I have HAD IT with my job

[Thebazile78]

I've been at my current place of employment for 6 and a half years. It's a job with a decent (but not stellar) paycheck, benefits from day 1 and a pretty boring (and easy) daily grind but what do you expect from publishing?

When I was hired, I had this craaaaazy idea that I was going to apply to law school within a year and start going part-time. That didn't happen for a couple of reasons, one of which was that my team handled the production cycle for the academic publications. The authors for the academic line are . . . enough to make you reconsider taking the next step to attend law school, especially in the evenings when you've dealt with the authors all day.

So, I started to get bored. And, after my first boss pretty much made my life a living hell because she was a rotten manager, I was ready to quit and go work at the grocery store to pay my rent. And I hated working at the grocery store the summer I did it in college.

Then, my manager left the company. The manager who took over actually knows how to manage. He took the time to let me know that I was valued and that my skill set could be expanded. He gave me more responsibilities and allowed me to create a new process for a courtesy service provided to our customers. When a new team was being formed, two years ago, he encouraged me to apply for one of the new spots.

I have never had to work so hard in my life as I had to work on that new team. Complain as I might, I figured I was getting a year or so's worth of experience in an editorial position. Resume experience, you know?

Anyway, last year, my manager for this new team was diagnosed with cancer and was on an extended sick leave that ended back in July. HOWEVER, she's no longer a manager and my teammates and I have been split up by location (there are two other company offices around the USA) and assigned to different managers with very different styles from our last manager.

The manager my teammates and I in Newark have been assigned to has a style that borders on nano-managing in addition to having very rigid ideas of how things should be done. None of my products are products that she and her team are familiar with. Every time I submit a help request, status report or have a meeting with her, I feel as though she's not listening to me. She treats me as if she not only doesn't trust me but also thinks that I'm an idiot.

Adding to the manager-not-meshing stress is the new company business model that's taking all of the responsibilities that had attracted me to this position away from me and turning them over to the "traditional" style teams. So, I'm back to doing what I used to do before I applied for this job. . .so, in effect, I've been demoted.

I feel undervalued, frustrated and insulted.

It's time to leave.

Yesterday, after my status meeting went spectacularly badly because she won't bend an inch (not practical) and scolded [:nono:] me for contacting my authors whose manuscripts are late (I'm no longer allowed to, btw) I blew up.

I dragged my issue to my poor coworker who managed to talk me down enough that I didn't do something stupid like sending an angry e-mail to the manager telling her to go fuck herself (like I wanted to) and packing up my personal items into the empty box I have ready, turning in my key card and going home. But, I did come to the realization that I am DONE with the fucking place.

I hate my commute. :furious:
I hate my work. :furious:
I'm feeling at my wits' end with the company changes and this pantload with the Napoleon complex all hitting at once. :furious:

I am DONE. I can't keep coming home emotionally and physically drained because of something as trivial as a stupid job.

This is sucking the life out of me; I barely recognize myself anymore and it's harder and harder to face any weekday.

Matty has probably heard most of this already.

And honestly I don't vent like this here, but you (somewhat lovable) fuckos have other perspectives other than "well, don't do anything rash" and maybe some of you have other resources (like headhunters, resume services you've used yourselves, etc.) that can get me out of my current situation and into something new. I've already Googled the phone number for the headhunter that got me this job . . . and actually found out that (1) they're still in business and (2) there's another headhunter in the area. So I have two phone numbers that I haven't called yet.

It's a start. (And the smilies help.)

[EffMeBoobs]

Ugh job stress really blows. I hope you can find a new job hat values your work and time,
I'm sorry you've had to bear that for long.

Gwen might know some more head hunters, I'll talk to her tonight about it. Monster.com is always available as well. I'm not much help since I am in the medical field.

[Gwen]

Reading your post was like living any day of my life that I wake up for right now. Not so much the whole publishing aspect, but how you hate your job, commute, you'd be willing to do anything other than what you're doing now.

I am at the point where I am willing to walk out and just take 2 retail jobs in the interim. The only reason I hadn't left was with the looming wedding I needed money and my bonus alone is many people's yearly salary so it is hard to walk away from that type of cash (I call it stripper money). I have gotten to the point over the last month or so where I just can't stomach it and not only is my man sick of hearing it, but I've been leaning on Lisa as well. I've scoured Monster.com, Career builder, hotjobs, craigslist and _______countyjobs.com for work that meets my skillset. (If you check out westchestercountyjobs.com in the upper right hand corner you'll see other jobs, which is a drop-down and I believe has Jersey county jobs in it; worth a look).

Unlike me, you have the big advantage of a degree, so you've got an in right there. Just keep plugging away. All of the headhunters I know are for lower CT and Westchester so I doubt they'd be of help to you, but I am willing to offer them if you like. I, on the other hand can not contact the headhunter who got me my job because she is a friend of my company and while it is likely both illegal and unethical for her to disclose that I am looking for work elsewhere I expect the worst from people and thus I don't trust her.

Keep your chin up, go in, get done what you have to and just try to turn it off on the ride home. Have a glass of wine and a nice bath at least twice a week and it helps a little. I feel that one of these days we'll need to do a girls night out in the city just to get to vent to a fresh set of ears.

I wish you the best in your search, Liz. Someone as bright, eloquent and talented as you should have no problem finding work. Keep us posted on the hunt.

((Hugs))

[citymedic27]

Yes I have. I feel like that about your situation. They wont appreciate what they had until its gone. Happy hunting buddy!

[Ritalin]

Don't do anything rash might be pithy, but it's still true. There's no reason for you to put yourself in a bad position simply because other people are driving you crazy.

I think there are two questions that you need to answer: What is it that you're interested in doing next, and how far are you willing to travel to do it?

[ChrisTheCop]

The solution is simple.


1. Take the Jeopardy test again.
2. Pass with flying colors again.
3. Go on the show, win for 3 months straight, beating Ken Jennings record.
4. Then youll have a new career of going on other game shows to let people try to beat YOU.



Simple.




Ok, I took a job 17 years ago that required no skill or college degree, so I really have no advice for you. I can only wish you the best of luck. Good people deserve fulfillment.

