I lost my job today :(

[Ioo]

Hey all, So I got the ax this morning at work :(

I hope I find work soon...

[tblue]

1. Damn! I'm SO sorry. Where/what industry?

[Ioo]

7. Software Quality Assurance Manager in DC area

[midnight]

51. Sounds like a good techinical skill. But not sure exactly what

type of work that is. When these things happen to talented people like yourself, a new nitch is discoverd and something better appears. Our neighbor, when I was growing up, was an engineer and he lost his job. He started his own business. Last I heard he was doing quite well with his aluminium recycling co.

[AzNick]

56. The IT industry is not doing so bad

I am confident you will find something soon. We are hiring at my company, but it is in Arizona.

Maybe you could show us your resume?

I am lucky I have a set of skills that is sought after (Database).

But I've been there, around 2000 and then 2001... the bubble bust.

[Duke Newcombe]

59. My first reaction is, "The hell you say!!!"

IT in my neck of the woods (Northern California / Silicon Valley) is "just O.K."...not great, and sort of uneven. It's certainly more "dog-eat-dog", as in thousands of qualified applications / proposals for a few spots. If you do get a position, its for about 40-50% less than you'd be earning about two years ago.

Hustling for months on end without prospects sucks, full stop.

Duke

[AzNick]

63. Considering the context, that is!

I know what it is, having to take a pay cut and making all sorts of sacrifices.

I just said my company is hiring. It may depend on where you live.

It's also a question of what skills you have. I'm lucky I enjoy doing the most boring task in IT (database).

But if I lost that job, I'd take a lower paying job, yet again, but I'm confident I can find something in less than a month.

If I were in a different trade, for instance construction, logging, trucking or retail, I'd feel really really bad about losing my job.

Maybe we should have a job & resume section on this site, after all I'd rather help a Democrat get re-hired than a Repug, knowing they approved of a government responsible for the crap we're in.

[Duke Newcombe]

65. True...expanding your skill set doesn't hurt

I'm a general IT Systems Integrator type, major rollout projects, and I do Windows and some Linux admin, along with virtualization and storage knowledge and experience.

Even with that, it's definitely hustle time. Next on the list: Project Management, and that dreaded damned MCSE (Bill Gates has to eat too...that bastid!!)

Duke

[AzNick]

67. Certifications are good but experience is a plus...

As well as how you present yourself in an interview.

Also emphacizing how you love doing the most boring stuff, because they're so happy they found someone to do it.

Sometimes take a job to pay the bills while leaving your resume out and letting a couple agencies look for a better job also helps.

We are talking about IT, but it's true for any industry.

My father in law was an elevator engineer and when he could not find a job here in AZ (it's not like we have a lot of elevators), he worked as a handyman for a group of trailer parks. At least it helped my in laws survive.

Again, we should maybe ask the Web site moderators to look into a resume & job engine?

[scorpiogirl]

68. What you said sounds just like my husband's situation

He's been out of work since the middle of July. The most frustrating thing is seeing jobs he's applied for be re-posted over and over while never receiving any response of any kind. It's ridiculous! We're in the same neck of the woods, more specifically, East Bay. If he doesn't find something soon, we'll be moving out of state, probably to Oregon. COBRA is killing us financially right now. Unemployment checks don't even cover rent. Job searching sucks, I completely agree!

[ailsagirl]

73. Check out indeed.com and dice.com...

Sorry to hear it. But there's always a demand for QA Engineers so hang in there.

:hi:

[aikoaiko]

2. Sorry to hear that -- what line of work do you prefer?

[Ioo]

9. PAID work :) - Software Quality Assurance Manager in DC area

[apnu]

3. Good luck, hang tough. You'll get through it. (nt)

[YDogg]

4. I'm very sorry.

[Javaman]

5. Sorry to hear that. Sending good vibes your way! nt

[Rockholm]

6. Very to hear this. Expect to see a lot more of these posts.

[gateley]

8. Did you get any warning?

IMMEDIATELY apply for Unemployment, it'll give you time to catch your breath.

[Ioo]

11. No - but I did get a sev package of 6 weeks

[ailsagirl]

17. Well that's something-- my company gives NO severance...

even though it made 80 million last year-- :(

As they say on Project Runway, one day you're IN, the next day you're auf.

I'm sorry to hear about your job loss. Hang in there.

[AzNick]

64. I too was let go with no severance

At least you have a little something and you might be able to find something else before the 6 weeks.

