Hints that your about to lose your job

[mikeofaustin]

Having been through my third mass layoff as of 3 weeks ago, I've realized a few things.

1. If your department is making a product that is very similar to a product in a different department, one of them is in trouble.
2. If, during the development of your product, company funds for purchase orders start to freeze, you're in trouble.
3. If there is no more 'schedule updates' that reflect upper management's desires or directions, you're in trouble.
4. If the boss has been closing the door to his office a lot and has been very 'distant' lately, you're in trouble.
5. If the company has software that they lease that you need to do your job, that for some reason, isn't being renewed, and they keep saying "we're working on it", you're in trouble.
6. If you get an email saying there's a mandatory company wide meeting the very next morning... yep, you're in trouble.

I've been looking for work for 3 weeks now, and the job listings are absolutely horrible. I've networked to death. I've even started unsolicited resume mailings. I think I'm about to resort to something I haven't done since my teens - "Lawns mowed and trimmed - $20" (cheap - so I'm guaranteed work).
Fortunately for me, I lived within my means, and didn't overextend myself in credit cards or a house I couldn't afford, so I should be fine as long as I am very frugal.

(Part of the freescale Semiconductor layoff in Austin, TX on 2/25)

 

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[Montana Jim]

Many years ago a buddy of mine started to "cut grass" just to stay out of the bars... he turned it into a full time second job, hired two to three guys as help all summer long, and plowed in the winter...

He's running a six figure outfit now in a depressed area - he's doing great. Don't be too quick to discount lawnwork!

 

[mikeofaustin]

He's running a six figure outfit now in a depressed area - he's doing great. Don't be too quick to discount lawnwork!

yeah, my idea is to get enough people on the schedule at first, then raise the rate on new clients as the schedule fills up. No-one around here charges under $25. Usually, those ads are written in 'broken English'. Isn't it kind of ironic? I'm undercutting the people that did the initial undercutting.

"Jobs that no-one wants?" No so much anymore.

 

[Montana Jim]

He's running a six figure outfit now in a depressed area - he's doing great. Don't be too quick to discount lawnwork!

yeah, my idea is to get enough people on the schedule at first, then raise the rate on new clients as the schedule fills up. No-one around here charges under $25. Usually, those ads are written in 'broken English'. Isn't it kind of ironic? I'm undercutting the people that did the initial undercutting.

"Jobs that no-one wants?" No so much anymore.

Keep at it man... one day the phone might ring and you can go back to doing whatever it is you do... otherwise, word of mouth and some willingness to sweat will help keep you in the game!

 

[Montana Jim]

The SBA are awesome...

 

[Lowbatts]

Hey Mike,
How many times have you relocated to keep a job?

 

[deepskyal]

Our company advertised for 1 position two weeks ago.

Last year we couldn't bribe anyone to do the kind of work we do...it's god-awful dirty, sometimes smelly, and we're on 24 hour call, seven days a week. I love it.

But this time, for one opening, we had over 1000 inquiries.

Unfortunately, companies are taking advantage of this fact. Where my ex-wife works, they have dropped the starting wage for new hires by 2 dollars...figuring people will be grateful just to get a job....and no 90 day raise.

I feel for you...we've had 3 layoffs so far this year. Granted, they didnt last long...but it's a sign of the times. We never had layoffs.

Good luck, I wish you well.

Al

 

[GPURS]

Mike you have had a pretty crappy past several months if memory serves me right?? Hope everything works out for ya.. Whats the saying,,, Necessity is the mother of invention.... Good luck, Gpurs..

 

[BIG61AL]

I was fired almost 18 months ago and i finally took work at a temp agency and have been working full time for a yearnow.

 

[Produce Guy]

Hey Mike,
I'm sorry for your lost,might you try HEB,I've worked for them for 14 years and their a very stable company and were fixing to go into the Dallas market in about 2-3 years from now.
Go to www.heb.com and look at the job posting.
A fellow austin nite dale K.

 

[lonesomebob]

I started a small cando job pouring foundations for headstones, paid right well to til my heartattack.

 

[sniffer]

around here, the going rate for a "mow" job is 35 dollars a week. a crew of three will pull up, unload 2 ZTR mowers and a weed eater.
They will mow and weed eat an average city yard in about 15 minutes, they "work" about 6 hours a day, the rest is drive time
that's around 900 dollars a day, that's making good money