[cupcakelove]

It sounds like you've got a lot of experience and you know what you're doing. Update your resume and start applying for jobs like crazy. In the meantime just keep doing the best work you can and keep telling yourself that you will be leaving soon. Don't let this bad manager turn you into a bad employee.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Matty has probably heard most of this already.



Only since our first date, dear.



Ok, I took a job 17 years ago that required no skill or college degree, so I really have no advice for you. I can only wish you the best of luck. Good people deserve fulfillment.

I have a hard enough time trusting her with dinner, you want me to trust her with a GLOCK?

All kidding aside, I've been looking at my job to see what openings are available for her. The problem is, the recruiting people pre-qualify the resumes and applications before sending them forward to the managers, so when I have a manager on another team encouraging me to have Liz apply for a position only to have the resume stopped before it even hits his or her desk is incredibly frustrating.

[Thebazile78]

The solution is simple.


1. Take the Jeopardy test again.
2. Pass with flying colors again.
3. Go on the show, win for 3 months straight, beating Ken Jennings record.
4. Then youll have a new career of going on other game shows to let people try to beat YOU.



Simple.

It's nice to have someone else who believes in me, despite the fact that I think I'm waaaaaay too boring to be on TV. Thank you Chris; you're so sweet! :wub:

But, then again, I am told that Ken Jennings was pretty darned boring, so it wasn't my lack of charisma that made me an undesireable.

I will have to sign up and take the quiz when they offer it online again to see what happens.


Ok, I took a job 17 years ago that required no skill or college degree, so I really have no advice for you. I can only wish you the best of luck. Good people deserve fulfillment.

The recruiting commercials all say that the academy teaches you everything you need to know. . .I would think that's accurate, except for the politicking you need to do to get ahead. (On my darkest days, I consider signing up for the NYPD exam until I remember how little I enjoy running or any form of physical work. And I admire you for sticking with the PD, because the regime changes can't possibly have been easy to live with!)

Thanks again for the vote of confidence. That's part of what I need to hear.

[Thebazile78]

Reading your post was like living any day of my life that I wake up for right now. Not so much the whole publishing aspect, but how you hate your job, commute, you'd be willing to do anything other than what you're doing now.
....

I have gotten to the point over the last month or so where I just can't stomach it and not only is my man sick of hearing it, but I've been leaning on Lisa as well. I've scoured Monster.com, Career builder, hotjobs, craigslist and _______countyjobs.com for work that meets my skillset. (If you check out westchestercountyjobs.com in the upper right hand corner you'll see other jobs, which is a drop-down and I believe has Jersey county jobs in it; worth a look).

Thanks for the additional site, Gwen.

I have a Monster account from when I graduated college (7 years ago) and I haven't updated my info there in a while. With all their security breaches, though, I've been more than a little hesitant to log back in there.

There's also going to be a networking party nearby in a week. If I can get business cards printed up, I may be able to make a few connections if I plan on attending.

Unlike me, you have the big advantage of a degree, so you've got an in right there. Just keep plugging away. All of the headhunters I know are for lower CT and Westchester so I doubt they'd be of help to you, but I am willing to offer them if you like.

....

Keep your chin up, go in, get done what you have to and just try to turn it off on the ride home. Have a glass of wine and a nice bath at least twice a week and it helps a little. I feel that one of these days we'll need to do a girls night out in the city just to get to vent to a fresh set of ears.

I wish you the best in your search, Liz. Someone as bright, eloquent and talented as you should have no problem finding work. Keep us posted on the hunt.

((Hugs))

You never know about the headhunters. . .they may focus on one region, but they can be very useful tools for finding things outside the area.

I agree with the desperate need for a girls' DAY and soon. Preferably one that involves shopping (both window shopping and shoe hunting), margaritas and lots of comfort food.

Matty is the martini king, so when I feel stressed, I veg out on the sofa with my martini in one hand and the remote in the other, watching reruns of Charmed and CSI. (There are times that I think maybe I should start reading again and give my brain a workout, but bookstores are my Achilles heel!)

Thanks again for the support. I know I'm not the only person who hates their job, but sometimes I get a little nearsighted in that regard.

[Doogie]

In addition to searching that county site, go to your county's home page. I am sure there are tons of jobs that you are more than qualified for, would be civil service with all the benefits that go along. As well working more managable hours, and more than likely with less stress. I am on the list right now for a job in my County that I was more than qualified for, and the pay is pretty fucking good for the first year alone. With a lil luck (and talking to teh right people) I might just get the job.

You are a very bright person, and as Gwen said, have the degree so that is usually an in through the first part of any qualification process. If that doesnt quench your job pallette, go to the other sites as well. Good luck in your endeavors looking.

[sr71blackbird]

I can relate to you with the job. I am in a "good place" right now, but have had jobs that were miserable too and made the choice to bale when I had something better lined up. It is not an easy thing to do, especially after 6 years, but what is the alternative?

[Friday]

my job called me tonight during prison break... about an order.
During PRISON BREAK!!!

not to mention i take a xanax just about every day now to combat the anxiety.
i really need to get the F out of there before i snap!

[sr71blackbird]

I agree, who need the stress of hating a job to be compounded with having to DO the job too? Just do not quit till you line something else up!

[Fezticle98]

Was this thread bumped because people are concerned for thebazile78?

If people are ever concerned by my absence, please bump a good thread of mine...if you can find one.

[Thebazile78]

I agree, who need the stress of hating a job to be compounded with having to DO the job too? Just do not quit till you line something else up!

That, my friend, is exactly why I was happy to fume at my coworker's desk for an hour.

It's supposed to be easier to find a job while you've already got one. This is true if you actually look when you get home; I tend to veg out in front of the TV instead.

I've been cruising Monster, CareerBuilder (who I hate, btw, because every time I update my resume there, I get recruiter calls from outbound sales type jobs. . .which is so completely not my thing) and HotJobs . . . and haven't seen much that makes me feel any better.

Ideally, I'd like a job nearer to my apartment so I could save on commuting stress (I currently have a 2-hour round-trip commute) . . . but all the things I've been finding have been in North Jersey and NYC. North Jersey is about an hour away and NYC is not a possibility.

