# Safe...for now



## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

Another round of lay offs. Another pass for me. This is hella depressing watching your co-workers and friends get exited while you sit here trying to keep it 'business as usual". It's not going to be a productive day.  The worst part is we have to do it in 4 time zones. UK was first. Canada happened this morning. California is happening now. And later overseas. I had to pretend like nothing was going on in my pre-12:00 pm calls with the East Coast. Ditto for overseas.

It screws with your head in ways that are hard to explain.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

hey there...i've been laid off since february...it bites...i've had to sell off most of my gear to make ends meet...that's when it stings...!!!...


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

This is why I like the public sector.


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

mhammer said:


> This is why I like the public sector.


Got any openings?


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

jimihendrix said:


> hey there...i've been laid off since february...it bites...i've had to sell off most of my gear to make ends meet...that's when it stings...!!!...


F'ing sucks man. I'm green when it comes to this stuff. I started in high tech just after the first bubble burst in 2001 and I picked a company that, until now, has been pretty insulated from the ups and downs. No longer though.


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

We all will be hunting & fishing for supper soon..


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

danbo said:


> We all will be hunting & fishing for supper soon..


They dont allow you to do that anymore either


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I feel you man. We've been in bunker mentality for more than three years now. We started "rightsizing" or whichever euphemism you like for lay offs, well before the recession hit.

It's no picnic trying to cope with the added workload and pressure of trying to keep things running with such deep cuts, but it's obviously worse to be laid off.



Hang in there, keep your head low and keep showing up until they stop paying you. It' s about all you can do.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2009)

Milkman said:


> I feel you man. We've been in bunker mentality for more than three years now. We started "rightsizing" or whichever euphemism you like for lay offs, well before the recession hit.
> 
> It's no picnic trying to cope with the added workload and pressure of trying to keep things running with such deep cuts, but it's obviously worse to be laid off.
> 
> ...


Thanks man. You are absolutely right. I'm bitching about nothing compared to the people who got dumped today. I'm just pissed the "reduction in force" happened at all. By all accounts we're a lean company: >$1B year in revenue with less than 3000 people. We're running out of people to actually _do_ work.

I'll tell you one thing I've learned in the past 9 years: the stock market and publicly traded companies are a _joke_. This system isn't designed to do anything but make shareholders (and even then only majority holders) happy. At all costs. It's not about innovation or higher ideals or believing in your workforce and your product. That's all CEO bullshit that gets spewed to "motivate" the crowd. It all means shit if you're not keeping earnings-per-share growing (never mind keeping it positive but constant, it has to continually get _better_ -- shareholders can't just make the same money they made last year, they have to make even _more_). 

It's a completely unsustainable system. I think we're seeing it crack now.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

iaresee said:


> F'ing sucks man. I'm green when it comes to this stuff. I started in high tech just after the first bubble burst in 2001 and I picked a company that, until now, has been pretty insulated from the ups and downs. No longer though.


Yeah - I was a victim of the 2001 bubble. Survived 6 rounds of "right-sizing" before my number came up. It sucks big time. After 18 of trying to get back in I found that my skills were becoming obsolete faster than I could retrain.

Tried sales, and then accounting thinking it would be more secure. It's not - I was let go in June. 

Working around the house, my SO's got a secure job. Waiting for the economy to turn. Things always work out.


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

I just got laid off a month ago when eBay closed it's entire Vancouver office of 700 people. My girlfriend who I live with also works there and was also laid off.

Things kind of suck right now, thankfully the gear pile is not being looked at.... yet. Keep your eye on the For Sale section though. kqoct 

Oh and a big PS - next time you're thinking of buying something from eBay, think about this - they outsourced my job to ****ing Romania!


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2009)

Flat out sucks man. I don't believe we're at the end of this yet. I think we're going to see another drop and then a long, slow climb out.


