Not the 1st, won't be the last I'm sure....

[not2shabby]

Guess I shouldn't have sold the FJR for not having time to ride....just got 'downsized' today after 25 1/2 years. Big companies suck. There's no loyalty to employees anymore, it's all about the Benjamins. I did receive a pretty generous severance, but not looking forward to job hunting at 57.

Not looking for sympathy, just venting. Don't take anything for granted. I could see it coming but thought I had a few more years. Oh, well.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Vent all you need. That sucks. How in the Hell does a company lay off 25+ year employees. Sounds like ********. People will do anything to save a dollar. Sorry you got caught up in it.

 

[MadRussian]

Been there myself a few years back.

After a year of looking and not finding anything (I collected unemployment for the first time in my life), I decided to work for myself.

The best move I ever made.

I don't make the same money I did before, but I sure as hell have a lot more time to ride and enjoy life. (7K miles in 3 month)

I'm 56 years old electrical engineer.

 

[Proteus1952]

I went through the job search purgatory when I was 55 after taking a year off and getting by with a pension from 20 years of employment in the government sector. As I recall it took about six months of daily effort. Looking for a job is a job. I know that's an old cliché but its still valid. My greatest adjustment was that the entire process is online and much more impersonal. Hone your resume, don't fall for phony ******** and keep your goals is site. I finally got into a solid professional position that then led to an even better one 2 1/2 years later. Best of luck to you. BTW- I have fond memories of Westerville, grew up in nearby Dublin when it was still a sleepy town of about 700.

 

[Bungie]

My dad used to give me advice when I was a teenager during the 70's.

"Get in a big company, it'll suck the life out of you, but stick it out, save money, go for the pension"

Ugh huh. What my dad didn't realize then that a few years later he'd be turfed from the company he worked for after 30 years. Now here it is 35 years later for me and I've never worked at a single place longer than 7 years.

Their is no company loyalty, and hence, no employee loyalty. Look out for yourself unless you've got ample proof that the company you work for is looking out for you.

 

[lnewlf]

Worked for Schaeffer Brewery right out of school...Great pay, bennies, Teamster union, all the goodies...[and best beer I ever had-right out of the 13 K barrel tanks]-[[drinking age was 18 then]]. Five years later with 2 weeks notice they shut down the plant and put 900 guys on the street. Learned my lesson early on and worked for myself ever since, and made more on the weekends than I did all week with Schaeffer..

 

[James Burleigh]

My first real job, back shortly after I got out of college in 1980, was for Kaiser Engineers in Oakland (that company doesn't exist anymore). I figured my career would be like my dad's generation: work for a company for 30 years, then retire with a pension. Well, I soon realized this was not my father's career world when I saw men (the engineers were all men) getting laid off after 30 years with the company.

I've been laid off several times in my career owing to mergers and downsizing, etc. I wouldn't wish getting laid off on my worst enemy. As men who often define ourselves by our work, and who are often the principal bread winners of the family, we take being laid off to heart: As an indication that we are not that good at what we define ourselves as (not true, but it's that nagging &^%$# voice in our heads that keeps saying it. BTW, re. those voices in our heads that tell us we're no good: They lie!) Most of all we feel that we have let our family down.

The worst part about getting laid off is no one says "Sorry it had to be this way. But thank you for your service." Companies are very bad at hiring, and equally bad at laying people off.

As my kids embark on their own careers, I tell them there are two main ways to get a job: Work for an entrepreneur, or be one. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. If you work for an entrepreneur you get a steady paycheck and relatively steady hours; but you are at the whim of the employer. If you are an entrepreneur, you are your own boss making your own hours, but those hours are long, the pay unsteady (at first), and you may soon be unemployed again....

But take heart in knowing it's the best economy, and the lowest unemployment, since 2008. You will land on your feet. It just takes time and effort. What I always did was figure that when I was between jobs my job was to get a job. So I got up at 6:30, showered, dressed, had breakfast, then hit job search mode till noon. Broke for lunch, then worked till 5 and quit for the day. Took weekends off. Effort yields results.

PM me if you'd like advice on networking, informational interviews, resume design, and how to use Linkedin....

Good luck!

