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Job cuts: its hard out there

nzshadownzshadow 5,518 Posts
edited January 2009 in Strut Central
Damn, shit is getting realer than real.20000 at Caterpillar, 6000 at Phillips, 5000 at Microsoft.I work for a multinational, 7% of the staff were fired last Tuesday, NO WARNING, security escorted them to the door within 10 minutes of being told. While we were being told some of us would be going, the unlucky few had their accounts deactivated. Shit was cold. I missed the first cull but there will be more. How you all doin out there?
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  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    The bassist in my band just got laid off a couple of weeks back, it's real hard for him to find something else in the software writing field that he does. Tough times for sure.
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    I'm brushing up on my bartending and jizz mop skills just in case.
  • kitchenknightkitchenknight 4,922 Posts
    We've had one large round of layoffs (20% of the company) and some smaller cuts to follow.

    Dodged the first bullet... don't know how many more spins of the chamber I got left, though.

    Father-in-law laid off. We're helping support them. My wife has guaranteed work through August. In this economy, I feel like that's as secure as it gets.
  • marumaru 1,450 Posts
    i quit my job in philadelphia back in august and moved to san francisco with the fiance. probably the worst time ever to quit a job and look for a new one. i've been fortunate enough to have had steady freelance since then, but nobody is hiring or at least very reluctant to do so. fortunately my fiance is at a law firm so she's been holding it down so far.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    The bassist in my band just got laid off a couple of weeks back, it's real hard for him to find something else in the software writing field that he does. Tough times for sure.

    Hard times in the writing field, period...that was my gig until last year when Layoff Fever happened to me.
  • parsecparsec 5,087 Posts
    Schitt is bleak. I haven't worked in 4 months and its doubtful I'll find another job in the next 4 months. Okay, back to listing stuff on ebay to pay the bills/rent.
  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts
    I work for an arts-related non-profit that always accomplished a lot with a ridiculously small budget. we're trying to trim all fat from the budget possible, basically trying to accomplish the same with even less, but there isn't much that can go. it's a 5-person office that couldn't operate w/ even one person less, so layoffs are unlikely but total collapse is a possibility.
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    My sister was just laid off by her private artist employer. This lady was super rich (the heir to the Rubbermaid fortune), but could no longer afford to hire my sis to help out. I'm guessing she took major losses somewhere b/c she had to sell off 2 of her 3 houses!

    Sis's other job is working at a non-profit teaching adults with disabilities art. It looks like the California state legislature will cut this funding first (art + adult education = doesn't stand a chance). She might not have any job here in a few. I'm keepin my fingers crossed tight!


    Best of luck to the rest of yawl out there
  • jleejlee 1,539 Posts
    Taking this issue on a more macro level, I just overheard a statistic from a co-worker that Mexico-US immigration is declining to % levels not seen since the 70s. So definitely more than just locals are feeling the pain of a falling US economy.

    Because of my work, I am privy to a lot of information about companies in distress and I can assure you that all industries are feeling the pain. Worst of all, I personally don't see it getting any better for the next 3-6 months. Pending a huge surprise boost in Credit or innovation, a lot of retraction is still needed to get most companies at a level that can satisfy these lean times.

    Good luck out there.
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    My sister was just laid off by her private artist employer. This lady was super rich (the heir to the Rubbermaid fortune), but could no longer afford to hire my sis to help out. I'm guessing she took major losses somewhere b/c she had to sell off 2 of her 3 houses!

    Sis's other job is working at a non-profit teaching adults with disabilities art. It looks like the California state legislature will cut this funding first (art + adult education = doesn't stand a chance). She might not have any job here in a few. I'm keepin my fingers crossed tight!


