Who else has been laid-off (1 Viewer)

[James Slade]

I lost my job with JDS Uniphase a few months back with about 8000 other people on Ottawa. No I spend my time looking for a job, reading these forums and building a few subs.

Anyone else out there doing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Makes me wonder why I spent the time and money one that engineering degree on my wall.

 

[LDfan]

Sorry to hear that James. What kind of engineering degree do you have? I always thought that engineers were pretty safe even when the economy goes to crap.

Jeff

 

[Michael*K]

One of my friends survived a big purge at her accounting firm today. (no...it's not Andersen ) There's rumored to be a shakeup in the works at my employer by the end of this month. This downturn in the economy is scary stuff. Have my fingers crossed. Wish you the best of luck in your job search, James.

 

[Travis Hedger]

PSINet laid us off in Oklahoma City back in June of 2001.

 

[James_S]

I got laid-off in the first week in December and I just got hired on with another company last week.
Just kept your head up it does take some time to get back on your feet.
Good Luck to ya, I know what it is like. :frowning:
James

 

[PatrickM]

Sorry to hear about it James. I was laid off last May 25th and I'm finally back in the workforce as of two weeks ago almost. It was a good 8 months off. Luckily I could afford to go that long with worrying about money. It also allowed me to find the company I wanted to work for and I've found it. It has the exact corporate culture I wanted and its great going to work every day.

I'm sure something will come up. Good luck.

Patrick

 

[Jason Merrick]

I was laid off about 3 1/2 years ago... what a shock it was! Thankfully, I had already applied for a position with the city of Los Angeles, which ended up paying off for me a few months later. In the meantime, I eeked by on Unemployment payments and took a few odd jobs here and there.

I've said it before and I will say it again... if you have never looked into the job openings available in your city or nearby municipalities, you should! I believe the city of Los Angeles has approximately 13,000 jobs. If I get tired of my job, I can always transfer to another job, keep my pension, vacation and accumulated sick time, etc... and if I don't like the new job - I have 6 months to go back to my old one again.

City and government jobs generally seem to be safer from economic issues as well, not to mention good salaries and usually excellent benefits.

 

[Bill Slack]

I got laid off in the begining of December. I'm finishing my degree right now (just two classes) and taking some much needed time for myself.
My brother got laid off yesterday afternoon, after 4+ years at GE as a software engineer. By all accounts he did an excellent job, as exemplified by his frequest raises and bonuses. Also, IMNSHO, he's a really friggin' good programmer! -- He wants to be a minister (something I personally find a bit odd, but, whatever makes him happy... ) and can now concentrate more on that, and should have a nice consulting gig lined up in a few weeks.
The thing is... Geez, what is wrong with companies? I know so many smart and hard working people that have been canned while a bunch of less than literate people I know still have jobs. You'd think that companies would do things a little more intelligently?!?
Oh well, while in some ways getting laid off made me feel like a chump, I hated my job, and the company is set to fold within a few months. At least I've regained my sanity and happiness and bit quicker.
I'm poking around for jobs a bit these days, but not too much. Doesn't seem worth too much effort right now... :-/

 

[KyleS]

I was laid off in Las Vegas from my IT job due to the .com market crash and lack of funding. (Not a lot of fun) so I can certainly tell you in true honesty that it really does suck especially when you wife is 5 months pregnant. Luckily I found another job within a month back near my folks. The unfortunate part is that the city my job is in now has like THE worst unemployment rate in the country 9% or so. So if I happened to get laid off from this company I dont know what the heck I would do :frowning:
Best of luck finding a new job just remember that you can always take a not so good job to tide you over till a better one comes along.
KyleS

 

[Kenneth]

When I first graduated with my engineering degree back in '87 I was laid off by my first employer (General Dynamics). Since I was laid off right after Thanksgiving it took my several months to find a new job. I sent out hundreds of resumes and received hundreds of rejection notes. However, I was picked up by a couple of temp agencies in the Spring (one of which paid me $15.00/hr as a brand new engineer). After a month as a temp with a couple of companies one of my resumes came through and I have been with Intel for almost 14 years. Try to keep your head up and good luck with the job hunt. Sometimes these things turn out better than your original job (mine did) so best of luck.

Kenneth

 

[BrianW]

I was laid off a week before Christmas, and I haven’t gotten a single nibble on any of the hundreds of resumes I’ve sent out. I thought I had found a company I could work for through retirement, but they had other plans, apparently. I survived the first five rounds of layoffs, but the last one cut pretty deeply. I never thought I’d see the day when software engineers, especially those with 20 years of distinguished experience, would be in such low demand. This is getting downright depressing.

Oh, well. I think I’ll re-tune my Tempest sonosub today.

 

[Steven K]

I know so many smart and hard working people that have been canned while a bunch of less than literate people I know still have jobs.

True, oh so true... here's why I think this is happening:

1. These less than literate people are usually younger and easier to mold- from what I've seen, many companies would rather have an idiot that they can control, than someone with a load of knowledge who actually thinks for himself

2. Less pay- companies figure they can eventually bring the person up to the level of the others. However, many times what they fail to realize is that "loyalty" is overrated. As soon as something better comes along, that person is outta there.

 

[Roby Adams]

I got laid off in January - OF 2001! Still out of work.

 

[LDfan]

the computer industry sucks these days. Especially for developers. More and more jobs are going over seas to India, Russia, and Pakistan. Hell, our company is going to be outsourcing to India where they only have to pay developers $4.00 an hour that are equal in skill to the developers that make $40.00 an hour here. Bad times are coming.

Jeff

 

[Kurt B]

While I didn't get hit last year, my wife did, twice. She was out of work for 6 months and she was the major bread winner in the family.

Some of it I blame on the economy, some of it I blame on companies over-reacting to economic predictions.

She did find a job with a county government, the pay is not what it was in consulting, but she loves the people and the job itself.

~Kurt

 

[James Slade]

Jeff,

My degree is Industrial Engineering, a lot of people/companies don't even know what we do, so that doesn't help. Often I see jobs posted requesting other types of people for jobs that are ideal for Industrial Engineers.

Oh well!!!!

 

[Patrick Sun]

James, you might try heading over to a college career fair if they are going on nearby your area. You just never know what some experience in your background might do to get you the nod over a soon-to-be college grad.

 

[MikeAlletto]

My company couldn't hit payroll on the 31st of Jan...so I guess I'm unemployeed...well haven't been doing any work so yeah.

 

[Bill Geiger]

I have been unemployed since Noverber 1st. Received over 10,000 for leaving... before taxes. Believe it or not, I am making just a little less than what I was making (on unemployment now). I went to school for about 1 1/2 years (92-93/97) and never went back. There is still time. I am hoping to land a job soon. Been to interviews but no call backs. The job I did have, was easy as pie. Spent the day on the internet doing pretty much what I am doing now. Was not a .com place either. You may or may not have heard of the companby, Reuters America Inc. I worked in a sister company of theirs. Temp agency is trying to help.. see where that lands me. It appears the best I can do now is get a temp to perm job and making 28,000 a year. Not that high paying, but I would get by and do pretty well for myself.... as I did before.