Obviously, I am entering the wrong criteria because, I am told, there are plenty of jobs out there.
Statements like that remind me of the way I felt when I had graduated from school, left my college job and moved back in with my dad. . .and every time I looked for a job, Dad told me I was doing everything wrong.

It's occurred to me lately that, perhaps, I am being way too picky.

I mean, what's wrong with an administrative assistant or another entry-level type job?
I would be starting all over with something like that, considering I've never been an admin. assistant or anything in my life, so I guess that's OK.

But I also have a lot of pressure to find something that pays more than what I make. . .and most entry-level jobs pay less.

So I'm kind of locking up.

[danner1515]

Yeesh, working in publishing is that bad? Could my English degree prove to be even more useless than previously thought?

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

Yeesh, working in publishing is that bad? Could my English degree prove to be even more useless than previously thought?

You have no idea. Whatever you do stay away from production jobs. It's a thankless and stressful job.

[Thebazile78]

You have no idea. Whatever you do stay away from production jobs. It's a thankless and stressful job.

Fuzzy-P, I know you had some of the same type of experience with your last job as I'm having with my current one, so you are completely preachin' to the choir!

[Freitag]

Update: Liz had an interview with my company for one job, and we're investigating another.

[Thebazile78]

Update: Liz had an interview with my company for one job, and we're investigating another.

You neglected to mention that you thought I had a deathwish by taking the call while at the office.

But, in all fairness, I had the recruiter call me on my personal cell phone and the section of the floor where I sit is pretty much a ghost town, so I wasn't going to get in trouble.

Plus my boss telecommutes on Fridays.

[JustJon]

Update: Liz had an interview with my company for one job, and we're investigating another.

Will Matty be collecting his own $100 bounty?

And Liz, try craigslist for jobs too. All the "hip" places post there.

[Thebazile78]

Will Matty be collecting his own $100 bounty?

And Liz, try craigslist for jobs too. All the "hip" places post there.

No. But, if I do get the job, his company offers a nice little bounty of their own.

Jon, you know that I am tragically un-hip, but it's worth a shot.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Will Matty be collecting his own $100 bounty?

And Liz, try craigslist for jobs too. All the "hip" places post there.

It was a 500 dollar bounty. Now you're cheaping me down.

Here's the upside - if Liz gets hired by my company, I get a bonus finder's fee. Tee-hee.

[Thebazile78]

But, if I do get the job, his company offers a nice little bounty of their own.


Here's the upside - if Liz gets hired by my company, I get a bonus finder's fee.


I posted that already.
Two whole hours before you did.

And my test scores show I'm the one with poor reading comprehension. :wacko:

[buzzard]

Normally I'd not "interfere" however,I must say you seem to have such a fantastic support system that you'll be just great! I've been retired from all the stresses and bullshit for so long now,I'd almost forgotten how fucked-up life can be.(before I did commercial fishing,I was a headhunter in Chicago((for DP)) and in retail sales) I'm glad to see that you aren't jaded and truly get the value of smileys. Be patient and kick it when it tries to get you feeling low!
:clap::thumbup::innocent::wink::drunk::laugh:
buzz

[Thebazile78]

I am getting more jaded by the day.

My manager treats our fourth quarter as if it's the end of the world.
It isn't.

I'm getting shit from every turn today.

First, I get a lecture about how I'm supposed to have done x, y, and z two weeks ago.
Then, I get another lecture on how we're running out of time and if the editor didn't review this already we're going to miss the clear date.
Then I have to remind the manager that, you know what, this pub isn't part of the new workflow yet so it's a moot point and I can do whatever I want to do.

Then I made a mistake naming the new files I had to send to the print vendor.
Two of the manufacturing contacts caught it and reminded me, gently, that I'd made the mistake. The second one corrected the mistake.
But, of course, Pantload can't read, so she sends an e-mail:

"Review the print vendor procedures and comply"

FUCK OFF. No.
I made a mistake, someone else corrected it, now I don't have to do anything else.

I threatened to go home early.

Then I threatened to come into work wearing Depends and not combing my hair.
Maybe I'll threaten to stop showing up next.

On the bright side, the worst thing they can do is fire me.

And, to tell the truth, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing today.

[JPMNICK]

I am getting more jaded by the day.

My manager treats our fourth quarter as if it's the end of the world.
It isn't.

I'm getting shit from every turn today.

First, I get a lecture about how I'm supposed to have done x, y, and z two weeks ago.
Then, I get another lecture on how we're running out of time and if the editor didn't review this already we're going to miss the clear date.
Then I have to remind the manager that, you know what, this pub isn't part of the new workflow yet so it's a moot point and I can do whatever I want to do.

Then I made a mistake naming the new files I had to send to the print vendor.
Two of the manufacturing contacts caught it and reminded me, gently, that I'd made the mistake. The second one corrected the mistake.
But, of course, Pantload can't read, so she sends an e-mail:

"Review the print vendor procedures and comply"

FUCK OFF. No.
I made a mistake, someone else corrected it, now I don't have to do anything else.

I threatened to go home early.

Then I threatened to come into work wearing Depends and not combing my hair.
Maybe I'll threaten to stop showing up next.

On the bright side, the worst thing they can do is fire me.

And, to tell the truth, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing today.

you are turning into Peter from Office space.

how is the job searching going?

[Thebazile78]

you are turning into Peter from Office space.

how is the job searching going?

I am the laziest, most negative fucko that ever walked the planet, so the job searching is not going very well. But thank you for asking.

Every time I hit the slightest difficulty, especially if I am already having a bitchfest like I am today, I stop looking. (Can you feel the negativity? I was seething earlier and I am NOT pretty when I'm seething.)

So, today I sat in front of the computer and looked at 5 whole boards plus two emplyment services sites plus two colleges' HR sites.

For one hours' worth of dragging my feet, all I've got to show for it is one job and I have to send them a paper resume. (Oh and I didn't really find the job myself because my search criteria were a little more limited . . . say, to "current" postings. Matty one-upped me and searched for everything. AND, to add to the "I really fucking feel like crap right now" factor, he'd brought this job home earlier in the month but we didn't send my resume out for it then.)