My wife and I have a survival mode plan when this happens.

We cut all the premium packages on cable, cancel Netflix, never go out for lunch, only shop for bargains and even barter/trader for clothes and services.

That's when you need a good rainy day fund.

I feel for you and wish you the best!

[ailsagirl]

72. I guess "no severance" is getting to be the norm. What a slap in

the face. You're tossed out like a piece of garbage. :puke:

[gateley]

28. Well that's a help, but I know it still is devastating.

:hug:

[livelongandprosper]

10. And do you know why? n/t

[nichomachus]

24. When I got fired

-- laid off they called it -- the guy who did it kept saying "This has nothing to do with your performance." I wanted to ask him "Then, why the fuck did I perform? Why did I do work for other departments than my own? Why did I put in 10 and 12 hour days?"

I heard later that the CEO of our division, after a few cocktails, had told people that the layoffs were "to send a message to corporate that he was serious about the budget."

[Gin]

34. sounds like HP/EDS

g

[livelongandprosper]

37. Now this is what they couldn't do to you in Sweden or Finnland.

Which is why Repubs hate those countries so much.

[Duke Newcombe]

60. Someone needs to remind that A$%hole what producer Samuel Goldwyn said...

"If you wanna send a message, use Western Union."

These are PEOPLES LIVES he's playing with!!! Damn him!!!

Duke

[On the Road]

12. Good Luck in Finding a New Position

You might even want to repost during your job search with more specifics. A lot of surprising things come up from the DU community.

[Duke Newcombe]

66. I was thinking...

What if DU folks started using communities like LinkedIn? Real Names, of course...but we could form our own networking group there, and help each other out?

Duke

[villager]

13. Oh no! Take care and hang in there...

Will you keep looking in the same field? Or the same geographical area?

[firedupdem]

14. Sorry to hear that...I know the feeling.... n/t

[rurallib]

15. Even when my wife was put on permanent DB it hurt

Somehow you feel it's your fault.
Best wishes. I am sure some of those contacts you have made over the years would be glad to hear from you.

[ixion]

16. ARGH... so sorry to hear that Ioo

hopefully you'll be able to find something again here soon.

[shadowknows69]

18. Sorry to hear that Ioo

The dominoes start falling already

[samuraiguppy]

19. my sympathies--I lost my job

a couple months ago--and I can't find anything!

Just talked to an old friend--she lost her job about the same time as me--and I could not believe it--she has a doctoral degree from the UC--top notch scientist--the company she worked for dumped a bunch of their senior people and hired a slew of interns. FUCKERS.

Hey--we should start a thread where we network with other DUers and try to help with the job thing. I know it is always good to help like minded folks when you can.

[Ioo]

22. I send some of my good luck to you!

[samuraiguppy]

36. thank you so much.

I need all the help I can get--I am just not seeing any good jobs out there....

[dgibby]

That''s a great idea! Why don't you ask Skinner or

whoever is responsible for that?

[Indenturedebtor]

20. Sorry to hear that my friend

I lost mine a little over a month ago. We're likely going the bankruptcy route here, but at least this affords us the opportunity to go chapter 7 and start over. Not the worst thing that's ever happened to us.

[vanderBeth]

21. Best of luck, now

don't worry, you won't be alone.:-(

[GOTV]

23. Sorry but, join the club. I lost mine in May!

Now I'm semi-employed

[ddeclue]

25. Send me your resume and I'll pass it along to the tech recruiters I know.

Are you open to relocation?

What kind of salary range are you looking for?

Doug D.
Software Engineer.

[radfringe]

26. good search engine

indeed.com

I was laid off last March, found a new job about a month later and then laid off from that in October - thanks to a tip from another DUer, I checked out INDEED.com and landed the job I have now.

my partner was laid off last september, took her until april this year to find a job - a temp one, no benefits. it was due to end next month,they extended it until mid-december

[Zorro]

52. simplyhired.com is another good search engine

[Norwood]

27. Sorry to hear that Ioo, hope you can land on your feet soon

I lost my IT job back in February this year. It was my first job out of college and its been hell trying to find something else.

[Subdivisions]

29. Damn it. Best of luck to you. n/t

[Naturyl]

30. Sorry to hear it, best wishes to you. (n/t)

[NeedleCast]

31. Send me a resume

I'm in the DC tech sector too. The non-profit I work for has a few openings, although I don't know if we can meet your salary requirements. I also have friends working for several contractors in the IT sector who might be able to help out. Can't make any promises, but always happy to lend a hand.