Hans

 

[Big Sky]

not2shabby, my heart aches for you. It can't not hurt to be handled that way. Corporate America is a ruthless place; there is no taking into account that they are dealing with actual human beings. When I hear it said, "Corporations are people," I laugh.

I worked for a $billion/annually company, but back in 1994 I saw some things that prompted me to get out. Good move. They gave walking papers to workers who had literally devoted their lives to the company...and summarily: "Clean out your desk." I started my own business and there have been many ups and downs including a "partner divorce" (it's actually called a "dissociation") after the death of one of our partners; income has been good and bad and okay... But I'm my own boss, responsible for my own successes and failures. I'm happy and content.

Meanwhile, the corporation I worked for saw their stock go from $44/share to 24¢/share, went through bankruptcy, etc. Management was so full of hubris! Some life-long employees saw their 401Ks go from $500,000 to $5,000 and will never recover.

Sometimes these things can be a blessing in disguise, only discernible by looking in the rear view mirror from some distance. May this be the case for you.

 

[wnyfjr]

"As men who often define ourselves by our work, and who are often the principal bread winners of the family, we take being laid off to heart: As an indication that we are not that good at what we define ourselves as (not true, but it's that nagging &^%$# voice in our heads that keeps saying it. BTW, re. those voices in our heads that tell us we're no good: They lie!) Most of all we feel that we have let our family down."

I've been trying to avoid that f@#*&^% voice for a month now, as June 10th was my last day due to the elimination of my small department within the company I worked almost 7 and a half years for. It ain't easy. I went from looking forward to using much of my vacation days for rides like EOM, to worrying about how much that loaf of bread costs at the grocery store, hoping to make our savings last as long as we can until I can land another gig.

As has been stated, loyalty to employees is a thing of the past. The bottom line is all that matters, and even at that, they only seem to look at the short-term results. How can they make the numbers look better for this quarter, regardless of how that might impact the next year's performance.

Sucks man, I definitely feel your pain.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Damn, not2shabby, that blows chunks. Happened to me a couple of years ago at the middle of the 21st century depression (aged 50+ at the time). I looked hard for a few weeks, then said **** it. Collected unemployment for 3 or 4 months and rode almost every day. Out of the blue, after 6 months of idleness, somebody called me from a LinkedIn connection and offered me a job in Boston.

So, don't give up and NEVER doubt your abilities or qualifications. Collect some of that unemployment you've been contributing to for many years, make sure you're listed in on-line databases with an-up-to-date resume, plan and execute a two-week adventure ride, and make sure your cell phone batteries are always charged -- because you never know when someone will call.

 

[James Burleigh]

...plan and execute a two-week adventure ride....

Two big thumbs up to that idea! Take the opportunity to relax, clear your head, and do something you might otherwise not have had the opportunity to do. Then get serious about your job search when you get back.

 

[El Toro Joe]

That does suck...you didn't work for Emerson Network Power, did you?

 

[RichDoyle]

My dad used to give me advice when I was a teenager during the 70's.
"Get in a big company, it'll suck the life out of you, but stick it out, save money, go for the pension"

Ugh huh. What my dad didn't realize then that a few years later he'd be turfed from the company he worked for after 30 years. Now here it is 35 years later for me and I've never worked at a single place longer than 7 years.

Their is no company loyalty, and hence, no employee loyalty. Look out for yourself unless you've got ample proof that the company you work for is looking out for you.

My father actually gave me the opposite advice, having watched what was standard practice for managing non-union employees before there were regulations put in place on pension plans:

1. Our plan is that can get your pension at 60.

2. Sorry, I know you're 58, but we need to lay you off (unstated: you're being paid more than we have to for a younger person). Since you're not yet 60, you get no pension at all. Here's a week's pay. Good luck.

There was actually Congressional testimony in the 70's about these abuses by many well-known companies.

Now they play a different game: "Can I find a warm body in Lower Slobovia who will work for fresh fungus? Yes? Sayonara, you lazy, middle-aged, overpaid American."

Like you, my longest tenure with any company is about 7 years. More commonly 2 or 3. Only been laid off once, though. Then I went independent contractor until I retired, and that worked out great.