Needless to say, I feel a lot like this :flush: right now.

I think that maybe job searching when I'm already angry isn't the best idea I've had in a while. And it only gets worse if I'm tired too.

Maybe if I can manage to stay awake when I get home, tomorrow will be better.

[Thebazile78]

PART ONE - The Good News

Matty's company brought me in for an interview two weeks ago for an open on another team in the same location.

The interview went really well, despite the fact that I don't have some of the experience they were looking for and I had a good feeling about the position.

I wrote my "thank you" e-mail and called the recruiter who'd set things up for me so I could demonstrate that I'm a responsible individual and I'm interested in the position.

Of course, I didn't think it would be the end of the world if I didn't get the position.

PART TWO - The Not-Great News, But It's Not the End of the World

I got a callback from the recruiter on Monday and they're not going to bring me in for a second interview. This didn't break my heart and it's not the end of the world.

On the plus side, I did get some positive feedback and, the way I heard it, if they hadn't been hiring based on the experience I lacked, I would have been a great candidate for the position. This is good. And I've obviously made a conscious effort to improve my interview skills.

So, I learned a lot about the position and I had a practice interview. Considering the fact that I haven't interviewed externally in about 3 years, this is good.

The fact that I received such positive feedback is even better, so my confidence is up a bit from where it was last week.

PART THREE - The Bad News

The bad news in this whole situation is . . . the router connecting my home PC to the internet is acting funny and I can't get online when I get home.

So, searching the job boards just got more challenging.
I now need a new computer, or a better router, so I can find a new job.

[Freitag]

I told you, it's probably the card. That computer is a piece of garbage, I'm probably going to refurbish the desktop I have now and give that to you.

[Coach_Mac]

Tell me if you agree...in my short experience with my jobs I have been the happiest when I work with people I like. I have worked 3 different places, all the same job, and I've enjoyed work and had big aspirations for my future career when I work with guys I like. When I work with guys I don't like, I start thinking about changing careers. Does anyone else experience this?

[hunnerbun]

Tell me if you agree...in my short experience with my jobs I have been the happiest when I work with people I like. I have worked 3 different places, all the same job, and I've enjoyed work and had big aspirations for my future career when I work with guys I like. When I work with guys I don't like, I start thinking about changing careers. Does anyone else experience this?

I totally agree with you 100%. In April of this year myself and 2 other co-workers had had it....we decided we had taken enough shit from our boss and decided to branch out on our own. It was totally a case of loving what you do but hating going to work everyday because of the shitty environment. We were fortunate enough to be able to start our own business and it has made a world of difference. I love going to work everyday and have been so stress free it is ridiculous.
If it is at all possible to be self employed I whole heartedly recommend going this route.

[Thebazile78]

Tell me if you agree...in my short experience with my jobs I have been the happiest when I work with people I like. I have worked 3 different places, all the same job, and I've enjoyed work and had big aspirations for my future career when I work with guys I like. When I work with guys I don't like, I start thinking about changing careers. Does anyone else experience this?

See, if you enjoy what you do in the first place, you've got half the battle won.

I, on the other hand, don't particularly care for what I do so not much else can save the situation. Even the fact that I either like, get along well with or can tolerate most of my coworkers doesn't make up for the fact that I feel like I'm being shit on 85% of the time.

I've held two positions during my 6-year tenure with the company but don't see the potential for moving up the alleged corporate ladder because I'm not a management type. (And they're not likely to create any additional teams after this summer's layoffs and team re-combinations.) This hasn't ever been a "career" in my eyes, more of a good spot to get "real world" experience so I could move along to other things.

[Freitag]

As a continuation of this, I reached out to the recruiter who got me in the door at the company I work for now to help Liz along in her process.

I think the tacks I've been taking on this have been all wrong and we need to start over.

[Thebazile78]

OK, the computer at home has been repaired and the firewall actually functions.

I did a very brief search last night (I was exhausted) and didn't come up with anything specific and seem to be entering criteria that are too general to find anything.

Casting a wide net isn't always the best idea; getting 5000 results is overwhelming, especially when you have to sort through postings from recruitment agencies.

But, I need to get out of my current position. Spending every day feeling like you've been committed to an institution without your consent is doing nothing for my energy or drive levels.

I have a BA in English, nearly 7 years' worth of experience in (legal) publishing, mostly in data-management and markup languages (I have SGML and XML), with my last focus on content-management (Editing: copyediting, proofing, etc.)

Four years ago, I took an introductory Perl class, which I enjoyed very much, but didn't get the chance to use or expand what I'd learned, so my Perl skills are rusty.

I learn quickly and have often been recommended by teammates as their "go-to guru" when they have difficulties with their own products and markups.

If I continue to look for positions in publishing, I run the risk of taking a pay cut with no opportunity for growth.

I am in a bad place this week.

[JPMNICK]

OK, the computer at home has been repaired and the firewall actually functions.

I did a very brief search last night (I was exhausted) and didn't come up with anything specific and seem to be entering criteria that are too general to find anything.

Casting a wide net isn't always the best idea; getting 5000 results is overwhelming, especially when you have to sort through postings from recruitment agencies.

But, I need to get out of my current position. Spending every day feeling like you've been committed to an institution without your consent is doing nothing for my energy or drive levels.

I have a BA in English, nearly 7 years' worth of experience in (legal) publishing, mostly in data-management and markup languages (I have SGML and XML), with my last focus on content-management (Editing: copyediting, proofing, etc.)

Four years ago, I took an introductory Perl class, which I enjoyed very much, but didn't get the chance to use or expand what I'd learned, so my Perl skills are rusty.

I learn quickly and have often been recommended by teammates as their "go-to guru" when they have difficulties with their own products and markups.

If I continue to look for positions in publishing, I run the risk of taking a pay cut with no opportunity for growth.

I am in a bad place this week.

look for a ajob doing tech support / technical writing / training. there are a lot of jobs out there and you seem fairly qualified to fit in to an into role

[Thebazile78]

look for a ajob doing tech support / technical writing / training. there are a lot of jobs out there and you seem fairly qualified to fit in to an into role

I'm not qualified to do tech support unless they train me first.

