Coping with a Layoff: POST STICKIED SO PLEASE CONTRIBUTE.

[graveday]

Ok, I am beginning to see the need for the color. 

[Xenopus]

Ok, I am beginning to see the need for the color. 

[RMG]

So now it's my turn.  Tuesday I got what's called a Corrective Action Plan from my employer.  It basically states "You have 60 days to fix your shit, pull these numbers, or we will fire you right after Christmas."  I was surprised, but not very, just scared, really really scared.  I have what basically amounts to a sales job, and I haven't been pulling the numbers that are expected.  I hate my job more that any work I've ever had, which doesn't help.  Problem is, I have a large family, am the sole breadwinner, and this job barely pays the bills.  I have been looking for alternate work since May, mainly through usajobs.gov, and haven't even made it to the first interview yet.  So now I have to somehow buckle down and pull this out of my ass:  Fighting for my life to keep a job I couldn't detest more.....I haven't even spoken to my wife about it yet...I don't think she could bear it right now, as the whole previous month has been an unending series of fuck ups, kids breaking shit, hidden expenses, etc.  I....feel....so.....screeeeeewwwwwwed.

Weedeater, I do hope things work out for you, it is not easy doing a job one doesn't really enjoy but I guess there are more than a few in this position. It is the old "do what you have to do" routine.

This part is important, your numbers are down - but how do your numbers rank with colleagues' numbers, if not in absolute dollars but percentages? Are your numbers down due to the economy or a rotten forecast? Now for the harder question - have they already decided someone has to go and your are "it". If it is you, will they replace you or leave the position vacant until better times return (a little humour there folks-bear with me). Companies are ruthless and they will do all kinds of CYA stuff. Whatever happens, good luck....

[EyesWideOpen]

Hey, WE, check your local library-they may have info on census jobs. I'll be here again tomorrow begging for one at the job fair they've set up in our library for tomorrow!

I wish you and all my fellow job seekers luck. I am trying to stay positive, but I am beginning to feel like an albatross of first measure-it seems everytime I find something, the company then falls apart-second time now, and so I am really hoping for the census job. It would get me through a while longer.

I'm helping a guy with his bees (no money but lots of learning), and am going to look into bike repair. That's bicycle, not motorbikes. I am trying to find a real job that will transition.

If you ask me, I think we are well into the first years of The Long Emergency (TLE). OMFG, we are so screwed. But ya know, I hated my finance sector job so much I was throwing up every morning on the way to work, so now is the time to make the changes needed to weather TLE if ever there was a time. I am trying very hard to see this as an opportunity, and not a nightmare.

[graveday]

Hey, WE, check your local library-they may have info on census jobs. I'll be here again tomorrow begging for one at the job fair they've set up in our library for tomorrow!

I wish you and all my fellow job seekers luck. I am trying to stay positive, but I am beginning to feel like an albatross of first measure-it seems everytime I find something, the company then falls apart-second time now, and so I am really hoping for the census job. It would get me through a while longer.

I'm helping a guy with his bees (no money but lots of learning), and am going to look into bike repair. That's bicycle, not motorbikes. I am trying to find a real job that will transition.

If you ask me, I think we are well into the first years of The Long Emergency (TLE). OMFG, we are so screwed. But ya know, I hated my finance sector job so much I was throwing up every morning on the way to work, so now is the time to make the changes needed to weather TLE if ever there was a time. I am trying very hard to see this as an opportunity, and not a nightmare.

A friend said just yesterday she was looking forward to what she did last year.  Hired on temporarily with UPS for the big winter surge.  I think she worked at sorting, not delivering, but said it was the most fun job she ever had.  Something to look into as you transition.

[WeedEater]

Grave,

That's good advice, UPS is a straightforward, no frills kind of job.  Decent workout too, even in sorting and especially in loading.  I did that one back in college.

[graveday]

You're welcome.  I may look into this myself as a change of pace and a financial boost.  It will depend how long the lines are in front of their hiring offices.