    Best of luck to the rest of yawl out there

    Madoff'd b/w Ponzi'd
    Graemlin request plaese
  • SelinaKyle83SelinaKyle83 1,042 Posts
    I've given up on looking for a job in Interior design atm.
    Sent out a couple of resume's at the end of last year and everyone's said the same thing "that they're letting people go rather than hiring at the mo". i would've thought this was a line (and i'm sure part of it is) but i know a few too many people at said firm's who have just been let off- most of them only a year or two out of uni.
    So bar work it is for a lil- although, this time last year it was so super busy at my work i was getting at LEAST 40hrs a week, now it's so quite i'm sometimes lucky getting 20. car-azy!!
  • soulmarcosasoulmarcosa 4,296 Posts
    After about a month of searching in LA, I scored a fulltime job in my field a couple of weeks ago. But it's at a 35% pay cut for the same job I had in NC, and with no benefits and on a contract basis, not full employee. So I'm still applying for about 5 jobs every day in search of better pay. Unfortunately I've only gotten one interview out of approximately 60+ applications.

    Still, I'm glad I've got a job at all 'cos many of my friends across the country have gotten laid off in the past 1-2 months.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    I've given up on looking for a job in Interior design atm.
    Sent out a couple of resume's at the end of last year and everyone's said the same thing "that they're letting people go rather than hiring at the mo". i would've thought this was a line (and i'm sure part of it is) but i know a few too many people at said firm's who have just been let off- most of them only a year or two out of uni.
    So bar work it is for a lil- although, this time last year it was so super busy at my work i was getting at LEAST 40hrs a week, now it's so quite i'm sometimes lucky getting 20. car-azy!!

    u need work?
  • SelinaKyle83SelinaKyle83 1,042 Posts
    i don't know if i should ask.................hahaha.
    Na, what you know batmon?
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,129 Posts
    7% of the staff were fired last Tuesday, NO WARNING, security escorted them to the door within 10 minutes of being told.

    While we were being told some of us would be going, the unlucky few had their accounts deactivated. Shit was cold.

    This isn't the first time that I have heard of security escorts and the on-the-spot account/key disabling. I'm willing to bet a lot of employers these days are afraid of retaliatory shooting sprees and the like, unfortunately.

    Anyhow, I'm lucky to work with a solid company at a place where I am often busy and have a good rapport with all my coworkers, including the supervisors and branch manager (the largest in the nation, which I control inventory). This company seems to take the cost cutting approach as a first line of defense rather than being one of those corporations with rich, pink slip happy CEOs. Even if there is a threat of being laid off, which doesn't seem likely in the near future, I'm prepared to negotiate to keep my job. Either way, I'm stashing away as much money as possible by living at home for time being until I have enough to stay on my own two feet once I have left community college and have to pay state university tuition. Plus, I am willing to help support my parents, in addition to paying rent as a good-will jesture, if worse comes to worse and they lose their jobs, despite that they have seemingly solid gigs as well. I wish everyone the best. Also, make sure to spend your money on local business as much as possible.

    It sucks about education being hit hard, considering that other institutions, namely the military, get fat allocations of money in comparison.
  • marumaru 1,450 Posts
    i was freelancing full-time from september-january at one agency and was suddenly told that i was no longer needed. because of that, we had to tell our dog walker that we wouldn't need her to come walk the dog anymore so it was kind of strange and scary to see the kind of chain reaction that's going on in the economy on a very micro level. fortunately i was called back the next week.
  • whitelilywhitelily 155 Posts
    After two years of living in L.A. getting consistent work wardrobe styling, the jobs became so few I finally had to go back to doing high-end retail to pay the bills. Then I got laid off from even my fallback shit job!! No one is shopping, not even the rich people and movie stars...stores are closing left and right in west LA and all down melrose too....it's like 2 out of 3 clothing stores in a row are closed down. Even big companies like neimans have changed their pay structure to straight commission....sketchy when no one comes in the damn store....ill.....I decided I'll sell my designer handbags on ebay to make rent. So if anyone needs any special gifts for their girls pm me....; ) LOL.