Tech-writing has potential, but I'd have to get up to speed on that skill set. Maybe the local community college has a Tech-Writing course I could use; thank you for the idea.

[Thebazile78]

Part One:

I'm still at the same company.
I'm still assigned to the manager with the Napoleonic Complex.
I'm still losing responsibilities and being treated more and more like an idiot.

Obviously, my commute and hatred for the tedium of the daily grind have not changed.

The daily grind, however, has changed.

Part Two:

They have officially outsourced almost all of my job to India.
Which means I have a BA, but I'm being paid to do work that a high school kid could be paid minimum wage to do.

Way to go, Company!

Part Three:

They're selling one of our business units.
They've acquired an established name in the risk management field to focus on that "key objective" in the future.
They sent a press release last week to inform us of these first two facts...and to let us know that our departments will be reorganized to bring us more in line with the company's new business model.

That's corporate-speak for "the layoffs are coming."
They just don't have the stones to say when.

What now?

(1) I've signed up for a networking event two weeks from tomorrow.
(2) I continue to tweak my resume, remembering to have it available in plain text, MS Word and PDF formats. (Fudge. I need Acrobat Distiller.)
(3) I develop a new plan of attack.

I figure that, if they lay us off before the school year is out, I'll visit the local board of education to pick up the substitute teacher packet. They may never call me, or they may always call me, but either way, I will be getting more (and different) work experience.

I didn't realize it until I was on the phone with my dad the other day, but I actually have a plan for my next steps.

[A.J.]

Sorry to hear that Liz. Buyouts/mergers/restructurings usually aren't too bad but it sounds like you're dealing with the bad kind.

I hope things work out for you.

[damainer]

Nothing is worth what it seems you are going through. What is amazing is that when you close one door, another seems to always pop up. The only problem is if kids are in your situation. If they are then you need to be sure you have a solid support system for them which may mean sticking with your job till another with the same pay becomes available. If no kids then get out. Life is to short for regrets.

[Tall_James]

I figure that, if they lay us off before the school year is out, I'll visit the local board of education to pick up the substitute teacher packet. They may never call me, or they may always call me, but either way, I will be getting more (and different) work experience.

That job is also not without some aggravation as this story from a fictitious newpaper illustrates. (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30202)

Regardless, I hope this situation resolves itself shortly for your sake.

[Thebazile78]

Sorry to hear that Liz. Buyouts/mergers/restructurings usually aren't too bad but it sounds like you're dealing with the bad kind.

I hope things work out for you.

It's definitely the "bad" kind in the sense that it could result in my not having a job.
On the other hand, losing this job as part of mass layoffs would fall under "good" because I don't particularly care for it.

AND I'd get a severance package.

Nothing is worth what it seems you are going through. What is amazing is that when you close one door, another seems to always pop up. The only problem is if kids are in your situation. If they are then you need to be sure you have a solid support system for them which may mean sticking with your job till another with the same pay becomes available. If no kids then get out. Life is to short for regrets.

Fortunately, we don't have kids yet.

Part of the reason I'm so miserable about the situation is that we want to have kids in the near future and I'm starting to wonder what I'll have left for them after work. Assuming I don't get laid off first.


That job is also not without some aggravation as this story from a fictitious newpaper illustrates. (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30202)

Regardless, I hope this situation resolves itself shortly for your sake.

On the plus side, I could walk to work. (We're within walking distance of 2 middle schools and 2 grammar schools; if I got called to the high school, on the other hand, I'd have to drive. Takes 10 minutes.)

[sr71blackbird]

This sucks! I work for a company also also was recently bought out by another and the new company has a track record of outsourcing and busting the unions balls. I really put a lot of effort into my job and am one of the few people around with a work ethic, and I wonder what it will take to make me want to become like the rest of the riffraff. I live in fear that any day the hammer will fall. I hate it.

[Thebazile78]

This sucks! I work for a company also also was recently bought out by another and the new company has a track record of outsourcing and busting the unions balls. I really put a lot of effort into my job and am one of the few people around with a work ethic, and I wonder what it will take to make me want to become like the rest of the riffraff. I live in fear that any day the hammer will fall. I hate it.

One of the guys I used to hang out with here had a saying that "everyone is promoted to their highest level of incompetence." My manager and one of her assistant managers is living proof of this fact.

If you slack, next year you might become a manager.

(True story: We had a teammate who was the world's biggest slacker, always pawning his work off on the rest of us, taking personal days and vacation in the middle of projects and leaving our names in their OOO e-mail and v-mail messages without asking us first, etc. ... he's now a manager for another team and we've been demoted. We hate that.)

[Thebazile78]

Today, they've announced a series of "Roundtable Discussions" about the impact the offshoring initiatives is having on our department.

We've been asked to pre-submit questions that will be addressed during these roundtable discussions.

Personally, I smell a big ole pile of horseshit with no concrete answers and a lot of corporate happy-speak.

Fuckers.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Today, they've announced a series of "Roundtable Discussions" about the impact the offshoring initiatives is having on our department.

We've been asked to pre-submit questions that will be addressed during these roundtable discussions.

Personally, I smell a big ole pile of horseshit with no concrete answers and a lot of corporate happy-speak.

Fuckers.

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[A.J.]

Today, they've announced a series of "Roundtable Discussions" about the impact the offshoring initiatives is having on our department.

We've been asked to pre-submit questions that will be addressed during these roundtable discussions.

"Is this good for the company?"

[Thebazile78]

"Is this good for the company?"

Ha!

BTW, everyone who's responded to this thread has really been helpful, whether I've taken their advice or not. Mostly, it's good to have other people making me laugh just when I'm ready to plot the bloody dismemberment of my boss.

Which always reminds me of the old "good/no good" bits back at 'NEW ... going to the office and smiling & nodding ? GOOD. Going to the office, laughing manaically and dismembering your boss with a Bowie knife ? NO GOOD.

[A.J.]

Ha!

BTW, everyone who's responded to this thread has really been helpful, whether I've taken their advice or not. Mostly, it's good to have other people making me laugh just when I'm ready to plot the bloody dismemberment of my boss.

