DescentBB

So as with recent events in this country I thought I had a fairly secure, well what I thought was secure job. I was Level 2 tech for Dell technical support. I work for a outsourcing company, and on Wednesday the company let us know that Dell was pulling the plug on us, now many of you who have worked in call centers know, hey if a project leaves you can always move over to another project, well the only project at my company is a Verizon FIOS project, which would be an alright project to work on, not the best by any means. Well where I live, (Out in utah) we have 3 Dell sites all managed by this outsourcing company, where they are all losing the Dell project, which means in the state of Utah there will be roughly 250 techs that are pretty much being set free out in the world to go find jobs, and right now in the state there isnt much open as far as the tech area goes that pays the same ammount, atleast that are currently hiring. So its been tough trying stay motivated, especially when a few weeks ago I bought a plane ticket for a vacation I was going to go on in July. And best of all the company that I work for is \"Unsure\" if they are going to let me cash out the Paid time off that I had stock piled for that trip. So I am kind of bummed about the whole situation.

Ugh, so sorry to hear about your troubles. I got laid off last year, so I can sympathize. I'm re-employed now, and actually at a better job, although I sure miss telecommuting. Even though things look dark now, they can improve!

I'll be keeping you in my prayers!

I was unemployed for several months. Now I contract for the State of Texas, which is pretty cool.

contracting an STD doesn't count.

As a recent layoff myself (I'm employed again), I feel for ya. There's no such thing as job security anymore. Employment security, if you have the skills and experience and drive to constantly grow, but no one job is forever anymore.

Fellows I used to work with (6 months ago) only knew Microsoft Access and VBScript. I spent months trying to tell them how important it was to get caught up and learn new technologies (.NET/C#/Java/PHP/whatever). I gave them free C# lessons for a few months, but they were not inclined to study on their own. They thought they were safe because they \"were dug in like a tick\", as they called it, at the company. Guess what? The got laid off a couple weeks ago (without severance, er, fired). Now they have no idea where they are going to find work, since nobody will hire a Microsoft Access programmer for F/T work anymore (at least here). And they have families.

Me? I have a great job, which I just got 6 months ago, voluntarily. I also run my own side-business and I am having to turn away customers because I am so busy. And I'm single.

Moral of the story? Don't be lazy! Keep your skills up to date! Keep yourself educated! Be responsible! If you do this and lose your job, these elements are essential to getting hired over \"the other guy\".

Ouch. Even without the recession coming into it, sticking to Access alone would have been a terrible decision - it just isn't a broadly applicable skill any more, if it ever was. Pretty much anything it can do, something else can do better...

And with the technology front ever-changing anyway, you don't want to be stuck in that situation.

Yah, until I have kids, I think I'll continue educations on-line. I got an associates degree in General Business, my next goal is to get a masters degree in Finance, and if all is going well afterwards, get a degree in banking. I want to maintain a career in the banking industry and to get out of the job of a teller and into a back office job.

I like to study and write papers and such, so while I wait for a good position to open up in my company, I can polish and improve my knowledge.

Here's what'cha doo, Bob, when yew loose yer chob. Yew quit playin' goodhard American vidyeagames, ya sell yer children, ya thank the 6,000 year old planet ya still got your teeth and buck up, Bill. It's a hard group of workin' guise fightin' for those chobs they always thought would be there. They're not - but it's stabilizing.

Now get yer hardhat and yer mennonite clothes and scare the children with tales of eternal damnation ya hard workin' guy.

*edit* oh, and eat ramens, brew yer own coffee, and use that ace up yer sleeve contact yew never used to make yew a mailman.

Ah, TheCope. You just reminded me to mail that bill I've been meaning to mail in the last three days.

I think Cope needs a hug. ^_~

And the preferred phrasing is eternal condemnation, by the way. =P