Well it's offical. We are laying off another 30 percent of our workforce. We won't be told who gets cut until June 27th. Real nice of them to hold off like this. We get a months severance pay, applied to our pension fund. Oh wait you aren't vested in pension yet? Hrm then we don't know how it will be handled.

So now we get to stress out for a month on wondering if we will stay or be looking for work. Just what we need right? More stress.

Bleh. Maybe I should go get my license for bug extermination and kiss off this stupid rollcoaster industry. BTW I am in the telecom business. I work for a company that makes ATM/Frame Relay switches. Easier looking for cockeroaches than software bugs I am sure.

This is the second year in a row that we have gone through layoffs. Last year we laid off 50,000 people. We are down to 62,000 now, which means 18,000 more are hitting the doors this year.

Ah well thanks for letting me vent. Guess I should get busy on my resume just incase.

I'm soooo sorry to hear this kind of news. Sometimes these companys forget they are dealing with actual human beings with familys and bills. Shame on them!

Please post often and let us know how things go.

warm cyber hugs...cin

I'm sorry you're stressed, and vent any time you'd like! It's a difficult situation (heather is going through it right now, too, among probably others on the board--y'all could help each other cope, maybe)

But maybe these are opportunities, too--is there anything you've always longed to do, a job that feels like your fantasy job? Could you pursue it now? If someone told you you had only two years to live, what would you be doing?

heh. Is this a trick question?

If I had two years to live, I would sell everything I own and move to Belize. I would park my rearend on a sandy beach and wile away the days in a hammock with a nice tropical breeze and a fruity drink with a funny paper umbrella in it.

I would scuba dive until my heart was content, eat fresh seafood that I caught myself that very day. I would make weird coconut carvings to sell to the tourists or take people on a Mayan tour of the ruins.

However.....that ain't gonna happen, for it is just a dream

just a dream? so was the airplane, at one point in time, votes for women, lots of stuff!

If you really want to, you can do this. It's not a crazy idea. One can live on VERY little money in places like that...and fish, grow greens, and pick tropical fruits for next-to-free.

If it's what would really soothe your heart, why not? Go for it! If you get laid off and a severance payment with it, that would be just the time!

I'll come visit, and tip you generously.

That just stinks but at least you know ahead of time so you can prepare. In my company, there is no advanced notice. On any given day they will tap you on the shoulder and tell you its all over, thanks for everything and good luck.

I don't know what's worse not knowing you are going to be leaving your job without a moments notice or waiting. I guess it means you have a month to write your resume and to look around. That gives you two months to find another job.
Oh but the stress must be terrible!!
Best wishes for you.
Kassie

heheh
Frank I think I would rather have them tap me on the shoulder than wonder if I am one of the 30 percent leaving. Kassie I agree, I think its much worse knowing there are going to be layoffs but not sure if you are one of the chosen. It stinks and it just adds stress to an already loaded schedule.

See right now I don't know if I should seek other employment or wait it out. I love the company I work for, and I like working with our customers. The pay and benefits actually make working your ass off worth it. I am one of the few that actually likes their job .

My resume is always kept up to date. I did consulting work for 10 years, so it became a habit when I took a new job to update the resume. That way I never had to "remember" what I was doing before.

You know....there are times I wish I could just pick up and go go go. And really there isn't anything stopping me except DH. He isn't all that into living in a third world country with little creature comforts. I'm not sure if I am either but it would be fun to explore for a year

Who knows what tomorrow brings, for today shines too brightly to see past.

Hey There

Sorry to hear about your job loss. My husband and I are going through the same struggles. The way we look at it as everything happens for a reason!!!! My husband lost his job 5 months ago. We were on the verge of losing everything,(he is the bread winner). Recently he got a new job...(.millions of prayers and Rol-Aides later.) Just try to stay focused on your goals. I 'll remember you on my prayer chain at church. Good Luck and God Bless!!!

Well.

After several days of being in a funk and down in the dumps I have made my decision.

I am not waiting for the axe to fall. As of today I am actively seeking employment elsewhere. I hope I can do a complete career change. That would be cool, just get out of the data/tele communication industry as a whole, as it is really unstable at the moment.

Somehow this isn't making me feel any better. I just feel moody and down in the dumps. Talking to co workers they are pretty much in the same frame of mind I am in. We all have mortgages and bills and a family that relies on us to provide support.

At least this isn't making me go on binge eating from stress. I just don't know what to do at this point. It is really hard to be cheerful and up when facing the prospect of being unemployed.

bleh. I know I shouldn't let this get me down, but at some point of watching lay off after lay off you just finally say to heck with this.

With all this talk about layoffs and lost jobs I just feel so left out. LOL! I got some really great news yesterday when my boss told me that my job is on the line if I don't shave some time off of my daily numbers. I work for a telemarketing company as at tech for the data communications dept. They love and live by numbers and although I have been doing my job the same way for the past 5 years, suddenly they have the need to ping on my numbers with a threat of being terminated. Could they be looking for a way to oust me withouth having to pay me severance? Probably, but I am miserable just thinking about it. If it weren't for this WOE making me feel healthy and together, I would be absolutely climing the walls with anxiety. Somehow I managed to get a decent night sleep last night even after hearing the wonderful news.

Sorry to hear the news Frank. At least they gave you a heads up. Our company likes to play head games of guess who gets cut and guess who stays.

I know the atmosphere at the office is rather gloomy these days. Where there use to be happy people, there are now parnoid people afraid to joke around. Pretty solemn.

I just hope I can find a job pretty fast. Some of the guys they cut last October are still trying to find work in the industry.