Which always reminds me of the old "good/no good" bits back at 'NEW ... going to the office and smiling & nodding ? GOOD. Going to the office, laughing manaically and dismembering your boss with a Bowie knife ? NO GOOD.

I know the feeling. There were days when I was physically ill going into work because I didn't want to deal with my C of a boss (sorry) and her shit. I wish I could give you better advice but I don't know the area up there.

[Thebazile78]

I know the feeling. There were days when I was physically ill going into work because I didn't want to deal with my C of a boss (sorry) and her shit. I wish I could give you better advice but I don't know the area up there.

Dude, I've dropped more than a few c-bombs myself about this one, so no offense taken.

Sometimes you gotta call a cunt a cunt.

[Thebazile78]

Let me begin by saying that I felt the need to reassure one of my teammates that her skills, work ethic and performance are in no way reflective of her current performance review. The one in which our manager misspelled her name. Which is a combination of inattention to detail, laziness and the way we've all been treated since joining this manager's team. And, to tell the truth, it hurt my teammate.

Anyway, we're still waiting for the proverbial "other shoe" to drop.

In light of this, I have to get into a rhythm of coming home from work, searching job boards, applying like crazy to things and managing my follow-ups.

This week, I'm buying new blouses and a good pair of heels to go with my brand-new suit that arrived yesterday.

Last week, I applied for another job at Acme Insurance.
This week, I was contacted by the recruiter to set up a phone screen.
I'll be doing my phone screen this Friday morning from an empty office near my cube.

In the meantime, I'm going to concentrate on the job description and questions I can generate from it. I've already aced a previous phone screen, so I'm fairly confident that I will ace this one as well, which will get me in to interview (hence the need for new blouses to go with my suit!)

Let's do this thing!

[Thebazile78]

... but this is actually a good thing.

How could not getting the job be a good thing?

(1) During the course of the interview, it was revealed that travel, long hours and possibly weekends would be involved during the first half of the year.

(2) These aspects were not mentioned in the job description.

(3) Despite the significantly higher salary and the professional opportunities, the increased commitment to "the office" is not necessarily something I'm interested in from a personal aspect.

My personal life is has taken another turn. I intend on using the remainder of this year to get into shape so, after we purchase our first home, we can start trying to have our first baby.

Getting involved in a work environment making those kinds of demands on my personal time is ... unacceptable at this point in my life.

So, I'm in "research mode" right now for a possible career shift. One of the local community colleges is offering information sessions about "alternate route" teaching certification. Community colleges also offer basic courses that can be used as building blocks for advancing to other fields, including nursing or business. I'm going to do some soul-searching and see what I come up with.

[Furtherman]

...and you're walking without a limp.

[Thebazile78]

...and you're walking without a limp.

This is always a good thing.

(Although I do have a nasty blister-ish thingy on my left Achilles ... damned cheap-ass loafers!)

[nate1000]

One of the guys I used to hang out with here had a saying that "everyone is promoted to their highest level of incompetence."

This is called The Peter Principle originally offered by Dr. Lawrence Pete in the late 60's.

[Tenbatsuzen]

...and you're walking without a limp.

Next time I see you, I'm hitting you with my cane.

[topless_mike]

I intend on using the remainder of this year to get into shape so, after we purchase our first home, we can start trying to have our first baby.


:clap:

i know, its early, but wanted to make note of this.

[Tenbatsuzen]

:clap:

i know, its early, but wanted to make note of this.

Why is this place obsessed with our sex life?

[Jujubees2]

Why is this place obsessed with our sex life?

Because I've been married for 14 years and forgot what it's like to be a newlywed.

Stages of Marital Sex:

Every room Sex: You have sex in every room of the house

Bedroom Sex: After a few years, things calm down and you only have sex in the bedroom

Hallway Sex: After a few more years, sex is limited to walking by each other in the hallway and saying "Fuck you".

[topless_mike]

Why is this place obsessed with our sex life?

its just a simple congrats... thats all.

[Thebazile78]

This is called The Peter Principle originally offered by Dr. Lawrence Pete in the late 60's.

Thanks. I was tolerably certain he hadn't come up with it on his own, seeing as how he's an idiot and all, so I'm glad to learn where it does come from!

:clap:

i know, its early, but wanted to make note of this.

Thanks. It's more important to be fit beforehand to reduce my risks for stuff like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, among other things. Also, being more fit before you get pregnant helps you get back into shape AFTER you have the baby ... this is important to me!

Why is this place obsessed with our sex life?

Because there's something in the water.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Because there's something in the water.

http://corndog.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/roger2.jpg

I can drink the water.... I can drink the water...

[topless_mike]

Thanks. It's more important to be fit beforehand to reduce my risks for stuff like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, among other things. Also, being more fit before you get pregnant helps you get back into shape AFTER you have the baby ... this is important to me!

not to hijack the thread, but gest diab is serious shit. good call on thinking ahead of that.

3 years later, my wife weighs less than she did just before we got preggo.
baby weight is a long, hard battle, but one that can be won.


all of this is, of course, hypothetical should you become preggo. not starting rumors here.

[Thebazile78]

not to hijack the thread, but gest diab is serious shit. good call on thinking ahead of that.

I know it's serious ... my step-sister had it while she was pregnant with her triplets. As I learn more about it, I am of the opinion that it contributed to their premature delivery. (They are OK. Happy, healthy, normal 2-year-olds. But it was a bit nerve-wracking for my step-sister & her hubby until they were all home from the hospital.)

[Thebazile78]

OK, due to the offshoring and outsourcing initiatives at the company, they've now officially announced the layoff schedule.

In total, about 240 people in the US offices of my company will be laid off.

In my department, it's expected to affect 20 positions total by the end of the year. 10 positions will be eliminated at the end of this month and another 10 will be eliminated in June.

Those folks will be getting 30 days' notice that their positions will be eliminated and then a severance package.

While they haven't said I'll be among the folks affected, they're making those decisions for the next two weeks.

I may get the axe in April or I may get the axe in June.

Or, they may decide that I'm not as much of a slacker as I say I am and keep me on.

Pray for me either way.

