RV industry.

Get a job in a bar.  Drinking always goes up in hard times.

[Pica Pica]

My company is has gone into administration, not long now. Owned by an icelandic company it turns out.

[tekla]

It's all kind of like watching an ice cream cone melt on a hot day.

[mina.magpie]

It's all kind of like watching an ice cream cone melt on a hot day.

Such a ray of irony-infused sunshine you are.

Mina

[tekla]

Once the ships hits the iceburg rearranging the deck chairs is of little help.  And I was writing about this a year ago, the banks in trouble, real estate falling, manufacturing down, debt up, and in the best tradition of bread and circus everyone was watching Sara Palin and fretting about gay marriage, when the greatest theft in the history of the world went down.  We gave away almost 7% of our GNP, and we don't even have a receipt for any of it.  Obama's gonna walk in and find the wallet pretty thin.

[mina.magpie]

Once the ships hits the iceburg rearranging the deck chairs is of little help.  And I was writing about this a year ago, the banks in trouble, real estate falling ...

Hence my resolution to start a kitchen garden this coming year (yeah, deck chairs. )

Remember we had that thread about transition and peak oil a while back? Alot of peak oil supporters say we're there now, only it's being disguised by the current depression in demand, and that this breakdown is gonna be more-or-less continued downhill. What are your thoughts on that?

Mina.

[tekla]

I'll write more on that tonight, or tomorrow, as I'm off to work (Gypsy Kings) for now.  Since I have a job, I ought to work to keep it.