A right royal shafting

Sorry to hear that.

One of the benefits of self-employment is that I can't be fired. I can starve to death from lack of clients, but no one can keep me from showing up at my desk whenever I want to.

Two deep thoughts come to mind.

Life is a s#(! sandwich and every day is another bite.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Contrasting thoughts.

What you described is not a good situation. I wouldn't want to work for any company that believes that is the proper way to handle such matters. In a couple of weeks it will be 26 years since I've held a traditional 40-hour fulltime job. It would require a drastic situation befoe I would even consider doing that again.

Good luck and best wishes.

sorry to hear that, but I hear opportunity knocking for you. best of luck.

You have a highly specialized skill that people will pay for. Good Lu.ck!

> Apparently the firm I work for is being restructured - parts being sold - and I'm to be one of the casualties
>
> After eleven years in the same position, and with two young teenage kids, and the wrong side of fifty, its kind of scary being made redundant

Jim, from reading your posts, my idea is that any company that wouldn't want you working for them isn't worth working for. I don't know what the answer to your situation is, but for chrissake don't sell yourself short.

:good:

What Parts Are Being Sold ?

Do the parts being sold offer an opportunity for employment?

And you had no hint this was about to happen?

Usually before such a company action there are signs, which may have been missread.

Such signs give you an opportunity to get a headstart on a job search.

Anyone suitable for a reference left behind? Or do you prefer not to ask?

BTW, apparently you were already redundant, now you are surplussed.

Paul in PA

What Parts Are Being Sold ?

> Do the parts being sold offer an opportunity for employment?
>
> And you had no hint this was about to happen?
>
> Usually before such a company action there are signs, which may have been missread.
>
> Such signs give you an opportunity to get a headstart on a job search.
>
> Anyone suitable for a reference left behind? Or do you prefer not to ask?
>
> BTW, apparently you were already redundant, now you are surplussed.
>
> Paul in PA

Good Points by all.
A few years ago, my BIL workd for Nortel,a large telecommunications outfit in Dallas area. He is some kind of computer/software/something expert.
The company was going down down down in stock and he saw th writing on the wall. There had already been a massive amout of downsizing and lay-offs.
So instead of waiting for th other shoe to drop, he went to a recruiter to help him search for a job while he was still employed. He had only a few interviews over a 6 month period but finally found a position with another firm. It worked out well for him because he did fnd a good job in Huntsville Al and has been employed since that time.
I guess what I am trying to say is tht your best bet is to be proactive in your search for a job. Maybe getting involved with prfessioanal job hunter will find you a nice future.You certainly have the right skills and experience.

Ditto, personally have changed jobs four times in the past five years (although I went back to the same company three times) so I know the high wire without a net feeling.

Swing for the fences, this is not a setback, rather a major opportunity to do what YOU want to do, where you want to do it, and for whoever you choose to do it for.

Things aren't that rosy in Perth, either ...

From what I hear from a friend, there's not a plethora of jobs in Perth, either. Unless you are willing to "ship out" on a geophysical exploration vessel.

Thankx for the kind thoughts guys.

Actually I'm not really too concerned about the layoff. While we dont have much financial reserve, we are not carrying any debt. So long as I can keep the kids cost expectations down we will cope. I'm pretty good at living very frugally, and if I'm not putting much money out I dont need much coming in

I'm only half joking about retiring - I always promised myself I'd learn to fly fish - maybe now's the time to start.

Also in recent years I've also been feeling stuck flying a desk. Like that old surveyor in the cartoon returning to fieldwork as a rodman appeals.

A field job beats a desk job any day of the week.

Sometimes I have to survey the desk top but it's bearable because I know that it's a result of my own field work and I will escape again soon.