Hopefully won't be unemployed long

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

My current employer is letting go of half of us (80 of 160 people) and my last day is 3/31. This has been coming a long time - we had 1,500 people 5 years ago and have had 7 layoffs since then. Many folks have left on their own in the last 5 years, but I figured why quit when they will give me severance if they let me go?

The good news:
-The severance is decent, 1.5 weeks pay per year of service and I have been there just over 8 years
-They gave us notification in late December so we have had plenty of time to start looking
-I have sent my resume out to 2 people so far and have interest from both - second interview on Thursday for a job that would be a good fit, and the other job would mean working out of my home plus some travel (although interest on their side seems to be waning)
-If I can't find anything by 3/31, I may have PLENTY OF TIME FOR BREWING

The bad news:
-Searching for a job in this economy is not a great idea, at least in the Midwest where unemployment is a bit higher
-The advance notice was nice, but late December/January is not a big hiring time for many companies
-I am so out of practice at interviewing - I have only really had 2 serious interviews my whole life (it is one of those things - if you are getting really good at it, it might be that you are out of work too much)
-I have a dog with a medical condition and it requires me to come home at lunch every day - not an issue now since I work 4 miles away, but definitely an issue if neither of these job opportunities work out since most jobs in my field will be downtown 35 minutes away

Anyway, I could use all the good karma I can get, so wish me luck.

And good luck to all of you out there that are in the same situation or near it. I have seen too many of these unemployment threads lately and hope everyone can find a job or keep the one they have (so that you have plenty of cash for making beer ).

 

[Onescalerguy]

Sorry to hear it dude.I'm currently laid-off of my job for the winter(an annual occurence) and as far as going back,it could be next week(highly unlikely)or May depending on many variables,all of which are out of my control.I'm over 20 yrs with the same outfit but it's still a crapshoot every year.Good luck.
Cheers

 

[Fingers]

Anyway, I could use all the good karma I can get, so wish me luck.

Karming atcha, Bearcat. Hope you can line something up soon. What do you do?

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Karming atcha, Bearcat. Hope you can line something up soon. What do you do?

Thanks.
I am a market research analyst, currently working in the consumer electronics industry (large TVs and front projectors to be exact). Nothing in my industry locally and I don't feel like relocating to the coasts or looking for a position up at corporate and relocating there, so I will have to look outside my industry. Stinks because you build up years of knowledge and contacts in an industry then you have to throw it all away and start from scratch.

Sorry to hear it dude.I'm currently laid-off of my job for the winter(an annual occurence) and as far as going back,it could be next week(highly unlikely)or May depending on many variables,all of which are out of my control.I'm over 20 yrs with the same outfit but it's still a crapshoot every year.Good luck.
Cheers

Crap, how do you deal with that? I tend to like stability, so that would drive me nuts. What do you do? (and by the way, good luck to you)

 

[Onescalerguy]

I work in logging.Weather,economics and environmentalism all play with my ability to make a living.When i do work i make about 1200-1500$ a week but have to save for the off months.I've made less each year than the previous year for 4 years in a row after years of making more each year.More per hour now but way less hours.
Cheers

 

[wild]

My current employer is letting go of half of us (80 of 160 people) and my last day is 3/31.

Good luck Bearcat. I'm in the same boat. My contract ends 3/31 and I'll be eligible for layoff. Unfortunately I'm kept from job hunting till the contract is up. That's a nice severance package you get there. As far as I know, I just get 1.5 months pay after the contract ends then I can be released at anytime. Let us know how your luck goes.

Wild

 

[Melana]

Best of luck to you.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Yeah it's been a tough winter. I was laid of back in November. Found a new job in late December. A month later the new job slows down and some of the jobs they were expecting when they hired me fell through. So now I am laid off again. Hopefully things will pick up in spring.

 

[bigjohnmilford]

good luck to you and Bernie and an other hard working person who is looking for work.