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

It's just beginning.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0twdElBmI


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## canadian tyler (Jul 7, 2009)

I hear you, getting laid off in a few weeks.



iaresee said:


> I'll tell you one thing I've learned in the past 9 years: the stock market and publicly traded companies are a _joke_. This system isn't designed to do anything but make shareholders (and even then only majority holders) happy. At all costs. It's not about innovation or higher ideals or believing in your workforce and your product. That's all CEO bullshit that gets spewed to "motivate" the crowd. It all means shit if you're not keeping earnings-per-share growing (never mind keeping it positive but constant, it has to continually get _better_ -- shareholders can't just make the same money they made last year, they have to make even _more_).
> 
> It's a completely unsustainable system. I think we're seeing it crack now.


Yes... sustainability is the key. Its amazing that our entire financial system seems to be based upon convincing consumers to pay a lot of money to buy garbage that we really don't need. Just feels like a house of cards.

I was going to write a whole lot more but I don't think there's a category for rants in this forum....

Keep it real.


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

Everyone living on Credit is to blame!
We have cars,houses,cottages while half the world is chasing monkeys for supper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saA7Us3HG_w&feature=related


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I work for a non-profit charitable organization. For three years of Rea government we were on the social contract and didn't get a raise, because the previous Liberal Government had put us in a massive deficit. Then came Mike "Corporate Nazi" Harris - no raises because he saw people who worked in public service as scum just a notch or two above welfare scum. We got a couple of 2% raises in the last two years of his tenure because were losing good staff like a gambling addict at Casino Rama. We've been keeping up with inflation with the current government - Liberal tokenism.

The only thing I can say here, is that despite being treated anywhere from somewhat worthy to a sorrowful low-life drain on the tax payers money, at least I still have a job - which is the least insulting of the alternative.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Things are getting better. I see real signs of this in my business (which is one of the worst hit by the recession).

It's going to be a long slow climb out of it, but we've seen the bottom and are starting to see increases in production schedules, which are of course directly related to sales and ultimately to consumer confidence.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

*EDIT:* I was a little reluctant in posting this... reading it back it's kind of semi-rant-ish so hopefully I don't offend anyone... that's definitely not the goal... on with the post... 

I kind of wish I could say "I know how it feels" but I don't... I've been fortunate enough to never have to write a resume, fill out an application, go to college or university, have a boss or any of that stuff... 

I've never had what most people consider a "real job" and never will but I did become an entrepreneur, made shit happen and continue to make shit happen... and now I make multiples of what I would be if I had went to university and got a "real job".

I don't want to sound like an arrogant douchebag (although I just might lol), the point is we live in the greatest time in our history. A time where you can start your own business with a TINY amount of startup capital, especially compared to what used to be required. 

You can pay people in the Philippines pennies (not literally but it's a seriously low figure) to build a web-based product for you. Their cost of living is so low that they're eager and excited to do it. What's small to us is _huge_ to them... 

Digg.com only cost about $6,000 to get developed and put online... it's now a multi-million dollar company. Twitter, Facebook...

What are these companies? Nothing more than code and decent marketing... code that you can pay people pennies to write... marketing that can almost happen "naturally" if you have a good concept, target the right demo and leverage web properties already out there... 

The product you get built doesn't even have to be as big as Twitter, Digg or Facebook... you can build them, get a decent user base and flip these things for five and even six figures EACH. This isn't based on theory but rather experience... 

... and it's not just limited to web applications.

We live in a time where you can take *any* random passion and monetize that shit through the power of these things we call the Internet and social media. Watch a Gary Vaynerchuk keynote and you'll no doubt get pumped and realize what's possible from that aspect of things...

... and that's not even scratching the surface of what's possible.

I may sound like a dick but I get fired up about this stuff... there's _so much_ opportunity out there that you can completely avoid the whole "lay off" thing by doing what you're passionate about and being your own boss. 

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a 20 year old that's never had a job... 

:smilie_flagge17:

(Sorry if I offended you... the point of the post is to hopefully show those "hidden" options for both the employed and the unemployed.)