Loyalty by companies to employees is not a thing of the past, it's largely a thing of "never was". Particularly true in larger companies. As a minion, you need to understand this and manage your life with the same distance in the relationship that your employer maintains to you (though they may pretend otherwise).

Biggest lie out there: "Our employees are our most important resource."

 

[08FJR4ME]

My first real job I had I worked one month shy of 6 years. Guess what! After completing 6 years you were vested in the pension plan. So the Foookers screwed me out of my pension laying me off one month shy of being eligible. Not only that my wife was 8 months pregnant with my first child. Oh yeh, I lost my insurance coverage too. Sooooooo the moral of the story is never trust any company you work for. They are all evil *******s. I learned early on.

I did the business thing with a couple other partners. I pretty much took on a failing business and made it very profitable over 10 years that I was there. Dam near killed me in the beginning. It was a lot of hours in the first few years. The two other partners were just taking advantage of me so we parted ways. It's a long story but I gained a lot of experience doing it. So now I work for a big Company once again and have my own home business with no partners. I can see the handwriting on the wall coming down the road though. They are hiring nothing but college grads that are so green it's ridiculous. They are catering the benefits to fit them and not the older workers. I can't count the number of times they come to me and ask for help because they not what to do. I spent 2 1/2 years training my last boss who was a college hire. If you don't have a degree now at my company you are worthless. 2020 I can retire with a full pension. I hope I can make it that long.

Best of luck, Shabby.

There are no guarantees in life,

Dave

 

[russperry]

My dad used to give me advice when I was a teenager during the 70's.
"Get in a big company, it'll suck the life out of you, but stick it out, save money, go for the pension"

Ugh huh. What my dad didn't realize then that a few years later he'd be turfed from the company he worked for after 30 years. Now here it is 35 years later for me and I've never worked at a single place longer than 7 years.

Their is no company loyalty, and hence, no employee loyalty. Look out for yourself unless you've got ample proof that the company you work for is looking out for you.

Unfortunately, the days of pensions at the big companies is pretty much come to an end except for the union guys. Its a 401k world and that's a lot less lucrative than a pension.....

 

[G Squared]

Well damn. I'm at a crossroads for sure. My (our) plan is for me to resign my job tomorrow morning. It's not a corporate position or anything, but I've enjoyed selling Yamaha and Honda products these last 6 years. It will end tomorrow. I've been putting off decision for weeks but,as you all know, it's a big decision. Being around and directly involved with the motoring community has been fun and rewarding in numerous ways, but the direction (dealership) is headed and my direction are no longer the same. Next chapter please....

 

[08FJR4ME]

My company is one of the last hold outs. I also contribute to a 401K and the pension is company paid. Some of the guys refer to it as having a golden ball and chain. You hate to leave because the benefits are very good right now but you have to deal with the big corporate mindset and do nothings.

Dave

 

[08FJR4ME]

Well damn. I'm at a crossroads for sure. My (our) plan is for me to resign my job tomorrow morning. It's not a corporate position or anything, but I've enjoyed selling Yamaha and Honda products these last 6 years. It will end tomorrow. I've been putting off decision for weeks but,as you all know, it's a big decision. Being around and directly involved with the motoring community has been fun and rewarding in numerous ways, but the direction (dealership) is headed and my direction are no longer the same. Next chapter please....

Good luck G S,

Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say. It looks like my local dealer is loosing thier Yamaha dealership. Mostly Honda's in the showroom last time I was there. Mom & PoP dealer but great folks.

Dave

 

[not2shabby]

08FJR4ME, Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I can't disclose too much, but this describes my situation very well. What sucks is if I take another job before my weekly severance package ends, they quit paying it. Finding another job at the rate I was making is highly doubtful. Not exactly incentive to start looking....but then I take a chance on missing something decent if I wait. Plus, if I start drawing from the pension before 60-62, I forget, the monthly amount would be less.

Joe, I never heard of Emerson Network Power.

Thank you all for the words of encouragement. I knew others here have had similar experiences. It's not the end of the world...but it's not a warm fuzzy either.

Oh, and the idea of a 2 week adventure ride sounds awesome....but I only have the plated Husky TXC 450 now. Not exactly the mile munching missile the FJR was! Not to mention the SO isn't exactly happy about all this. Kinda messed up her retirement plans for now.