 

[david_42]

Knowledge is useful, but I spent 36 years in the computer industry and had to learn a new job/technology every 2-3 years. As I told one HR moron, "What will I be doing in five years? I don't know, the job doesn't exist yet. The job I'm interviewing for today didn't exist five years ago and won't be around in another five."

Are you saying there are no local jobs in marketing research or just in the consumer electronics branch?

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Plenty of market research jobs, but Cincinnati and high tech consumer electronics are two things you don't typically see in the same sentence, so nothing available in researching the market in which I have industry knowledge. I'll just have to learn about a new industry, that's all.

Bernie, that totally sucks and is one thing that I have been worried about myself in my search. I am hoping this interview tomorrow turns into an offer because they are a growing company in an under-served market.

 

[EdWort]

Good Karma coming your way. C'mon out to Austin. Warm weather, good music, and loads of High Tech companies here. We can then car pool back to AHC in June.

 

[blacklab]

Karma your way. good luck!

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Good Karma coming your way. C'mon out to Austin. Warm weather, good music, and loads of High Tech companies here. We can then car pool back to AHC in June.

Actually seriously considered it. We have a facilty there and I was actually there for a day in November. Problem is that they essentially combined our division with theirs, did the layoffs from us, but froze their headcount so we can't transfer. They have other divisions in their facility, but nothing available for me. Too bad because I really like the city and job market and housing market are probably the best in the country right now.

The other issue with relocating is that my wife would have to find something. She has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and is a microbiologist for the federal government. If she wanted to stay with the government (once you get in, it's hard to leave), not every city has a facility with a lot of microbiologist Ph.D. positions (most stuff is in D.C. or at the CDC in Atlanta).

Thanks for all of the kind words everyone. Hopefully I can raise a homebrew in celebration soon.

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Well, I am finally raising a homebrew in celebration. After a two month search, I accepted a job offer today. It was a bit of a step backward in salary (about what I made a year and a half ago) but more growth potential and a growing company, not one that has had 7 layoffs in 5 years and going steadily from 1,500 people down to 80. Only downside is that I don't start for two weeks, which sounds like a brewing opportunity, but I have no empty kegs or any even close.

They did squat on negotiating other than giving me the 3 weeks vacation I requested. I countered with a higher salary request and they didn't budge. I think they were close to the top end of the salary band for the position they hired me into since without negotiating, they offered a 5K signing bonus. I better get a raise of that much in the first year or I am in trouble for year 2.

 

[c.n.budz]

Congratulations

 

[Evets]

I've been Funemployed for almost two weeks now. Construction took a crap around here and our whole company is out of work. But SWMBO makes good money as an RN and if you're gonna be off work, then spring time is a good time to do it. Maybe I'll start to worry in a month or so, but not today.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

She has a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and is a microbiologist for the federal government

Shes gotta be a GS14- Id be a stay at home dad for that kind of flow!

 

[EdWort]

Shes gotta be a GS14- Id be a stay at home dad for that kind of flow!

That would be DOCTOR SWMBO to you.

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

Shes gotta be a GS14- Id be a stay at home dad for that kind of flow!

Nah, Dr. SWMBO (nice one Ed) is a GS13. Most of the Ph.D.'s are brought in at 12 and go to 13 in about 3 to 5 years. They have about 50 scientists in her facility in GS12/13 slots with two directors that are GS14 and the head of the place is a GS15. She just got step 3, so that will help offset the cut in pay I took.

Still can't be a Mr. Mom though. For her to go all the way to Ph.D. and me getting an MBA, we had to go 6 figures in student loan debt, then you tack on house payments, 2 car payments, etc...

 

[MikeFlynn74]

6 figures in student loan debt,

Damn shame that it cost that much.

I had been GS11 for over 18 months without a degree, E-6 pay is slightly better if you can believe that. I will finish my double bachelors next year. The fams gonna have to suck it up until then.