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2009)

Certainly not arguing there are other ways to make money. But your soap box assumes we all want to write web apps for a living. No tiny bank loan is going to help you start a hardware company.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

iaresee said:


> Certainly not arguing there are other ways to make money. But your soap box assumes we all want to write web apps for a living. No tiny bank loan is going to help you start a hardware company.


You missed the part where you can turn your passion into a business with little to no capital... no web apps required and definitely no loans required. Never had one in my life and wouldn't recommend someone go in debt...

The passion way costs maybe $100 max if you already have a video camera. Gary V shows people how to do this.

I get that it's not for everyone... but hey, I thought I'd share some options. :smile:


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

violation said:


> You missed the part where you can turn your passion into a business with little to no capital... no web apps required and definitely no loans required. Never had one in my life and wouldn't recommend someone go in debt...
> 
> The passion way costs maybe $100 max if you already have a video camera. Gary V shows people how to do this.
> 
> I get that it's not for everyone... but hey, I thought I'd share some options. :smile:


Yup laresee definitely missed the whole point of your post.


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

Most guys that don't "work", end up in prison..or skid row..


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2009)

violation said:


> You missed the part where you can turn your passion into a business with little to no capital...


And you missed the part where I said: the type of work I do requires MASSIVE capital. Semi-conductors can not be built with $100 bank loan. Passion doesn't get you masks and prototypes. Only $1M does. You can certainly work to bootstrap that kind of money, but it's a long, long climb. And VC is drying up fast in this country. I know: I talk to VC managers frequently. Most have cut completely their first round funding this year. Second and third round funding is down over 50% in the 4 tech funds I have contacts at.

I'm happy you've got a passion in an area that you can grow with out a large upfront investment.


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2009)

violation said:


> The passion way costs maybe $100 max if you already have a video camera. Gary V shows people how to do this.


Are you talking pr0n here?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

iaresee said:


> Are you talking pr0n here?


Hahaha, oh dear, I hope not.

I'm still gainfully employed, but I'm looking into an office that's at 1/4 capacity and even the people still left are twiddling their thumbs for lack of work.

I work in market research, and with companies spending their dough on restructuring and such, there's little money left over to do any outside research. For the first time ever, I actually spent an entire week doing _nothing_. I don't know if I'll make it through, but things are looking mighty bleak here.

Even better, I'm a certified teacher and there hasn't been a job available for ages. Schools are closing, enrollment is dwindling and full-time contracted teachers are having to settle for doing supply work, which means that even the lowest, most hated form of teaching isn't available to me.

Balls!


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

iaresee said:


> And you missed the part where I said: the type of work I do requires MASSIVE capital. Semi-conductors can not be built with $100 bank loan. Passion doesn't get you masks and prototypes. Only $1M does.


Good point, my bad. It was a bad choice of words on my part, I should have said _some people_ can, not _you_ specifically... I was attempting to generalize. 



iaresee said:


> Are you talking pr0n here?


Not quite but I hear that _is_ a recession proof industry. :banana:


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

Now there's a happy banana!


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

danbo said:


> Everyone living on Credit is to blame!
> We have cars,houses,cottages while half the world is chasing monkeys for supper!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saA7Us3HG_w&feature=related


If you've got a couple hours with nothing to do watch Zietgiest (free on google video). Kinda gives the feeling that we're our own worst enemy. It starts off discussing religious history but eventually moves to shed light on how the economy is bound to fail. One thing that caught my attention was that every American dollar is created with debt already attached and the only way the US can pay that debt is borrow more money from the private treasuries they allow to exist. And about creating money, It also explains that in the US there is less than 3% physical currency circulating.........the rest is about as real as the threesome I dreamed last night.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

> Safe...for now


Me too.
We announced a reduction of about 1000 jobs in my division on Monday.
Tuesday, two of my team members got "the e-mail."

My boss called me and told me, "That's it." There's no more actions until the new owners - whomever they may be - take over. Then it's up to them to figure out how many of us they want to keep.

I figure that makes me safe at least until about December-ish. Just in time for Christmas.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

iaresee said:


> Are you talking pr0n here?


