So, I got canned today at 4:00. The whole time my boss was talking all I could think about was Office Space quotes.

"We like to let 'em go on Friday. We find that it causes fewer confrontations"

Dumb Fuckers!!

I know a couple of people here have been dealing with unemployment in the tech sector. Any tips on keeping my sanity would be greatly appreciated.

So far I've moved from DeNile (which is not a river in Africa), to anger. What phases are coming next?

On another note... I currently have a box for my RioCar, Rio Riot, and Rio Receiver in my car. Too bad the company is filing for chapter 11, I enjoyed them very much.

BTW, the Rio Riot, priced under $200 on eBay, and with the M$ transfer software... F'n Rox! Sorry Loren. You should get Windows XP so that the Riot is useable, I have only nitpicking complaints about it so far.

Enough rambling for the unemployed drunk. Rio rox! love everything the empeg guys have done. wish I had a job to pay for Pearl. Love the community here. Still need to hit Loren's brother with the initiation paddle.

Piece out!!

Where are you at? My manager is looking for about three more people -- Perl + 3D software + proprietary stuff, all on Linux.

Any tips on keeping my sanity would be greatly appreciated.

Sanity? Who said any of us were sane?


I've been through this twice in past two years, so I can sympathize; it sucks. My recent stint of unemployment ended only two weeks ago, and lasted roughly two months. I figure I got very lucky. Most people I've heard from have spent at least 4-6 months unemployed, including myself just a year prior.

As far as advice (most of this has been said before, and probably will be said again, but anyway) : treat the job search as a job itself, don't give up (obviously), be fairly aggressive/proactive, a little humor never hurts, be extremely open-minded, think of any interview you go to as your first day at work, most certainly be yourself (who else would you be? ...I won't go into that...), and (I know this is sort of counter-intuitive to some of the previous, but..) use the phrase "So, when do I start?"

Also, there have been a few good threads related to this topic that are quite informative, one of which is here.

All in all I wish you luck in your endeavors, and a short unemployment sentence, as it were.


(PS: Thanks again to everyone who responded to my desperate cry for help not too long ago. Just the fact that the sincere compassion was there did much for my insanity at the time. )


(PPS: Funny you should mention "Office Space," as I just watched that again last night. )

hmm, same here. canned on wednesday, third time in three years. it's enough to make me seriously reconsider the line of work i'm in.

--dan.

Y'all can come work at FedEx for $7/hour. It sucks, but you have to be legally retarded to get fired.

All I can say is stay positive. Most of it is out of your hands. I would try the defense industry. They seem like the only ones hiring. I know a few friends and I, after getting canned from the telecom industry, moved to the defense industry and all got jobs. I can say after working here at Raytheon for 5 months, I absolutely love my job. If you want to stay in your particluar industry (whatever that is), you pretty much need someone already at the company to bypass HR, and get the resume to someone's desk. Good luck, and try to enjoy the time off.

Well, I would seriously consider Raytheon but...

a) They closed the plant that is around the corner (literally) from me.
b) As a non-US citizen, I doubt I'd be able to get clearance.

Oh well. One point for staying positive is simply to do something. Learn a new skill (the one that you kept trying to find time for previously), and get a part time bar job (assuming it won't screw up your unemployment benefits). Bar jobs are great for keeping spirits up - firstly you can still see value in your time, but more importantly, they keep a sense of structure to your life, and give you face to face social interactions. Both elements can help prevent a slide into solitude and depression.

Tobin, Dan,

Bummer. Can you guys sing? Find a fourth and we can make a career shift to barbershop quartet.

Wednesday I bought a bottle of bourbon and decided I would have a nice, round day of self-pity on Thursday -- drink adulterated coffee until the call came. Well, dang, my then-boss (in Central Time) called at 06:00 Pacific. Not nearly enough time to get swacked!

Anyhow, I couldn't begrudge him the early call. He had a long list, and he had to finish it and report to *his* boss, so that his boss could call him to lay *him* off. Shades of Goto Dengo.

My suggestion is to try something different, that is if you can afford to.

I left my tech job (intentionally) about a year ago, and recently found myself in need of funds. I turned my back on the tech industry, seeing as it was in a shambles and started looking for something else career-wise. I ended up taking a job as crew on the Hy-Line high speed ferry from the Cape to Nantucket. The job is pretty fun, I get to spend all day out on the water in Nantucket sound (gorgeous), I get to operate their new 7 million dollar catamaran jet ferry (really fun), and the people I work with are pretty cool. Plus no stupid office politics, and no boring meetings. The work is not as mentally stimlulating, but it is more physical, which feels good.

