Nancy > Status Update

Oh hell. Your choice or theirs?

It was theirs. The phone call came while I was walking to the beach on Friday. My boss and the director of HR on speakerphone. I'm sure this decision wasn't made overnight. 44 others were laid off too. This should bother me more than it does, but my job really sucked.

i'm so sorry, nancy.

Please don't be sorry for me, Emilie. I've been wanting to quit for a long time and just unable to do so. The company is slowly dying, no growth or development opportunities, and there are a lot of unhappy people. This will force me to make a much-needed change. The good thing is that I'm being paid my regular wage until December and I am also eligible for unemployment.

Sorry for the bad news but glad to hear that you're taking the lemons-into-lemonade approach.

If the job was that bad for you, I'll say 'congratulations!'.
Now do you think you'll be doing something fun with your new degree?

Your attitude is inspiring, Nancy. You are in my thoughts and I hope that the path you are now on offers you a new opportunity for professional growth soon.

i understand what you are saying, nancy. and i hope that you will find something new that you really find interesting and rewarding. i'm relieved they've given you some time to find that.

I spent nearly two hours on the phone yesterday between calling the unemployment office and being unable to get through and being left on hold for nearly an hour. Now I just have to wait three weeks for my first payment.

After a brief search for jobs, I've come to the conclusion that those positions with better pay, benefits and more development opportunities will require me to sit in traffic a lot longer than I already have.

For now, I will enjoy not having to drive anywhere at all if I don't want to.

Nancy wrote: "I spent nearly two hours on the phone yesterday between calling the unemployment office and being unable to get through and being left on hold for nearly an hour. Now I just have to wait three wee..."

Good luck Nancy, bummer about losing the job, but it might be an open door to something really exciting. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Even though you're better off.....it's so slimey how "companies" ditch the long term loyal employees. Same thing happened to me, but worse. After over 20 years of putting blood, sweat, tears and more into an asshat of a company, they forced me out by changing my pay to something I could not live on so I would have to quit. That way they didn't have to pay me sevence.

Thanks, V. That's terrible, Stephanie. My pay at least remained the same and I got a nice severance package so I can't complain. My boss was nearly in tears when I went in on Tuesday to clean up my office of gargoyles and alligator heads and other miscellany.

I'd like to do something totally different than what I've done for over 20 years, like drive a big truck in Alaska, or work for a company that would let me read all day.

Oh! I hope you manage to figure out your new direction quickly.

I've been around 49 years and still haven't figured it out. By the time I do, it will be time to retire!

Nancy wrote: "I've been around 49 years and still haven't figured it out. By the time I do, it will be time to retire!"

I feel the same way sometimes. I no longer trust companies. I work for myself.

Lucky you, Stephanie. I'd go that route if I had a real skill at something.

Thanks, Debbie. I'm enjoying the best summer we've had in years. Once I finish up the workshops my former company is sending me to and revise my resume, I'll start applying.

I have my first job interview in 21 years tomorrow and already my hands are sweaty.

Nancy wrote: "I have my first job interview in 21 years tomorrow and already my hands are sweaty."

Go in there and say, "So tell me why I should work here." That always gets their attention...

Good luck, Nancy!

Good luck, sure you'll be fine - fingers crossed for you!

Thanks, everyone! Kemper, I'm looking for that question in The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Interview Questions and Answers.

Nancy wrote: "Thanks, everyone! Kemper, I'm looking for that question in The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Interview Questions and Answers."

If it isn't in there, it should be.

That is so lousy Nancy. Best of luck in your job search and enjoy your free time while you have it.

I've been at the same place for 20 yrs myself and it's a scary thing to think about starting over but things just aren't picking up.

Good luck! Be yourself and you will be fine.