LOL! I highly doubt it, the small amount of pr0n I've seen involves very little passion, more like comedy by robots with a bad jazz soundtrack!!


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> more like comedy by robots with a bad jazz soundtrack!!



Hmmm .... do you have the URL for that one? :smile:


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> Hmmm .... do you have the URL for that one? :smile:


Aren't they all the same?


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

dodgechargerfan said:


> Me too.


Congrats.


> We announced a reduction of about 1000 jobs in my division on Monday.
> Tuesday, two of my team members got "the e-mail."


Wait? They did it by EMAIL? What? That's so crass. Here it's at least done by herding everyone into two conference room, firing one and feeding doughnuts to the other.



> My boss called me and told me, "That's it." There's no more actions until the new owners - whomever they may be - take over. Then it's up to them to figure out how many of us they want to keep.
> 
> I figure that makes me safe at least until about December-ish. Just in time for Christmas.


Fudge. Hope it works out.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

Yep. MOST of the time it's an e-mail from HR. Not even your own manager.
I have heard of the herd-killing method, but that's usually when it's an entire department because it's hard to invite some and not all of a group.
Being in Ottawa, you likely know who I work for. There's not much left happening on the campus in Kanata.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

bagpipe said:


> Hmmm .... do you have the URL for that one? :smile:


bom chicka wah wah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEm5ti2w5Eo&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7evC55NU8I


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2009)

dodgechargerfan said:


> Yep. MOST of the time it's an e-mail from HR. Not even your own manager.
> I have heard of the herd-killing method, but that's usually when it's an entire department because it's hard to invite some and not all of a group.
> Being in Ottawa, you likely know who I work for. There's not much left happening on the campus in Kanata.


Jesus. That's sick. If it's a 1 off here they catch you on your way in in the morning and just take you aside. But it's always done face-to-face.

I'm glad that got that incompetent waste of space and air out as CEO, but man I wish they'd fired his ass instead of letting him "step down". Fired and removed it from the premises, perhaps by squad of goons who may have accidentally missed the door and found the frame while giving him the bum's rush. 

If this isn't proof that you don't have to be smart to be a CEO, just connected, I don't know what is...


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## canadian tyler (Jul 7, 2009)

Starbuck said:


> comedy by robots with a bad jazz soundtrack!!


Thats a great name for an indy band!!! ...All I have to do now is grow a beard...


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## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

By email??!!!!! I have to agree - that is just plain sick and cowardly. I would have no respect for a company or person who cannot deliver that news in person.
I was fortunate to survive the Mulroney era of public service cutbacks. I don't know how but I am glad I did. If I had not, I don't kow how I would have handled it.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm going to add our HR Department to my list of blocked senders. 

Problem solved!


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> I'm going to add our HR Department to my list of blocked senders.
> 
> Problem solved!


Awesome idea.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i once worked for a company that was bought out. i knew they were going to start "cuttin heads" because they asked for production values that were undeliverable. employees #1 & 2 were my boss and me. i told him to start looking for another job, the ax was comin. he says "no way, i'm the one who arranged the sale. they're not gonna fire me, and as long as i'm here, you'll always have a job"


a month later the new owner came in. complemented me on what a good job i was doing, left. he phoned my boss from his car and told him to fire me. 
2 weeks later my boss was fired as well. 6 months later they hired me back for the same $$ but different position. they offered my boss the job i had but he turned it down.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> I'm going to add our HR Department to my list of blocked senders.
> 
> Problem solved!



I love it!


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

Thought I'd come back and toss a ray of sunshine in here, I posted a few months back I think it was that eBay had laid me off.

I've been working at my new job for a week now, in training basically learning an entirely new career, but one that will take me many places and hopefully someday into the blessed land of 6 figures. It currently pays 8k more than I was making at eBay too! So I sent my guitar to the shop to get a whole bunch of awesome stuff done to it! 

Great success! :rockon2::smilie_flagge17::wave:


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