Otter2569 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Last fall my position was eliminated. The only semi positive news was that they let many people go including my Director and Vice President. It was expense based not anything to do with performance. It sure seems that getting a job is a lot harder when you are "experienced". Not sure how many dozens of positions I have applied for but very few call backs. I did a great job for 18 years and now it's like I am invisible. Although I am trying not to let it show, it makes me feel angry, worthless and scared on the inside. Has anyone else been through this? Link to post Share on other sites
SycamoreCircle Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 My brother experienced it. He ended up going back to school(online) for a different degree. My advice, from living in NYC, is announcing from the mountaintops that you are jobless and looking. The better jobs are obtained through people you know. Good luck. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
preraph Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I've lost an entire career before. It was traumatizing. But I made a new niche for myself in a different field. First of all, when I applied for jobs, I did it by mailing resumes to every suitable business within about 3 miles of me, 75 resumes. Only one callback, but I got that job, though it didn't last (they too had a cutback in production). My best advice is get out there and make phone calls to people in high places. If you have to leave a message and then tell them you are mailing them your resume. I've found it easier to find out who the boss is than to paw my way through the HR jungle of human resource directors who are inflexible and learned all they know in junior college about hiring people. So I go around them. The other thing is it's way easier to find a job if you are employed, so take a job. It's perfectly noble to keep applying for one more suitable and you tell the potential employer that you are not one to sit on your hands waiting for the perfect job and took what you could get until you could get back to doing what you're qualified for. Take two small jobs if necessary. Stay afloat, and get employed some way because it's easiest to look for jobs that way. Good luck. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Jethro Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 What field are you in? Any chance of becoming an independent contractor? If I ever got laid off I don't think I would look for another job, I would open my own company, become a private contractor and work for myself. I'm an estimator/project manager. I would do freelance estimating and also pursue consulting. It can be easy to underestimate yourself when you should always be overestimating. Don't think of this as a setback, but more of an opportunity. If you were at it for 18 years you are an expert at what you do, and there is a value to that to someone out there, even if they aren't looking to hire you to do that anymore. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Otter2569 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Thanks for the feedback! This afternoon I posted for four positions via the company web site. Afterwards I thought about the connections that I have at this company and decided to email some former colleagues that work there. I figured if nothing else its networking. Turns out that two of the four positions that I applied for report through other former co workers. One of the guys I helped mentor 15 years ago. I was able to contact the two hiring managers directly...I have a phone interview on Monday!!! Six month out of work...feels like a lifetime. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Otter2569 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Jethro, unfortunately I am a jack of all trades and work in the insurance industry. GEICO and Progressive (the Walmarts of insurance) have turned the industry upside down. Its one big price war and not much to sink your teeth into. Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 This reminds me of when my step father in law was laid off of AAA after 28 years of service and ended up having to take a job that paid a fraction of the cost. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Otter2569 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Pink, it happened to my ex father in law also. It really knocked him down for quite a while. At the time I thought 'man up n get your ass back out there' but now I realize that its so much more than that. It should really be a crime to sell out your people in order to raise the stock price n let the execs take home millions in bonuses. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Davey L Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Happened to me in 2011 in my mid 40s. But engineers were much in demand and I got another job straight away. I made job applying a full time job when I knew it was happening, lots of searching, lots of carefully-crafted applications etc. Be prepared to put some serious effort into it and don't just scatter-gun applications - instead make sure you tailor your resume for the position you are applying for and make it sell the experience you have. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
contact1 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Happened to me in 2011 in my mid 40s. But engineers were much in demand and I got another job straight away. I made job applying a full time job when I knew it was happening, lots of searching, lots of carefully-crafted applications etc. Be prepared to put some serious effort into it and don't just scatter-gun applications - instead make sure you tailor your resume for the position you are applying for and make it sell the experience you have. Good luck! This is very true, when I was applying for jobs, still am in fact, I must have redone my resume about 20 times at least. Once I got everything right, I started hearing a lot more from potential employers. What I find even more important is the cover letter, that one should especially be very tailored to the company, show you know something about them and how your skills would be valuable to them. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. John Adams Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 My sister is 49 and has been with her company 14 years. This week she received a separation agreement. She is devastated...and I don't know what to say to her bless her heart. Starting over will not be easy. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Otter2569 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 It is a huge kick in the pants. Just being supportive is a tremendous help...that and any job reference you can think of Link to post Share on other sites
smg15 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 My sister is 49 and has been with her company 14 years. This week she received a separation agreement. She is devastated...and I don't know what to say to her bless her heart. Starting over will not be easy. And this is why I try to explain to my stupid mother than SAVING comes first and then spending because you always have to prepare for the future. Link to post Share on other sites
smg15 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 OP hang in there and stay positive Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. John Adams Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 My sister will receive 26 weeks full pay and health insurance....not granted they owe her 4 weeks vacation and 2 weeks sick pay....and they have stipulated that if she takes a lesser paying job...they will supplement it to her present salary. So i suggest she stay at home...draw the pay...put out feelers for jobs...and get every penny she can out of them. She needs to have some surgery...and i told her get it done while she can recover at home and it is on their dime. now whether she will listen to me or not remains to be seen. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Otter2569 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 That is a very generous severance package. I did ok with the severance compensation piece but only received 12 weeks of health benefits. Obviously better than nothing but with kids its a scary situation. It may take that long to find a job. Trust me I had no idea it would be this challenging. I thought I would waltz into something in no time. Its been six months and honestly it feels like I am invisible. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts