Happy Holidays.. Ugh.

Post by **FishPants** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:27 pm

Welp I have been working at my present place of employment for about 8-9 years (progressively climbing the old corporate ladder), and my boss last week just basically dropped the bomb that we will all (including him) likely be laid off in '05.. He doesn't have any more details other than that, but he said he felt it necessary to tell me so I could "see it coming".. Ironically it's probably the only time I have ever actually had respect for my boss (usually he's a big loud prick that doesn't quite grasp what Technology is or why he has to direct it).

Anyhow I wrestled with whether to tell the guys on my team that would be affected ahead of time (could put the company at risk, and ultimately any severence I may get at risk). So yesterday I said fuck it and told the ones that needed to know. There were no surprised looks (just as I wasn't surprised) and they appreciated the heads up. How shitty would I have felt if I had to lay them off right after Christmas when they racked up their credit cards or whatever.. Anyways here's the dilema (sp, too lazy to look it up; suck it), do I wait for a package or should I bolt now and get something else? From what I hear the norm in Canada is 1 month of pay per year of service, that could be a substantial amount. The government mandated amount however is far less than that (like 1 month of pay total).

So do I gamble on a good package, and take a much needed break, or should I jump ship now and maybe take a job that pays 15% less (which I can manage to live with) with the hopes of having a bit more job security than this pisshole of a company. Thoughts? Belly Button Lint?

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:34 pm

Sorry to hear it. I got the "surprise axe" on Jan 17th, 2000. Good time of year for it.

Get yourself some options. Just because you're lookin' doesn't mean you need to be takin' that new job. If someone offers you enough to forget about the package, great! It's *ALWAYS* better to be looking for a job when you've already got one.

Best of luck,
~Neal

Dirt · Post by **Dirt** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:41 pm

Start looking. Get back into practice interviewing and resume tooling and all that.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:52 pm

I lost my IT Management job in May 2003 and have yet to find another one. Despite my early optimism that I'd find a new and equally-good job within weeks, I literally haven't had so much as a phone screen until this week. When I was working, I'd have said that 8 months of severence pay would be more than enough. Now, I know better. If the IT economy where you are is anything close to here in Central New York (where big employers either have hiring freezes on or are actually closing down) then I'd strongly urge you to start looking ASAP.

Sith

CeeKay · Post by **CeeKay** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:06 pm

I know the feeling. My contract were I work at currently is up at the end of the year and so far they keep dancing around the question of whether or not I'll be around longer.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:14 pm

By all means start interviewing ASAP. Worry about accepting a job after one has been offered. Likely if you find one you want, you should bolt.

Post by **FishPants** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:17 pm

Well my wifey makes a decent salary and probably can keep us in our house/cars with little more than the basic necessities. I won't be homeless, but life could certainly get flipped upside down (like if she ends up pregnant or something; that would make things decidedly bad). Things are slow here tech wise, but I have had a lot of calls from recruiters lately. I milked the company for a CISSP certification this year (knowing that something bad was likely to happen in '05), I am thinking about jumping down the ladder a bit and going back to hands on tech work. Corporate Management is a fucked up place to be working; if people aren't playing a serious game of politics they are so cracked out and weird you want to have a shower after talking to them.

Hey I know! Is there a job where I get paid over 6 figures a year to play video games all day? I am pretty good at that. (Note: I probably should leave that off my resume eh?

).

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:43 pm

FishPants wrote:Hey I know! Is there a job where I get paid over 6 figures a year to play video games all day? I am pretty good at that. (Note: I probably should leave that off my resume eh? ).

Heh - I actually haven't put my freelance game reviewing on my resume because I don't want to have to bring up the words "playing games" in a corporate interview.

You're spot-on about the baby thing, too. Before my job went away, my wife and I had basically decided to have another baby. Afterwards, I said I'd be damned if I was going to let the execs who let me go have final say in whether or not we had a baby, so we went ahead and did it anyway. It's been hard, but every time I look at his smiling face I know it was 100% worth it.

Sith

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 5:14 pm

Lots of considerations. After my last (and only) layoff, I sat back with a fat severance package and unemployment checks for a solid 3 months before I even started looking for work...and then for the next 3 months I was extremely picky, letting some less-than-ideal opportunities slip by. Big mistake. During that time, the economy tipped into the crapper, my already-small industry went into a contraction, and I was competing with better-qualified people who didn't have 6 months of idleness to explain. I ended up being out of work for nearly two years.

Gauge the economy in your area...consider your willingness to relocate for a job...put out some feelers to friends in other companies. I'd probably wait for the severance, but do enough groundwork that I could jump right into a real job search a week after the first severance check hits. Think about the wife's security, too. Nine months after I got the axe, the Bride of Ironrod's company laid everybody off and moved to NYC. We were both unemployed for about 3 months, and that was one big Uh-Oh, let me tell you.

Post by **FishPants** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:12 pm

*Punches himself in the crotch*

You people are REALLY uplifting

. Thanks for the straight advice; I talked with a few recruiters on the drive home that had left me messages. Time will tell where it goes with them, but the market here in Toronto has shitloads of jobs.. Trying to get an interview is still a challenge though, even more so is trying to find a place that will pay me the same money (or ideally more).

My wife is pretty secure; she sells medical equipment (the big stuff, cat scans, MRIs etc). She does well at it, so they won't be wacking her anytime soon (knock on freaking wood). Anyhow I have more to think about now.

Coskesh · Post by **Coskesh** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:32 pm

I wish you luck in finding a new gig, all of you that are unemployed.

I never ever want to experience that feeling again of being let go.

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:37 pm

Bummer news.

Although it's not for everyone, some folks would do well to look at the military. I have been "employed" with them since 1984 and can pretty much retire when I'm ready. I'm only 39, and will get 1/2 of my base pay every month for the rest of my life...for doing absolutely nothing else.

Makes for a free house payment.

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:52 pm

Here's an uplifiting story for you. I have a friend that a provided a recommendation for a few months ago. He's now making 6+ figures close to Canada (Minnesota) in IT, and he's not management

He literally had the choice of multiple offers. This is after a 3-4 years experience w/ Java and Cobol before that.

Of course it all depends on your area, but as long as your technically current, I think you'll be OK!