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

[Uncle Hud]

Start looking. If anything turns up, explain to the offeror that you have "something personal planned" and can't start until August X. They'll understand.

Get every nickel out of your severance package.

 

[not2shabby]

Well....actually it'll take quite some time before the weekly checks stop coming...I don't think a prospective employer would hold a job that long.

I think I'd like to do something different too, I admit I was getting a bit burned out after 25 years. Just can't figure out how to get paid for riding or drinking. JK! Starting a business sounds good, but it's not without risks...plus I'm not sure what it would be.

 

[wnyfjr]

Well....actually it'll take quite some time before the weekly checks stop coming...I don't think a prospective employer would hold a job that long.
I think I'd like to do something different too, I admit I was getting a bit burned out after 25 years. Just can't figure out how to get paid for riding or drinking. JK! Starting a business sounds good, but it's not without risks...plus I'm not sure what it would be.

After over 7 years, my severance was less than a month's pay, so I am envious of those who can go a year while finding new work. We've got maybe 4-5 months before things get very ugly around here. I also thought about some sort of business, but exactly what that would be eludes me at the moment. I have some possible contract work lined up, but the uncertainty of when and how much leaves me still looking for a full-time gig, also possibly in a different skill set than what I've been doing for the last 20 years. I'm also in the camp where the salary I was earning is not likely to be seen again. I wonder how potential new employers might react to that...would they even offer me a job at a much-reduced salary or would they simply figure "He'd never take such a pay cut" and just skip over me to the next candidate?

Again, it sucks, but it's life these days, so we deal with it and keep moving. Now, where's that lottery ticket? Oh yeah, I didn't buy one. Crap.

 

[Big Sky]

Shabby, find a cheap flight to Bozeman or Missoula (Montana), then borrow my FJR or 1000 V-Strom for a couple of weeks of epic Northern Rockies riding!

 

[rbentnail]

I feel ya, man. I was let go in 2012 after 24 yrs. Within a 1.5 yr span back then nearly all long term employees were gone, replaced with college grads with no experience for literally 1/2 the $$$ . No severance, no nothing. Just "your services are no longer required, bye bye now". Then they fought against unemployment so it would have been months before I saw any of that. When the income stops the bills don't: I like to eat too much, with the lights on.

Good luck with your decisions, I know it's not easy.

 

[RichDoyle]

A note of encouragement: My wife has just retired, at the age of 74. Her profession, like mine, was custom software development. At her most recent job she was hired at the age of 68. Retired with a 6-figure salary and was pretty close or at that the whole time she worked there. Strangely, she even gets a couple of modest pensions - one from this job and one from a job she held in the 70's.

She was out of work for about a year before that, after being laid off as part of the failure of Washington Mutual. But I was a high earner all along, so it wasn't a hardship on us at all, making our situation somewhat different from yours.

FWIW, my highest income started coming in from about when I hit 55 or so. Pretty much the same for my wife.

 

[G Squared]

Alright. Done. Followed plan and resigned. Just like that. No formal anything. right at 6 yrs. and I've earned co. More profit than any 2 people and my stint there was longest than anyone there except the head tech. and I got a wave from my manager and a 'thanks for all I've done' from G.M. But that's exactly what I expected. So it went well. I'll chill for a few days, maybe take a small ride for the weekend and see what's next in the book of life.

 

[not2shabby]

wynfjr, sorry to hear about your situation. I really can't complain compared to what you're going through. Hang in there and good luck. I've though about the pay scale thing of starting new somewhere else in the same field too. After 25 years of raises and a few promotions....not likely to be very close, if they'd even make an offer for fear of 'insulting' me!

Big Sky....Gawd, that's tempting! But would likely result in someone getting very upset...to say the least. I really appreciate the offer though!

G Squared, that takes some cojones! Good luck man!

 

[Big Sky]

The offer stands. When was the last time you had a real vacation? Sounds to me like you deserve/could use one now. Okay, make it just a week... But I understand about keeping people happy...

And I wish the best to the rest of you struggling out there, same offer to you. Good luck to G Squared; you must simply have HAD ENOUGH!

 

[G Squared]

Definitely the nail on the head description. I had to leave. Really felt I had no choice. And I would love to just get away for awhile on the bike. Wish I could. If someone ever needed some time on the road alone,, that would be me about now. But I don't want my wife to worry and leave her alone to take care of things here. Stay close, rest for the weekend,, and next week, get to work.

And thanks for the thoughts.

 

[bergmen]

After working at HP (which morphed into Agilent) for 14 years I got laid off in 2002. Since the management team really did not realize that engineers are the source of the company's income, I felt that they did not deserve my services. Rather bitter about the whole thing at the time. I got a severance package (lump sum) that was enough to last about a year as long as I was frugal.

My tough situation is I am a self-taught Mechanical Engineer, no degree. Hundreds of resumes sent out, all ignored no matter what my experience or accomplishments. Worked a few odd jobs in the interim and did some short contracting work here and there. Luckily, I kept in touch with one of the Industrial Designers I worked with early in my HP career (who was working at another Agilent Division). Long story short, he recommended me for some contract ME work and I got the job after submitting a proposal. Worked as a contractor for five years when the opportunity opened up for them to offer me a permanent position (very difficult to get hired there, openings almost never happen). I enthusiastically accepted and have been there ever since. This was in early 2013 and I was 63 years old at the time. If it wasn't for Gil, I don't know what I would be doing today.

Take a bit of time to get over this and jump right back into it. Something will come your way. Give your former work buddies a call and start networking. Most of my jobs have happened by finding out (through the grapevine) that somebody needed help.

Dan

 

[G Squared]

Update. I had written update but it wouldn't post. So a short version is I am working at a large Ford dealership 1 block away from Yamaha dealership I just left. Had meeting with them today and start Monday. My only request was a safe and secure place to park,,,guess what???,,,, my FJR.

 

[RayW]

A lot of this going around, it seems. I got laid off from my telecomm job October of last year, after working for them for 30 years. They had laid me off back in 2002 also but I managed to find another job with them in a different state right as my severance package ran out. Right now I'm sitting at my new job in Greenville, SC, making $5 more an hour (PLUS 10% shift differential for working 3rd shift) than I made after 30 years with my former employer. Just bought a house here. Looking forward to getting my house in Atlanta sold and the fiance moving up here with me.

Oh...and I still get my severance package from my last job until November of this year.

It took about 6 months to get this job. Had about 40 applications in with this company alone for various positions in several states.

And I'm 59. So hoping I can keep this one long enough for me to get my 401K in shape (after the ex got her half a few years ago) so I can retire at about 72. That guy Al (I think) that just ran the Iron Butt at 79 gives me hope for a good retirement at that age.

 

[G Squared]

Congrats Ray. Best of luck.