I got laid off!!!!

[MossMan]

My advice is not to take the summer off. Use that time to interview! I suggest you, as another poster stated, get your resume together and start interviewing now.

I couldn't disagree more.

This is not a tragedy - this is an opportunity. How many times in your adult life will you get a paid summer off. I dare say this will only happen one time. Do not waste this chance.

Get an old van and take off across country, or backpack through Europe, or go trekking in India, or volunteer in an orphanage in Thailand, or rent a seaside cottage and write a book or something else that you would never ever otherwise do.

Whatever you choose to do, you will have a job by Xmas. I don't think you need any pixie dust. I think you already recieved some.

 

[Planogirl]

I've been in your position and it stinks. It's hurtful and hard to take for a while.

I suggest allowing yourself a week or so to let this sink in. Then get your resume out there with a start date of a week later than your last day of work at the old place. It can take some time to find a job and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Oh, a big too. I feel for you.

 

[sajetto]

I am so sorry to hear about the layoff. Just freshen up that resume and start interviewing now. Big hugs

 

[rt2dz]

I couldn't disagree more.

This is not a tragedy - this is an opportunity. How many times in your adult life will you get a paid summer off. I dare say this will only happen one time. Do not waste this chance.

Get an old van and take off across country, or backpack through Europe, or go trekking in India, or volunteer in an orphanage in Thailand, or rent a seaside cottage and write a book or something else that you would never ever otherwise do.

Whatever you choose to do, you will have a job by Xmas. I don't think you need any pixie dust. I think you already recieved some.

Remember, employers prefer canidates who are working v. resting--no matter what the job is. It makes your work ethic appear better. That you were a good employee who caught a bad break v. one who is lazy, whether or not that is true.

And looking for a job can be a full time job in itself. The longer you wait to start, the longer it will take to find another one. Plus, people who suffer from depression after a job loss are the ones who haven't taken the steps to move forward. Looking now will help secure your future.

 

[emilymad]

Unfortunately the summer off isn't an option if I can help it. Money has been a little tight since separating from my ex. The divorce isn't finalized yet so I am awaiting my settlement. I don't even want to talk about the lawyer bills!! I sent my resume out to a few places. I have a phone interview tonight. That makes me feel better even if that job isn't for me. I just have to get back into the swing of things. I do hope experience is more important the education. I am an accountant so not having the technical training does hurt me. I don't really want to be an accountant so I have ruled out going back to school. Sorry if I am rambling. It has been a crazy couple of months!!

 

[LoveWDW]

I agree about not taking the summer off. Somebody who doesn't have an income shouldn't lie around. The person should be job-hunting. The advice about job-hunting being a full-time job, and about employers wanting someone with the getupandgo to be working, is great advice, too.

 

[MossMan]

Remember, employers prefer canidates who are working v. resting--no matter what the job is. It makes your work ethic appear better. That you were a good employee who caught a bad break v. one who is lazy, whether or not that is true.

This is not what HR professionals believe - not by a long shot. It isn’t the 1970’s any more and no one is penalized for taking a few months off between jobs. And if someone does think it’s strange that you would want to a few months off, I would respectively suggest you consider employment elsewhere. I know I wouldn’t work for a company that believed taking holidays was a sign of weakness.

Nowadays HR departments look for well rounded individuals. Study after study has shown that in the long run, well rounded people will give you more productivity and more quality work. Someone who exhibits an ability to keep their work in its proper perspective is desirable.

The average worker is going to get laid off a few times in their career. That’s just the way the job market works now. Well rounded workers accept this and manage to live their lives around this reality. Losing your job is terrible mostly because of the uncertainty it brings to you in the short run. But the vast majority of those who lose their jobs will tell you that it was the best thing that ever happened to them when you talk to them a few years later.

If you need the money, then you need the money. You have to do what’s right for you. But reading your post emily makes me think that if anyone needed some time to re-charge themselves it was you.

I will reiterate, this is not a tragedy. Don’t let others sell you on the idea that this is the worst thing that could happen to you. Life is about what we do with the opportunities we get – but we only get so many. Use this opportunity wisely.

 

[Freyja]

Just wanted to say I´m sorry you got laid off. Hope it will be the start of something better

 

[zenshome]

Maybe I have just been lucky but the 2x I have been laidoff I have wound up with a better job and more money . Many times we grow complacent in the current evironment and don't realize we could improve our life until something like this happens! I would look for a position but with having three months until your last day and an additional 3 months of severance, I would be somewhat picky in what I accepted. Good Luck in however you decide to go!! Disney currently has a big sign on the front the building on I-4 looking for castmembers .

 

[Martha7]

I'm sorry to hear about your lay-off. We've certainly been through it ourselves. There's almost no stigma anymore to being unemployed, since so many others are in the same boat! There also seems to be such age discrimination, that the closer you are to 50, the harder it seems to be to get another job. (I don't know how old you are, I'm just stating an observation.) I agree that you need to do what you're already doing, which is getting yourself right out there on the market. Make sure you have your references lined up as well. We took out an equity line on our house before the lay-off, since we had a lot of equity. This has been floating us until DH gets another job. We're a family of four, and the COBRA monthly payment is just over a thousand dollars! In our case, it doesn't help to be in the Detroit area, with the automotive industry lay-offs piling up. Good luck to you and please come back and post when you have another position!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I'm sorry this happened to you! But definitely get out there and start looking. My uncle had a similar situation and had 6 months severence and decided to just take the time to relax and "kind of" see what was out there (he assumed that because he had an "in demand" job that it would be no problem for him to find a job. Long story short he went a year without pay before he found anything and by that time he had to take what he could get as he had no money. Good luck to you and maybe this is a sign to start down a new road...

 

[clh2]

Sorry about the lay-off news.

My advice...network, network, network. Let everyone you know (at church, healthclubs, your friends etc. know that you are looking for a job because your current company is reorganizing starting in July.

Sometimes the networking helps you get a foot into the door, as far as getting an interview!

Good Luck!

 

[rt2dz]

This is not what HR professionals believe - not by a long shot. It isn’t the 1970’s any more and no one is penalized for taking a few months off between jobs. And if someone does think it’s strange that you would want to a few months off, I would respectively suggest you consider employment elsewhere. I know I wouldn’t work for a company that believed taking holidays was a sign of weakness.

Nowadays HR departments look for well rounded individuals. Study after study has shown that in the long run, well rounded people will give you more productivity and more quality work. Someone who exhibits an ability to keep their work in its proper perspective is desirable.

All I can say is I know quite a few higher ups (VPs, CEOs, etc) of many companies, small and large and this has come up a few times. I can't speak for the HR department, but the HR department isn't the hiring manager. They arrange for interviews, but that is it--and they can even be easily by-passed. It is the hiring manager that actually makes the decision.

No one thinks losing your job equals something is wrong with you. And, yes, people prefer those who are well rounded; would rather higher those straight out of school who are A/B students than straight A and they better be able to talk about something in the interview besides work regardless of college hire or skilled hire. But people who sit around for a few months doing nothing (and 3 month vacation, then a 6 month job search is quite a bit of time off), are not desired.

One is better off doing anything than sitting around at home watching TV. Doing volunteer work (also an excellent way to gain experience if you want to switch careers), another job, something. Holidays are what vacation time is for, but if someone were to take off to Europe for 3 months while between jobs, you better be able to spin it well. You can always negotiate for a later start time to enjoy an extended holiday with excess money.