The BetterMost Can Club

[Front-Ranger]

Sorry to hear that, Lee, David and Laura.

I wasn't officially canned, since I've been freelancing for 12 years, but I've been looking for something more steady with no luck whatsoever, and am finding freelancing gigs harder to come by these days, too. Can I be a semi-official member?

You bet, friend! We need all the friends we can get here!!

[Brown Eyes]

{{Lee}} {{David}} {{Laura}} {{K}}  {{Anonymous Can Club Members}}

I'm so sorry to hear all this difficult news on the employment front.  Truly a GDBOAUS.

[mariez]

Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that for all of you.  I was wondering what "Can Club" meant.   

Actually, I was not alllowed to even speak to anyone. An HR person stood in the doorway of my office until I had all my belongings packed up (it took several hours, since I had been there six years) and then a security guard escorted me out of the building!Thank you very much, friend!! 

This is not uncommon, but isn't it awful?  As if you don't feel bad enough....

It's downright scary.  I got together with some girlfriends the other night and the first question everyone asked each other was whether they still had a job. Two out of the eight had lost their jobs within the past month.  And the husbands of two others had lost their jobs at Christmastime.

You bet, friend! We need all the friends we can get here!!

So true - everyone needs to pull together more than ever. 

Marie

[Front-Ranger]

I have never experienced that type  of severance, mariez, so I was simply not ready for it. I had to hand over my badge, my credit card, my phone, and my computer and I didn't have any kind of back-up.

I tried to find out why I was selected out of everyone in my department. In talking to other colleagues who were canned, we discovered that we were the most experienced people with the highest salaries. So, let that be a word of warning to you if you have clawed your way to the top of your organization. You may be toppled!!!

[serious crayons]

Yup, it's yet another strike against those of us job hunters who are more experienced.

[LauraGigs]

...we were the most experienced people with the highest salaries. So, let that be a word of warning to you if you have clawed your way to the top of your organization. You may be toppled!!

Yeah, I worked in marketing for a software company for 3 years (my favorite job I'd ever had).  2 years into it they had a massive layoff, and really cut Marketing to the core.  All of a sudden, I'm the senior person in MarCom.  1 year later, boom.  (My officemate had a job similar to mine, but was much less experienced, and the boss hated his attitude. Still, it was a 'budget thing' so I got the ax.)

 

[Lynne]

Here I am!  Present and accounted for...canned, though it wasn't stated quite so baldly.  No, the euphemisms that Blue Cross used were 'eliminating my position' and 'restructuring during this period of uncertainty'.

 

This is a very good idea for a thread.  I cannot believe how many BetterMostians are currently unemployed or underemployed at the moment!  And if you look at us across the board, there's a helluva lot of talent here!

Tell you what, tho.  This weekend in NYC was very good for me, mentally.  In between the fun times, I updated the resume and cover letters and applied for 22 jobs.  As Roux pointed out to me, it's pretty easy for me to apply for jobs because IT jobs are typically posted on specific websites and you can apply online, which makes the process much easier.

Still, I am 99% sure that without the Brokie support (and commiseration) this weekend, I'd be at home trying to decide which season of Buffy I wanted to watch next.

 

I discussed this job situation with my ex, Price, who most of you know I consider a trusted friend and advisor.  Given the economy, he thinks I should embrace the volatility, focus on finding short-term assignments, not get too attached to anywhere geographically (like St. Augustine, sadly), and ride it out.  In this way I can probably pick up some new skills in different environments, perhaps squeeze in some additional training, and be prepared for when the economy does pick up again.

Good wishes to everyone in this not-so-exclusive boat.  Let's support each other so we come out of this better than when we started, hunh?

 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Step right up all ye Brokies who have recently or not so recently joined the swelling ranks of the canned, and let's form the BetterMost Can Club! Of all the canned people of the world, we are the BetterMost, and if we stick together, we'll have some high time entertainment!!

And, yup, I'm a card carrying member. I was canned at 9 a.m. on 2-09-09, so now I'm leery of nines!!

Jesus H.! Lee, I'm so sorry to hear this. 

(I just checked this thread out now. I thought the title referred to recycling, or something.  )

And David and Laura and Lynne, too. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Actually, I was not alllowed to even speak to anyone. An HR person stood in the doorway of my office until I had all my belongings packed up (it took several hours, since I had been there six years) and then a security guard escorted me out of the building!

Back in the spring of '02, about six months after I stared my current job, I actually walked in on my then-supervisor being canned. 

I tried to find out why I was selected out of everyone in my department. In talking to other colleagues who were canned, we discovered that we were the most experienced people with the highest salaries. So, let that be a word of warning to you if you have clawed your way to the top of your organization. You may be toppled!!!

That thought has occurred to me. 

[Ellemeno]

Hi everyone,

My sincere condolences.  I haven't had paid employ since 2003, when I became a full time mom.  So we are dependent on one income, and I worry for it.