I missed a couple days posting here. I've been in "react mode" due to an announcement at my job. You see, my employer depends on revenue from government contracts. One of these contracts has been reduced. Another contract that my employer normally enjoys without being forced to bid on may or may not be awarded to my employer.
In a nutshell . . . people are going to lose their jobs.
Unfortunately, that doesn't mean a couple people. It means quite a few people. And, in the months to come, there may be another round of layoffs if we are not awarded the other contract. The scary part, from all the speculation and gossip floating around, is that it is widely agreed upon that the first round is going to be pretty close to the bone. If we do not win the other contract, my employer may be forced to cut off a leg or an arm.
I've dodged layoffs here before. Since I have worked here ( just shy of five years ) there has been one layoff. This time, I am fairly confident that I will dodge any bullets. But, the coming months are very iffy. If we don't get that contract ( which I directly support ) I am confident I will be voted off the island.
Since I have developed a desire for food, housing, and clothes and I have a family who depends on me for the same, I decided to be a little proactive and start trying to find something else. In the words of another person I work with ( and I'm paraphrasing ), "We never really know when the axe could fall." My wife finds it very ironic that we moved to a place she has come to despise as the result of me being layed off only to be layed off again.
We tossed the idea of relocating elsewhere around a little bit. I'm against the idea. Not that I have come to love where we live, but it is a decent place to raise kids without the crime and drugs that are so prevalent in larger, metropolitan areas where jobs are plentiful. Besides, my kids do have friends here and I would hate to take that away from at this time in their lives.
For me, it's a difficult decision to which I really don't have any answers. So far, I have an interview on Wednesday. I had already applied for this job back in January. I visit their website on a fairly regular basis. A couple weeks ago I saw that the posting was removed and assumed that the job had been filled. They never called or sent me one of those gracious, "Thanks for applying but . . . blah blah blah," letters. At first glance I assumed that they decided to go with someone cheaper or less experience than I have. However, much to my surprise, I received a call from them on Wednesday.
The upside to all of this . . . the job that I will be interviewing for is much more appealing to my interests. I may have to take a small pay cut, but I don't know the whole compensation package just yet. The benefits may outweigh the small pay cut I will face. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, I'm pretty open to any suggestions. I'm certainly not in, "Oh My God I've Got To Do Something!!!!" mode. I have time to make any changes that need to be made.
Unfortunately, that doesn't mean a couple people. It means quite a few people. And, in the months to come, there may be another round of layoffs if we are not awarded the other contract. The scary part, from all the speculation and gossip floating around, is that it is widely agreed upon that the first round is going to be pretty close to the bone. If we do not win the other contract, my employer may be forced to cut off a leg or an arm.
I've dodged layoffs here before. Since I have worked here ( just shy of five years ) there has been one layoff. This time, I am fairly confident that I will dodge any bullets. But, the coming months are very iffy. If we don't get that contract ( which I directly support ) I am confident I will be voted off the island.
Since I have developed a desire for food, housing, and clothes and I have a family who depends on me for the same, I decided to be a little proactive and start trying to find something else. In the words of another person I work with ( and I'm paraphrasing ), "We never really know when the axe could fall." My wife finds it very ironic that we moved to a place she has come to despise as the result of me being layed off only to be layed off again.
We tossed the idea of relocating elsewhere around a little bit. I'm against the idea. Not that I have come to love where we live, but it is a decent place to raise kids without the crime and drugs that are so prevalent in larger, metropolitan areas where jobs are plentiful. Besides, my kids do have friends here and I would hate to take that away from at this time in their lives.
For me, it's a difficult decision to which I really don't have any answers. So far, I have an interview on Wednesday. I had already applied for this job back in January. I visit their website on a fairly regular basis. A couple weeks ago I saw that the posting was removed and assumed that the job had been filled. They never called or sent me one of those gracious, "Thanks for applying but . . . blah blah blah," letters. At first glance I assumed that they decided to go with someone cheaper or less experience than I have. However, much to my surprise, I received a call from them on Wednesday.
The upside to all of this . . . the job that I will be interviewing for is much more appealing to my interests. I may have to take a small pay cut, but I don't know the whole compensation package just yet. The benefits may outweigh the small pay cut I will face. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, I'm pretty open to any suggestions. I'm certainly not in, "Oh My God I've Got To Do Something!!!!" mode. I have time to make any changes that need to be made.
Good luck might seem a bit hollow from half way around the world - but I wish you luck anyway - cheers
Whew...I'm sending you some good thoughts. It sounds like you're in a good place with things though. You aren't panicked, so that's cool. I'm sure that it's not easy, knowing that you have your family depending on you. But I'm also sure that everything's going to be okay, because you sound like the kind of person that's going to make it that way.