[topless_mike]

good luck. we are all counting on you.
( i couldnt find the right airplane screen cap to go with this )

[Lady Resin]

The best of luck bazile. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Reynolds]

They keep getting rid of people at my job, and expect us to just pick up the slack. We get paid by the amount of work we do, and they add something new every month that makes that rate go down. There are a handful that are "company guys" that work twice as hard to get the same amount done for the same amount of money. Every meeting that we complain, this handful is always brought up "well this guy can still handle it, this guy is still getting the job done" after the first few changes I had that attitude, but now a year later Im just like "fuck this place" spent last week on workman's comp, this week on light duty. I sat in a closet and played Madden on my PSP for 6 hours, popping out every once in a while to let them know I didn't go home.

[A.J.]

That sucks Liz. Then again, a layoff and a severance package may not be a bad thing for you. It'll give you a chance to devote full energy to finding something better -- without the emotional drain of being stuck at a shitty job.

As always -- I wish you good luck!

[Thebazile78]

That sucks Liz. Then again, a layoff and a severance package may not be a bad thing for you. It'll give you a chance to devote full energy to finding something better -- without the emotional drain of being stuck at a shitty job.

As always -- I wish you good luck!

Thanks A.J.

Truth be told, I'm neither bummed out nor surprised about any of the announcements. If I get down to it, I think I'm a little annoyed that it took them so long to get to this point, but nobody can force the higher-ups to dole out real information when they don't want to.

Matty and I both think that a layoff wouldn't be the end of the world for me right now and I already have a backup plan (get officially certified to substitute teach) to have some $$ coming in. There's always temping for another office job, or I could see whether or not Whole Foods is hiring.

I think I've already mentioned that one of the local community colleges will be having an information session on "alternate route" teaching certification this Fall semester, so I am planning on attending.

Even if I have to take a pay cut, I think I would be happier in a job that actually requires me to be prepared and actually do work. Even if it's just teaching for standardized tests. (Thank you No Child Left Behind. Really. I mean it.)

[topless_mike]

That sucks Liz. Then again, a layoff and a severance package may not be a bad thing for you. It'll give you a chance to devote full energy to finding something better -- without the emotional drain of being stuck at a shitty job.

As always -- I wish you good luck!

x 2
it shakes you out of that comfortable phase in everyone's job.
where you hate the job, but its comfy there.

[Thebazile78]

x 2
it shakes you out of that comfortable phase in everyone's job.
where you hate the job, but its comfy there.

True.

It's so much easier to bitch about how much of a "c" my boss is than it is to actually find (and apply for) another job!

[Freitag]

True.

It's so much easier to bitch about how much of a "c" my boss is than it is to actually find (and apply for) another job!

*insert Picard facepalm picture here*

[Thebazile78]

*insert Picard facepalm picture here*

Shut up and fix my computer.

[CountryBob]

You sound like you have a great attitude about the possible upcoming layoff. That's a big step towards you next job.

2 years ago I was given a severance package and was totally shocked. Nothing was mentioned that it might happen beforehand. So, I was a bitter ass for about a month after. I did nothing but stay out late and drink (i deserved a little vacation) but I overdid it and it took me longer to land this shitty job I have now. Point being, dont trip up and fall into the fuck it - fuck them mentality. It will only take you longer to get the next job.
BTW - dont be shocked when you see how much it costs to keep your health insurance - COBRA rates are through the roof!

[Thebazile78]

You sound like you have a great attitude about the possible upcoming layoff. That's a big step towards you next job.

2 years ago I was given a severance package and was totally shocked. Nothing was mentioned that it might happen beforehand. So, I was a bitter ass for about a month after. I did nothing but stay out late and drink (i deserved a little vacation) but I overdid it and it took me longer to land this shitty job I have now. Point being, dont trip up and fall into the fuck it - fuck them mentality. It will only take you longer to get the next job.
BTW - dont be shocked when you see how much it costs to keep your health insurance - COBRA rates are through the roof!

I've been preparing to leave, either under my own power or if they booted me out, for the past year. I have to have a better attitude towards finding a new job ... this one took me almost a year to get. (It's my first job after college. I'm more than ready to move on.)

I think that, if I lose my job, it counts as a "qualifying life event" at my husband's job, so I don't think that I have to deal with COBRA if I am laid off.

Of course, if I do have to deal with it, part of the severance package is health insurance at our current payroll deduction rate. It's about $88/month for both my husband and I (he's on my plan) for medical; dental is another $40/month and I get vision coverage for myself for around $16/month.

[Thebazile78]

I survived round 1 of the layoffs.

They eliminated 10 positions; 7 were actual bodies. Of those 7, only 4 allowed their names to be released to the department at-large. As far as my team knows, nobody from our team was affected. (Why? There are a couple of severely dim bulbs on this team.)

I was ... disappointed. Then I got angry. Mostly angry with myself, because I had developed a "plan B" that would take effect if I was laid off ... but I didn't develop a "plan B" to take effect in the event I wasn't laid off. (I felt stupid for counting on a layoff so intensely.)

Then I demanded a new computer NOW-NOW-NOW so that I could actually search for jobs when I get home, instead of dreading switching it on because the display is set to "visually impaired" so the damn thing doesn't flicker.

Last night, I created a basic profile on LinkedIn. I have to start making network connections, but I was too distracted to do that last night. And I want to ask some folks' permission first.

I have 60 days until the next round of layoffs, which will be the last for 2008. (In 2009, all bets are off.)

Once I establish a habit of job-hunting and resume revision, I should come out ahead.

Exactly what I'll end up doing will depend on the types of jobs available to me.

Among the biggest industries within commutable distance: health care, pharmaceuticals and education. (Explication: health care = several major hospitals...looking for nurses... and one corporate giant in health care products...not sure what they're looking for, if anything; pharmaceuticals = MAJOR drug companies have their HQ's 10-20 minutes away, but usually hire only Pharm-D, chemists or biotech people...I have a fucking BA in English; education = colleges...where they will take my money, but they'll hire someone with a Masters or Ph.D. before they'll look at me...so I get frustrated in about 2 seconds.)

[topless_mike]

you live to fight another day.
i'd encorporate "plan B" now.

[Thebazile78]

you live to fight another day.
i'd encorporate "plan B" now.

