Well I'm unemployed today

[JohnDoe]

Quite a shock. I feel pretty $hitty. Had to cancel my HE Loan refi too - just to be safe. I just sent the notarized papers back this morning.

Time to update the resume.

 

[brewer12345]

Wow, that sucks. What happened? Sudden layoff?

 

[Bestwifeever]

Sorry! Sounds like it was a shock for you. Take care of yourself this weekend.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Sorry to hear about this; keep us updated.

Something like that once happened to me; it was devastating only because it was totally unexpected. Just a few days before, my supervisor told me she hoped I wasn't thinking about leaving and gave me a list of projects coming up in the next few months. I was stunned when personnel sent someone in with the news to pack up and be out by noon. I took myself to lunch!

A week later, I heard that my entire section was terminated because an expansion proposal was rejected. It would have been very helpful to have heard that from the personnel rep.

 

[tryan]

Had to cancel my HE Loan refi too - just to be safe.

Sorry to hear .... why not let THEM cancel. Depending on how far along you are your employment status may not have been an issue.

 

[Milton]

Something like that once happened to me; it was devastating only because it was totally unexpected.

Happened to me once, too.

Being fired is virtually always an unhappy experience, but when it comes out of the blue it is probably more difficult to handle. Then again, if you do get some warning signs, waiting for the axe to fall wouldn't be any picnic, either.

 

[FANOFJESUS]

I was fired too but I hated my job so it was a blessing. I worked with a guy that was fired 12 times. I asked him what he thought of that. He said he like it because each time he collected unemployment. He was very frugal so he could pay his bill on it. Different people look at the same thing many different ways. Another guy I worked with was fired 4 times. He said he liked it because he spent alot of time with his kids when he was off. Both of these guys had some back up money for times like these.

 

[Danny]

I'm So Sorry...I know it may sound trite, but I have always found that when a door closes another opens.
BestWishes!

 

[fmhealth]

Hey John, been there done that. It's tough but virtually everyone goes through it. You should be able to apply for unemployment insurance ASAP.

Take a look at Monster.com. A veritable repository of interesting opportunities. As someone previously mentioned, another door will be opening for you at the right time. Just try to keep your spirits up & keep active. Please feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance.

FMH

 

[shoe]

Good luck in the coming weeks, John.

 

[barbarus]

Most of us have experienced this. Usually it's a shock.
Just remember, business is a vile thing and will throw you under the bus at any time. It's much easier said than done, but, no matter how well your j*b seems to be going, "they" will drop you like yesterday's garbage through no fault of your own. Again, much easier said than done, but do not take it as a personal failing. It's not you, it's them.

Treat your next j*b and any others in the future, as simply the way you happen to be making money on that particular day. No matter what the boss says, good or bad, always keep looking for a new situation. Never become complacent. They're going to try to stab you in the back. Prepare for the blow and be ready to spin away
when it comes.
Think of the pleasure you will feel when, as the personnel guy is in the process of giving you the ax, you pull out your cell phone and accept a new position before he even has the chance to tell you to clean out you desk.
Without missing a beat, you will be on your way and it will gall the stuffin' out of management.

 

[ls99]

That is tough, but tolerable. One of the few people I knew who held CEO position in Big Buck$ Corp. Got voted out by the board.

His expression stuck with me.......... Lots of options now.

That view helped me through lots of tribulations.

 

[Texas Proud]

It was a shock for me... because they had spent the money to fly me to NY a few weeks before the date... but they had it planned three months earlier...

It was not a big shock... but a small one... and since I got the 60 days and such I could start to look quickly...

Took maybe 2 or 3 months and a number of interviews... but landed a nice job with a small company... enjoying the new job AND getting my severance.

 

[Spanky]

I got laid off a couple of times, though it was not a shock. Management had forewarned us for a while before the actual announcement. The first one was hard to accept. The thought of "why me" and shame occurred at the onset but quickly subsided. The second one was much easier to handle. The key is not to blame yourself and start looking for another job or consider changing career direction. This is an opportunity to reflect what you really like to do and go after it. I was fortune both times - it only took a couple of weeks to find a similar job with higher pay.

Just stay cool for a while. Take some time to work on something that you have been putting off.

 

[cvoz]

been there done that - still stings a little when I think of it 10 years later but you move on

 

[FlaRan]

I am in financial services and my job has been in jeopardy a few times. I was with a company that was for sale -- not fun -- and I started on my plan B before they could get to me. In my current position I am with a hedge fund in the absolute worst sector of the market. My firm shrank to just the critical few over the past year. I have hung on, but it has been incredibly stressful. I feel for you.

