NationStates Jolt Archive

Well the recession has now hit me. I have got a letter saying my job is at risk and I can either apply for voluntary redundancy or apply for a job, in a restructured version of the organisation I work for, which is essentially a demotion and has none of the things I enjoy about my job as part of it.

Currently going through the bitter stage plotting how I could screw up the organiation (I won't but it is a pleasant fantasy at the moment). I will shortly be opening a bottle of wine and start getting drunk.

Before anybody suggests I get a blog I will get to the point - who here has experience of redundancy? Any tips, I am nearing fifty and I have to start looking for a new job in a shrinking job market. Maybe I need a new career direction, perhaps the circus is beckoning.

any lures for the redundancy i.e. severance packages? perhaps you can try to opt for early retirement.

I will get just under £14,000 redundancy which is pretty good really. Though not exactly retire to Tuscany kind of money.

I will get just under £14,000 redundancy which is pretty good really. Though not exactly retire to Tuscany kind of money.

if you worked there long enough, perhaps you can opt for early retirement?

My only advice is to do what you think you should do. you can take the redundancy (or early retirement) and look for another job. or you can apply and try for your restructured job... but if you don't 'get hired' you won't have the redundancy package... right?

I am pretty certain I will take the redundancy money and start looking for another job. Worst comes to the worst I could use the redundnacy money to pay of a large chunk of my mortgage and just get a job stacking shelves in a supermarket.

Take the money and run. May I ask what you do just 50,000 foot view. I do software Quality Assurance.

You could use the money to open your own business
You could use the money to go back to school

You could use the money for a nice long vacation, when you are ready, somewhere warm and tropical, maybe

Do they have unemployment insurance where you are and would you be eligible and for approx. how long?

How many do you support in your current household / abode?

I jointly manage a specialist library and information service, manage a mailing list database, edit a directory, do odd bits of research. I will shortly be 48, so kind of hitting the time when it starts getting harder to get a job.

My spouse got laid off from his nonprofit-sector job and had a pretty miserable time searching for another one. He ended up getting another (much better) job via a contact he had through a family friend. My impression is that this is the usual way of things: regardless of your qualifications, it really helps to have a contact to get you in the door. Networking isn't really fun but it's your best bet -- my best tip is when you reach out to someone you haven't contacted in a while, be upfront about your motives: "Hi, Benedict, I wanted to get back in touch with you because I'm looking for a new job and was wondering if you knew anyone who was hiring. Fancy a cuppa?" That way your contact doesn't feel he's being bamboozled. If you're low on contacts, you could try getting some by freelancing in your field. At least here in the US it seems like there's something of a market for pay-by-the-hour research. If it goes well, you could be on your way to starting your own business, but even if you only get a few gigs you'll build your contact list and pay for the aforementioned cups of tea.

Of course if you've always hated information services now could be your chance to start a new life as a greengrocer or whatever, but your job description makes you sound pretty skilled in your field and I bet you could find a pretty good job even if it's not ideal.

You have my sincerest sympathies; it can be really scary to be out of work and to have to look for a job. It takes a sort of hardheaded optimism to keep going in the face of rejection. Luckily, this sort of habit of mind isn't too hard to learn (just think of all the dunderheaded salespeople you've met,) and this part of your life won't go on forever. Good luck!

come make ice cream with me :)

or get some shitty job where you can use your experience points to evolve into manager pretty quickly

Well the recession has now hit me. I have got a letter saying my job is at risk and I can either apply for voluntary redundancy or apply for a job, in a restructured version of the organisation I work for, which is essentially a demotion and has none of the things I enjoy about my job as part of it.

Currently going through the bitter stage plotting how I could screw up the organiation (I won't but it is a pleasant fantasy at the moment). I will shortly be opening a bottle of wine and start getting drunk.

Before anybody suggests I get a blog I will get to the point - who here has experience of redundancy? Any tips, I am nearing fifty and I have to start looking for a new job in a shrinking job market. Maybe I need a new career direction, perhaps the circus is beckoning.
If you have any interest in starting a business, now(recessionary economy) is the best time. Things are on sale -- rents, materials, labor... I'm thinking about going back out on my own.