    Another thing is that the job market is so bad employers can squeeze their employees and make them work their asses off for long ass hours and very little money because there's like ten people who would kill for your job....it sure sucks feeling discounted... : (
  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    i was freelancing full-time from september-january at one agency and was suddenly told that i was no longer needed. because of that, we had to tell our dog walker that we wouldn't need her to come walk the dog anymore so it was kind of strange and scary to see the kind of chain reaction that's going on in the economy on a very micro level. fortunately i was called back the next week.

    Did you call your dog walker back the week after?

  • AlmondAlmond 1,427 Posts
    I was planning on working after graduating from college, but now I am applying to graduate school in lieu of the current, and escalating, economic situation. Really sucks. I am seeing funding from my university drop like crazy, everything from sexual assault awareness to mental health services. State college grants are also being cut. Students will either have to get loans or drop out to make ends meet. Really sad.
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    I got laid off in December, and have had no response to 40+ resumes I've sent out since then (I worked for a large weekly magazine in the photography dept). I've heard rumors that my old job will be calling some people back to work because they made the cuts too extreme and the end product is suffering, and I know for a fact that my old dept needs me (they called me in to work temp for the inauguration), so I am hoping deperately that I'll get a call soon.

    It is seriously scary out there though, the jobs I'm applying for are for way less $ than my old job, even if I find something else it's going to be a major scrape to get by.
  • Young_PhonicsYoung_Phonics 8,039 Posts
    god damn, it feels like the economy went shitty to SHIIIIITYYYYYYYYYY. My heart sank when I read the U.S. economy lost 71,000 jobs today

    WHAT

    THE

    F*ck
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,955 Posts
    Been freelancing for 8 years and only ever been given 3 month contracts the whole time, usually with the warning that there won't be any more work after this one. So, I am used to the feeling of impending unemployment. In total, I've been out of work for about 8 months of that. And it's not like I have mounds of gold to sleep on when it's quiet.

    I have everything I owe structured as cheaply as possible, but when I'm out of work, I feel like the bloke in the financial hot-air balloon; throwing everything unnecessary overboard in order to stay afloat. I am sure it's given me an ulcer but of course, being sick = no income so I can't dwell on that either.

    It doesn't help that since starting freelancing, the rates are about ??10/hr less than they were and I now have a kid. But hey, when I'm working it's OK and at the moment, the client is in utilities - something people will always need.

    My advice is to look at the industry you're in and make sure you're not a Zeppelin-maker.
  • marumaru 1,450 Posts
    i was freelancing full-time from september-january at one agency and was suddenly told that i was no longer needed. because of that, we had to tell our dog walker that we wouldn't need her to come walk the dog anymore so it was kind of strange and scary to see the kind of chain reaction that's going on in the economy on a very micro level. fortunately i was called back the next week.

    Did you call your dog walker back the week after?


    yep, for now it's all good
  • piedpiperpiedpiper 1,279 Posts
    boost in pay this January

    I really have nothing to worry about yet.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    Not worried about being laid off, but our union did have to renegotiate our contract with management which resulted in no pay raise this year. There have been some layoffs at my non-profit, but they're cutting non-production/non-revenue generating employees first, so I'm in the clear. The Design department got gutted, though.

    Plus, if I do get laid off, a friend of mine is a bar manager and told me he'd put me on immediately, so at least there's a fallback, although the prospect of waiting tables again leaves me cold.
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    My wife and I are fairly secure in our jobs. My family lost our house when I was a kid when my parents business folded, so I know I can make it without much money, but I also know you can't get to comfortable with your lifestyle.
  • mordecaimordecai 2,204 Posts
    The Design department got gutted, though.
    ugggg
  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    boost in pay this January

    I really have nothing to worry about yet.



    Same boat here. I thought I was gonna get laid off, then they shoot me a raise and a 6 mo extension!

    INDEED
  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts
    Yeah, been out of work since first week of December, but I've been fortunate to score a little freelance stuff to tide me over.
  • UnherdUnherd 1,880 Posts
    the prospect of waiting tables again leaves me cold.

    Real talk. If it ever comes down to that, I'm hitting the coal mines, I'll really do anything to never have to read the daily specials again....
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