It is probably little consolation right now, but for those people I know who have been laid off, they have almost all landed in better circumstances. It is true what they say about one door closing. . .

Start working on those positive thoughts and visualize your dream life. It can and will be yours. Good luck.

 

[JohnDoe]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes! I am feeling a little better today.

We knew layoffs were going to happen Friday, but I didn't expect to be one of them. My mgr had even mentioned about getting a bigger raise this yr. I was also in the middle of several projects, but I guess they weren't mission critical. 7 years...poof.

I never like to burn bridges so I left with class. I contacted my former manager and CIO today and they both happily agreed to write me letters of recommendation as I have already applied for another position.

Ideally, I would like to take June off and find another job in July so I can collect a pay check and severance pay. Whatever gets me close to FI so I never have to feel like that again. Ouch.

JD

 

[ejman]

This is the reason I always felt from my first job that it was critically important to save a pile of what I called (FU) money. It gave me a great feeling of security knowing that no matter what the bastards did I would be Ok. As it turned out that pile of FU money grew over time to FI money 9 years ago and then to ER money 6 years ago. Hang in there, you'll be fine

 

[Lusitan]

Sorry to hear about your layoff, JohnDoe.

I got laid off once before when my company was going under during the dot-com implosion, and yeah the "FU" fund really made me much more calm about the whole ordeal. Having that emergency fund of 6 months living expenses really does take the edge off of a situation like that.

Good luck in your job search, and I'll echo what others have said here: there will be a silver lining on this cloud and it might be a good thing when you look back years later.

 

[Dawg52]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes! I am feeling a little better today.

We knew layoffs were going to happen Friday, but I didn't expect to be one of them. My mgr had even mentioned about getting a bigger raise this yr. I was also in the middle of several projects, but I guess they weren't mission critical. 7 years...poof.

I never like to burn bridges so I left with class. I contacted my former manager and CIO today and they both happily agreed to write me letters of recommendation as I have already applied for another position.

Ideally, I would like to take June off and find another job in July so I can collect a pay check and severance pay. Whatever gets me close to FI so I never have to feel like that again. Ouch.

JD

The sun always comes up. Glad you are feeling better. Hopefully you will land even a better job and not have to worry about layoffs again. Good luck and keep us up to date.

 

[Moemg]

So sorry ,hope you find a new (better ) job !

 

[CompoundInterestFan]

We knew layoffs were going to happen Friday, but I didn't expect to be one of them. My mgr had even mentioned about getting a bigger raise this yr. I was also in the middle of several projects, but I guess they weren't mission critical. 7 years...poof.

That sucks, man. Good move taking some time off before jumping right back in; I think it's good to get some perspective.

When I was a teenager, I remember my dad getting laid off after 20+ years, and I think it kind of impressed upon me the importance of not getting too attached to one job. So theoretically I'm prepared for it, but I know it would be quite another thing were it to actually happen. On the bright side, my dad found something much better than the job he got laid off from, and in hindsight he saw it as a blessing.

What's interesting now is that I'm in a similar situation to yours--layoffs are coming up, my manager has told us that we *probably* won't be affected, and I'm in the middle of a project which may or may not be mission critical (in their infinite wisdom, upper management has decided that they're going to do the roadmap *after* the layoff). Guess we'll see by the end of the month.

 

[JohnDoe]

Hi everyone - just wanted to give an update on my job search.

The first 3 weeks were very hard. Not being FI yet, and out of work is an awful feeling. I was also beginning to think ER was not for me because I just didn't feel right not being at work.

After getting a few solid leads on jobs I settled down a little bit and started to enjoy my time off. I went golfing, bowling, to the pool, and spent a lot time with my daughter. So this gives me even more incentive to retire early - I know it's the right move.

Yesterday I was offered a position. It was the 1st one I applied for way back on June 2nd and the one I really wanted. It's a little less base pay but the benefits make up for the difference, including a pension. And best of all it's less then 1 mile from my house. It's going to be weird going to work at a new place, but I look forward to it.

Well, thanks for listening.
JD

 

[W2R]

Congratulations on your successful job search!! You'll save a lot by only having to drive a mile to work, too. You might even decide to walk.

 

[shoe]

I was wondering how your job search was going! Congratulations, I'm sure it's a load off. Just curious as to whether or not you will try walking to work being that it's so close?