[EyesWideOpen]

Hey, good idea Graveday-I'll look into that.

Job interviews are getting weirder, I've just come from one close to the library. They buzzed me in after reluctantly telling me how to find them (seriously, the woman was just not at all helpful in telling me where they were located, I wanted to ask her why she called me for an interview if she didn't want me to show up) and then everyone left the office area. I finally called them from my celll phone to ask them if I'd misunderstood the appointment time.

It took three tries to get them to answer the phone; while I was sitting there filling out the paperwork the phones rang. And rang.

Weird.

I finished filling out the paperwork then left-didn't know what else to do.

[graveday]

They're just so fat and happy and employed they forgot about their jobs.

[EyesWideOpen]

Something but I'm danged if I can figure it out-very weird, and if they call me I am hoping I have the courage to say "No thanks". May not be able to though as I am at apoint where I really need to re-start the cash flow.

I've just taken and passed the test to be a census worker, I think they are going to call me to help staff the local office (ooooooooooooooooooooooo pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeee God, PLEEZE) the pay is quite good although the work is temporary.

I am scrounging junk piles on my way home from the library (leaving in a minute or two) for bicycles-I am going to relearn and upgrade my bike repair skills. Maybe I can make some money on the side...I am surprised at how well I'd already downsized myself before losing the old horrid finance sector (Eyes ducks to avoid incoming ); I of course wish I hadn't lost my garden but I've used very little cash while maintaining an only slightly less comfortable lifestyle-very little, less than $150. Amazing to me!

I am going to get the converter box though, I live where radio news just doesn't keep ya up-to-date, and I will also re-establish Internet service. OMG, will I ever get that going again just as soon as I have been working agin for a month!

I have to come back to the library tomorrow so I will post some more thoughts on how helpful this thread and site have been.

[Abhaha]

Eyes, check out Craigslist for your area. People are giving things away there FOR FREE all the time...and bikes also are one of the items they get rid of that way.

[beamofthewave]

Have you considered checking out recovery.gov to see who the money is going to in your area in regards to renewable energy jobs?  Back during the last recession under Reagan I joined the Peace Corps and got out of the country.  Have you considered checking into teaching English in other countries?  You also might check the PeaceCorps.gov website for job openings around the USA.  I am a returned volunteer and I check it out just to see what is going on.  These are just off the top of my head ideas.  I will brainstorm more later.

[graveday]

Damn, they already speak English in Tasmania.

[loner]

I was just laid off for the second time this year( February, and now), the last time they laid me off I ended up quitting, but then went back. Anyway this is in construction which as you all know has taken a big hit, sounds like it might be worse next year, at least where I live ( Wisconsin). WI passed a law that takes effect Jan. 1, 2010, that says if a project accepts any public funding at all, it has to be a prevailing wage job. Now if I understand this, small contractors, like whom I work for, cannot even bid on these jobs, effectively taking work away from us and handing it to the big union contractors, I'm not at all against making double what I make now, but I guess I would rather be working than not.

My employer had us building a spec house just to keep us busy for the last month, but now they have nothing until the first of the year and it isn't much. I heard one job he was bidding on there were 31 other mason contractors bidding on also, it's dog eat dog out there. My employer is taking a test to be a certified residential building contractor, I guess so that we can build more houses when we don't have any work, I hope he knows what hes doing, he may be sitting on these houses for awhile until the economy turns around.

[EyesWideOpen]

@Factotum, oh jeez it's bad for contractors here too. Three of my five nearest neighbours are struggling. One of them is doing electrical work (he keeps thanking God and his mother for making him take the elec cert courses) and even he is barely making it.

I'll have to ask them (on the way home, matter of fact, we car-pooled to the library this morning to check the want ads) if they see it as being the prevailing wage thing here. I'm inclined to think it is, another friend has all the work he can do but he sub-contracts from a big-box home improvement store.

Good luck, I hope those of us on the board who are looking for work find something to be thankful for this Thursday. Dunno 'bout that, the ads are very slim, I think due to the holiday.