[e-mail]

[DemoRabbit]

32. Sooooo sorry to hear it... sucks!

I went through it in the wake of 9/11 and it's again a possibility with how bad the company I work for is doing...

You are in my thoughts! Sending good vibes your way and hoping you find something soon!

[hamsterjill]

33. Very sorry that happened to you.

And these words will really seem empty right now, but the best retaliation is in getting a job that is better, pays more, and gives you more satisfaction.

I am hoping that one day VERY SOON, you will be able to look back on today as the day your life changed for the better.

I wish you the very best of luck!

[GOPNotForMe]

35. Oh no! Hope everything works out for you. nt

[MissDeeds]

38. So sorry about this

It really bites, especially when it has nothing to do with performance. I had the misfortune to teach at a small liberal arts college that was operating in the red for several years running. Their strategy was to make the tenured professors so miserable that they would quit, and to replace them with adjuncts who, as part time employees, would not come in for expensive benefits. They were conniving enough not to fire the tenured profs outright, but to wear them down. It took some several years for some of them to quit, but mental health issues won out. And yes, I was one of the tenured who quit. I hated the place anyhow and was glad to jump ship, but it was sad for some who had decades of service.

[NNN0LHI]

39. I hope you find something soon and my heart goes out to you and your family

Try and stay positive. I hope you get a better job than you lost.

I am pulling for you and others in your position.

Don

[Berry Cool]

40. I am always sorry to hear this news.

Feel however you need to feel, don't be afraid to, but pull your chin back up and remember that nothing is more valuable than feeling that somehow you will land on your feet, no matter what.

Best of luck to you. Write when you get work.

[applegrove]

41. So sorry for your loss.

[emilyg]

42. I am so sorry.

[NikolaC]

43. I'm So Sorry

Hopefully you will find something new soon.

[katty]

44. really sorry about that....

[TwixVoy]

45. All I can say is

Get up at 7AM tomorrow morning and don't stop looking for work until night fall. You need to consider looking for a job you new job. That means you get up in the morning, hop to it, and don't stop for the rest of the day.

I can tell you the job market sucks right now. I am a retail manager and I have people coming in for job interviews to be a cashier who have college degrees because they haven't been able to find anything else. Don't stop looking until you find something.

[robertpaulsen]

46. Very sorry to hear about this.

I wish you the best of luck.

[SIMPLYB1980]

47. Sorry to hear that. Good luck out their.

[bluesmail]

48. Decades ago when I was young and my mind innocent

I didn't realize the importance of having a job. That was in the'70's. Where if you didn't like what you were doing, you found another avenue. Older DUers may remember that. I am dreaming of that time. Innocence. FUGWB! And CHENEY GANG, whoever you are.

[pacalo]

50. Those were the days. 8-9% cost-of-living wages that disappeared with Reagan.

[Mnemosyne]

49. So sorry, Ioo.

:hug:

[longship]

53. Myself... eighteen months unemployed...

Here in Michigan we've got the highest unemployment rate.

I'm on food stamps, heavy in debt, but at least I own my house. However, if I don't keep up with property taxes, that too may change.

This sucks *BI-I-I-I-I-G*.

I wish the best to you.

[dana_b]

54. sending out good job-finding vibes to you...

I know it sucks bigtime. Good luck to you.

[wildbilln864]

55. Very sorry to hear that too....

Hope you find suitable employment very soon. :hi:

[southernleftylady]

57. I am so sorry! Been there done that.. I'll be thinking of you ;( nt

[CabalPowered]

58. Sorry to hear that

I hope you can turn something up really soon. You might think about getting with a temp agency right away to piece something together in the short term.

[Duke Newcombe]

61. Stay strong, and I'm sorry

I'm there, doing that right now. This has to change...

Duke

[barbtries]

62. sorry to hear it

i hope it leads to something so much better that you'll look back on this day as a godsend.

[scorpiogirl]

69. I'm sorry to hear that.

My husband is in the same boat. Good luck!

[intheflow]

70. I'm sorry to hear this.

I hope you find work soon, too. :hug:

[lib2DaBone]

71. Sorry for your loss.. Its an awful feeling....

Especially when you work hard to give 110% It took me a month or two to adjust to being out of work. Hopefully, when Obama gets elected, he will bring our jobs back from China and put people to work on alternative energy here in the U.S.