Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Laid off and reflecting

Today about one hour prior to quiting time the boss told me I was laid off. Anyone with any age could see it coming. There are no orders. One of the fellows told me, "They can't do that. They have to give us some kind of severane paya or somthing." I laughed and informed him, "If there are no orders, there is no money to give you severance pay."

Anyway, I thought about my past. By the time I was twenty, I learned to be a headbuilder for automatic wood turning lathes. An extremely limited field requiring artistic free hand grinding. Now obsolete with CAD/CAM. A company in Montesano, Washington offered me a job. I took it because it was an increase in pay from $2 per hour to $100 per week, with a future. For recent graduates, that is a fifty cent per hour raise with a potiential for advancement. When Sue, my bride of three months, and I arrived from San Diego, California, we discovered the chared remains of my new job. The placed burned to the ground two day before. I signed up or unemployment. It set the patern for the rest of my life, I think.

Rich,
Sorry to hear about that,hope things turn out ok for you,I'm sure they will.

I'm prayin for you bud.

Brian.

Ringman, I'm sorry to hear that. You're one of the good ones. I just hope you find other work soon.

Unfortunately, 2009 looks like it is shaping up not so good. There will be others in the same situation. I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess, because if it gets really bad for me, I have the wherewithal to retire now.

This is never an easy situation and I feel for you. I was laid off from my consulting job in 2001. It was a god awful week!

I reported to work as usual since I had just rolled off a big contract with a cable company. Just before lunch I got a call from the HR department and I knew I was done. I was stunned! By that afternoon I was unemployed and had no direction as to what was next.

As I went home that night I was stressed as the market for my skills was non existant. The next morning I got up and turned on the news before beginning my search for a new job. That day was September 11th. As the events of that day unfolded I was given a new lease on life.

I started a new career and sure I was bottom rung. However I knew that no matter how bad it got I would get to see tomorrow unlike many of my fellow americans that parished that day. I just want to tip my hat to you and say you will make it through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.

I can feel for you too. At 66 years old, I really want to work at a job.
Sure,I am not 25 any more, but I have skills and the ability to get things done now and on time. What are my chances of employment at my age?
Zero to none. Getting old sure as hell ain't for sissies..

I lost my job not to long ago also. being a welder it wasnt hard to find another job, but 90% of welding jobs are crap. i can only hope to make as much as my old job in the future.

Good luck to you, I haven't been laid off yet, but hours are so few I might as well be.

Last time I was out of work was the last recession back in the early 80's.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the both of us..good luck on the job trail.

I'm sure sorry to hear that. It seems that things are falling hardest on the older workers, as we cost companies more.

I wish you good fortune and hope this all becomes an opportunity for you.

I hate to hear that for you, Rich! You will be in our prayers. But you know God does not forsake His own. You'll be fine even when it seems like things are not so fine. I've been in that same position a few times and it's not fun with kids and mortgages to feed but every time we got through. You will too.

Hmm, I guess a LOT of jobs are like that. I had a prospective employer say he'd be calling me in the a.m. to do a drug test for a truck driving job...time will tell but most driving jobs are crap too. Pretty easy to get but suck just the same. Sorry to hear that Ringman. Right now is a rough time for a lot of folks.

I got laid off the 31st. It ain't fun.

there's some worse feelings or fates than not having a job when you need or want one, but it still makes the top 10 list of things that suck.

wishing all of my campfire compadres good fortune in the New Year, it's a hell of a thing to have to start over after the 1/2 century mark, and pay is probably going to have downward pressure for some time.

but you boys have a leg up, you know how to work, won't miss many days from being up all night chasin leg, and somebody struggling to run a company will be danged glad they got you.

best of luck to you hombres

Lost my job at 46. Only high school graduate. Armco steel shutdown in Houston. Picked sh-t with chickens for two years. Got on with chemical plant through a friend. Try state employment commission. They have big companies looking for help. Try employment companies that charge to find you a job. They may take 50% of your pay for 6 months, but it beats frying chicken. A personel director once told me that you will never find a job out of a newspsper, too many applicants.
Good luck and God Bless you.
God Bless America

Yeah, being laid off bites. For some reason, there's not a big need for surveyors right now with the housing market the way it is.

Sorry to hear that, Ringman. Unemployment truly bites. Statistics don't show the true picture. When you're the one out of work, the unemployment rate is 100%.

Wishing the best to you, and others who are looking for a job.

Paul

You really know what you need to do. Technology has made your job obsolete so you need to adapt and learn the new technology. You experience with lathes should help you a lot so learn how to program/use CNC machines. There is a good chance that the state or a new company will pay for your training.

I am in a similar situation. I moved to Endicott NT from San Jose Ca to take a job with Cadence and was laid off after only 6 months. Its hard.

Conrad

Press on, Rich. The same God that has you in his hand for spiritual matters, also has you in his hand for earthly matters.

"Casting ALL you care on him; for He careth for you." (1Pet 5:7)

Sad news, Try not to let the worries and stress get to your health. Been through it three times in 15 years in the paper industrie and it looks like im heading for a fourth. On the up side: Its hard work finding work. Good luck,IT WILL COME.

Ringman,

I have kept you in my prayers Ringman. The older we get it seems that the less use they find for us. My BIL in Long Island is in the same boat and in remission for cancer at the same time.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

I wish all you guys the best of luck. I have been there and will probably be there again before I retire. Have faith in yourselves. You will find another job.

Jim