The change from sitting in an office all day is profound. My work environment is much improved, and my job satisfaction is up. I still keep my hands in tech by doing freelance work on the side, but so far its been a pleasant change of pace. And I'm gaining boat hours towards a captains license. Hmmm... could be a new career path...

Granted this job only pays about half of what I was used to getting, but irregardless my standard of living seems to be about the same. I just need to be a little more careful with my spending habits.

Anyway, just something to think about while perusing the classifieds...

I ended up taking a job as crew on the Hy-Line high speed ferry from the Cape to Nantucket.

Wow!! My dad was captain of the East Chop until 3 years ago when he retired at age 79. I remember his mates Dee and Win among others. If you mention his name, please don't let anyone know that his son is out spewing seditious, irreligious bunk on the Internet. Mom and Dad think I am contemplating a career change to the priesthood.

(actually, I think they know better but that they hold out dim hope!)

Remember to book all your time. If you enjoy it, buy some used Houston books and start studying for your license. That's on my list of to-dos. I often think of a stint at Hy-Line as my dream retirement job.

I get to operate their new 7 million dollar catamaran jet ferry (really fun), and the people I work with are pretty cool. Plus no stupid office politics, and no boring meetings. The work is not as mentally stimlulating, but it is more physical, which feels good.

<More obligatory Office Space quotes>
"Fuckin' A."
"Fucking... A..."
</More obligatory Office Space quotes>

I often think of a stint at Hy-Line as my dream retirement job.

Yeah, I'm starting to think that way too...
The Captains seem to have it pretty good!

Exactly...

Yeah, I'm starting to think that way too...The Captains seem to have it pretty good!

Until your first mate farks up and drives up onto a sand bar in the fog!

When he went to work for Hy-Line in the early 80s, my Dad had perhaps the only unlimted master ticket, had 26 round-the-world trips in his logs, and had, I think, more sea time than the rest of the company combined.

He started as a *deckhand* on the Patience/Prudence, moved up to skipper those challenging single-screw, rope-steered tour boats for several years, and then transitoned to first mate on East Chop for a few years before 5-6 years as captain on that boat. No getting around paying those dues!

Yes, I'd say toughest is 1st mate. Have to be there earlier and stay late. Captain just shows up and asks the 1st "everything ready?"

I am really grateful for him having that Hy-Line opportunity. My hat's off to them. I hope I can manage something as much fun!

b) As a non-US citizen, I doubt I'd be able to get clearance.

Not all jobs in the defense sector need clearances. IT work, application programing and the like don't require clearances at all. Don't ignore those opportunities just because you dont think you qualify.

Not all jobs in the defense sector need clearances. IT work, application programing and the like don't require clearances at all. Don't ignore those opportunities just because you dont think you qualify.

We (I work on a DOD contract) have an Italian who is not a U.S. citizen working on my team. My company also employs several Non-US employees who work on government contractcs.

Tobin, Dan, and others

Good luck in the job search, I know how it feels. I lost my job in November but recently found another job about 2 months ago. I still feel bitter towards my old company - mostly because upper management there was a bunch of morons who ran the company into the ground after buying up all these other little failing wireless companies.

Words of advice - network as much as you can. Talk to friends, relatives, etc etc. Bypassing HR/the paper/monster/etc to get a job is better - thats how I got in. My friend had just gotten a job and 2 months later got me a job at the same place.

Not all jobs in the defense sector need clearances. IT work, application programing and the like don't require clearances at all. Don't ignore those opportunities just because you dont think you qualify.

Thats strange - when I was out there looking, there were tons of IT/Tech jobs especially around the DC area at various defense contractors and such, most all of those jobs required clearance. There was an IT job fair I almost went to except for the fact that all the companies there required job clearances.

Good luck guys, and like other said, if it starts being a while that you're out of work - get a small part time job somewhere just so you're out there talking to people. I was really close to getting a job at a ski resort if I didn't get the opportunity for the job I have now.

Just went to dinner with the 1st mate on my boat, and he made some comment about it being a small world.
I laughed and told him about what you had posted here about your dad working for Hy-Line. (had to give the background on the empeg and all that first of course). He remembered your dad and said that he was one of the best captains they ever had there. And not just skill wise, but personality wise. He said that he as well as the other mates and deckhands were really sorry to see your dad retire.
Just thought I'd relay the kind sentiment.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled empeg thread...

Zachary,

Why thanks for that note. If only I had inherited some of personality genes! (Actually, after ~22 years at sea, he was a *bit* of a hard case when he came ashore and confronted six kids who didn't follow orders as quickly as he was used to, but he mellowed nicely over the years...) I'll have to pass this snippet on to my sisters. They'll get a kick out of it.