Carp.

February 6, 2009 /

Carp

(image found here)

Carp…that’s a joke, because Cherry typo’d ‘crap’ in an IM once, and it came out CARP, and I’ve always liked that better.

Anyway, CARP.  Just got laid off from my job.  I was only there for just under 8 years.

Thankfully, Ted is starting his new job on the 18th, and there’s unemployment insurance, right?  But man, this economy sucks, and being out of work sucks, and looking for work sucks.

A rainy Friday morning.  Think I’m going to go read my book and watch some 90210 on Soap Net.

CARP.

23 Comments

  • Ted

    February 6, 2009 at 11:04 am

    Crap-a-cola (as Genevieve might say)! Like you said, the plus side is that I’m starting a new job, but it’s going to be a lot of pounding the pavement to get a new gig.

  • KelliAmanda

    February 6, 2009 at 11:33 am

    That SUCKS. I’m so sorry.

    I work for the university system in NC, and they’re talking furloughs, and possible job cuts. I’m trying to not freak out because, seriously, what can I do about it, right? But I don’t know what I will do if I get let go. My brain doesn’t cope with such stress very well.

  • Starshine

    February 6, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Oh, no! I’m sorry to hear this, Jules!

    Go drown your sorrows in Kelly, Dillon and the gang for a while, and then get to work on starting that pony petting zoo/library you’ve been dreaming about!

    *hugs*

  • Cherry

    February 6, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    CARP!!!!
    I’m sorry I’m so slow to read this!

    Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
    Wine?
    CheeseIts?
    Reference?
    Whatever

    HUGS!

  • Karen MEG

    February 6, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    Jules, this is crap. I’m so sorry. One week’s severance for 8 years???!!!! Hugs to you hon.

    Hope 90210 provides a pick me up.

    Ironically, in Canada, CARP stands for the Canadian Association for Retired Persons. Too bad you weren’t in that position … (I mean, not that you’re old, but I’m talking about being able to retire. I don’t know what I mean. I think you get what I’m trying to say, though.)

    This economy does suck. Glad that Ted will start his new job soon.

  • Linda Atkins

    February 6, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    Crud! (Just for a variation on “crap!” Or “carp!”) I am really sorry to hear that! What lousy news. I am glad that Ted has a new job–I hope he loves it and that it works out really well.

  • Gina

    February 7, 2009 at 9:51 am

    I second the CARP!

    I’m sorry. 🙁

    You know, Hubba-hubba was just asking about you guys a few weeks ago, and I was telling him about Ted’s new job. And we were so happy for your family, since 2009 was turning out to be a whole lot better than 2008.

    CARP.

    I hope that this opens up a new path for you, J.

  • Donna

    February 7, 2009 at 10:05 am

    That sucks. 1 week for 8 years. I’ll stop whining about noise and work now. Good luck. And congrats to Ted on getting a job. You guys have some time to spend together now before he starts up and you get back into the grind as well.

  • Barbara

    February 7, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Julie, Oh No! that stinks! I’m so sorry that you have to go through being laid off. It is amazing how little employees are valued and how many people are in your situation. This economy stinks. 🙁

    I’ll be sending you positive energy.

    Peace!

  • (un)relaxeddad

    February 7, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    1 week. I’m familiar with US severance pay, having worked for an American company during the dotcom bust and witnessed their shock at their first encounter with European employment law (the American VP HR type person came over to can everyone for a similar sum and had to have it explained that this would result in more lost tribunal cases than the worst nightmare of any company anywhere ever) but it still shocks me. Of course, when a company goes bust with no money left in the UK, all the law in the world doesn’t help.

    It really is horrid but your post sounds very tough minded – hope you find something better soon.

  • Jill

    February 8, 2009 at 6:05 am

    Carp indeed. (Is that the saying that’s going to replace carpe diem? Or does the latter simply mean “We are going to pay you in carp instead of cash? Hmmm…..)

    1 week of severance is unusually crappy for that amount of time, even for a U.S. company. When I was laid off in August from a research foundation associated with the state, we got no severance, but we did get six weeks notice and I had been hoarding vacation pay since our last layoff, so I ended up with a six-week head start looking for another job and then six weeks of vacation pay. Add to that unemployment for 4 weeks, a new job after the same 4 weeks, and a signon bonus in the new job, and I actually made money on the deal.

    I say this not to brag, but just to say that you never know how things are going to turn out, and that they can turn out better than you think they will. I am fat, 53, and found a new job, albeit doing something somewhat different than I’d thought, in so little time that I found myself wishing I’d had more time off.

    I was lucky in that my layoff was before things got really bad. But there are a few tips I can give you:

    1) Rework your resume to focus on what you ACCOMPLISHED, not what your responsibilities were or what you did as a matter of course.

    2) Tap every person you’ve ever known in your life. If you aren’t on Facebook and LinkedIn, put yourself there.

    3) Think creatively about what your experience enables you to do, then create a few versions of your resume to focus on various aspects of what you’ve done. In my job I thought of myself as a web developer because the clinical trials system work I did was so rote as to be grunt work. But it was the clinical version of my resume that got me the job. I only have experience that’s only RELATED to what we do here, but the rest can be learned. Now I am coordinating global teams of people who know far more about drug trials than I do and getting on conference calls at 6 AM with China. And not one person offered me a web programming job.

    4) Stay on your routine. Get up usual time, have coffee, shower, get dressed, do whatever morning stuff you do and get on the boards by 9 AM. Spend the morning cycling through so you can be among the first 50 or so resumes after the job posts. My husband was laid off 3 times in 4 years and has lots of experience with this. In a tight market, they will not read 300 resumes. So get yours there early.

    5) Be nice to yourself. If you get cabin fever and have to go to Panera with your laptop to do your job hunting, then do it. Three bucks for a coffee and scone isn’t going to kill your budget and it may help you keep your sanity.

    If things can work out for me they can work out for anybody. (((Hug)))

  • BiblioMom

    February 8, 2009 at 7:24 am

    Carp indeed!

    Of course in the mother of all irony my hours got bumped back up this week. They had been cut about a year ago and I was informed that I’d be receiving a new contract in the mail and to sign it ASAP. I had gotten used to my reduced hours. So where is the irony? I work with children living in poverty and for a multitude of reasons (not all economy related) my case load had skyrocketed.

  • CuriosityKiller

    February 9, 2009 at 12:51 am

    Oh wow. Sorry to hear that. I’ve been laid off before – it sucks that you’ve been with that company for so long and suddenly they would let you go like that. Hugs and wine.

  • amuirin

    February 9, 2009 at 1:01 pm

    Oh my gosh. You are much more calm about it than I would be.

    I guess there’s no use panicking, right? But omg.

    Economy is getting scarier and scarier.