My "Plan B" was the following:

(1) Discuss what to do with the severance payment with my husband. One of my ideas was to use a small chunk of it to pay off my last outstanding credit card debt (which he thinks I should keep, but since it's a closed account, I disagree) and then plunk the rest of it into our house-savings fund.

(2) March my butt to the local Board of Education to pick up the application packet to become a substitute teacher in the district. Complete the packet, including the criminal background check (we live less than a mile from the Police Department) and fingerprinting, and submit my application to the BOE to keep on file, most likely for next school year, seeing as how it's already May and school ends in June.

(3) Get on the phone with the Dep't of Education to request a forbearance on my student loans. (Even after unemployment kicks in, I don't think that paying out $200/month is going to be in the budget when I have other household obligations to meet.)

(4) Use the summer to continue getting in shape for my Avon Walk (among other things) and continue to job-hunt.

(5) Watch for the seminar dates about "alternate-route" teacher certification at the local county college and attend a session. Ask lots of questions and figure out how much it will cost to do it.

....

Needless to say, now that I have a lot less "free time" ('cause jobs take up all your free time) I need a different "Plan B."

As a word of empathy to those folks who have been laid off (and recently) PLEASE understand that I know that being laid off is not a picnic. Honestly, I do. In the early '90s, both of my parents were laid off within a short time of each other, so I do have some first-hand experience with how much it sucks. And one of my co-chairs for one of my event committees for the alumni association was laid off last year, so I've learned from her experience and feel like I can ask her advice on how to handle being laid off if it does come especially if it comes as a shock.

But, right now, I am so dissatisfied with my job and the daily grind that I would consider a layoff to be a gift. It would FORCE me to be proactive about my job search, rather than reactive, among other things. I would have the benefit of having the advice of a placement agency to help me revise my resume so that it highlights the skills I need to switch industries. I'll even have access to possible career training grants so, if I need further education or other training in order to make myself more marketable, I can get it.

I'll settle down in a bit, but I'm still irritated. (Fortunately, I'm not alone in my irritation that I wasn't laid off ... a couple of my other teammates were planning to camp out on the beach if they were laid off.)

[Freitag]

Plan "C" is to have Liz go into work every day wearing a Ric Flair robe and doing the Nature Boy Strut past HR every hour on the hour.

[Thebazile78]

Nevermind.

[angrymissy]

Have you considered asking to be laid off?

I know it sounds crazy.

When I was at my last job, they switched my boss to someone evil. Every day was a living hell. He even went through my desk a bunch of times, and would berate me in the cube farm area in front of everyone.

I went to HR and said "I can't take working here, I don't know what to do". Turns out they were planning on a reorg in the future, so they GAVE me a layoff. I got 3 mo severance, a good recommendation, and health insurance for 3 mo. It was GLORIOUS to leave that same day. Worth a shot if you have a halfway decent HR dept.

[A.J.]

But, right now, I am so dissatisfied with my job and the daily grind that I would consider a layoff to be a gift. It would FORCE me to be proactive about my job search, rather than reactive, among other things.)

Can you job search from work? You might as well take advantage of the income while you still have it. Besides, if they catch you spending your time looking for another job, what's the worst thing they can do to you --- fire you?

[Freitag]

Can you job search from work? You might as well take advantage of the income while you still have it. Besides, if they catch you spending your time looking for another job, what's the worst thing they can do to you --- fire you?

The issue with that tack is that if she gets canned for that, it could be construed as misconduct and disqualify her from unemployment.

The goal is to get her out + plus get money for it (severance/unemployment). We can survive on my income alone, but it would be a bit tight.

[Freitag]

(and she's getting her new computer this weekend... we hope.)

[Thebazile78]

Have you considered asking to be laid off?

I know it sounds crazy.

When I was at my last job, they switched my boss to someone evil. Every day was a living hell. He even went through my desk a bunch of times, and would berate me in the cube farm area in front of everyone.

I went to HR and said "I can't take working here, I don't know what to do". Turns out they were planning on a reorg in the future, so they GAVE me a layoff. I got 3 mo severance, a good recommendation, and health insurance for 3 mo. It was GLORIOUS to leave that same day. Worth a shot if you have a halfway decent HR dept.

This was brought up at our departmental meeting two weeks ago. The looks on the faces of the departmental director and the HR lady were less than encouraging, but it's an option that can be discussed with HR.

However, I've had multiple people, from my father on down, discourage me from doing this. I am not sure why, considering how miserable I am.

I think that I'm most concerned that it will impact my chances of any kind of severance (etc.) although I don't particularly care about a good recommendation from my current manager. I have other people I can ask for letters of recommendation or use as references.

Maybe I just have to work up my nerve to do it.

Can you job search from work? You might as well take advantage of the income while you still have it. Besides, if they catch you spending your time looking for another job, what's the worst thing they can do to you --- fire you?

I read job articles about that and abstain from doing so for ethical reasons. Plus, I think it's a severable offense unless you're searching within the company.

Keep in mind that I have no qualms about surfing the internet to take breaks from work, but searching while on the job is too risky. As much as I want to get out, I don't want to be fired. I would rather make the first move or be laid off.

A layoff is out of one's control; firing is less so.

[A.J.]

Can you job search from work? You might as well take advantage of the income while you still have it. Besides, if they catch you spending your time looking for another job, what's the worst thing they can do to you --- fire you?

The issue with that tack is that if she gets canned for that, it could be construed as misconduct and disqualify her from unemployment.

I read job articles about that and abstain from doing so for ethical reasons. Plus, I think it's a severable offense unless you're searching within the company.

Keep in mind that I have no qualms about surfing the internet to take breaks from work, but searching while on the job is too risky. As much as I want to get out, I don't want to be fired. I would rather make the first move or be laid off.

A layoff is out of one's control; firing is less so.

Yeah, point taken. I guess it's because I did it at my last job (discreetly of course) and really didn't care about the ramnifications because I was so miserable there.

[Thebazile78]

Yeah, point taken. I guess it's because I did it at my last job (discreetly of course) and really didn't care about the ramnifications because I was so miserable there.

I totally understand why someone would, I just have a deep-seated fear of Big Brother ... and would prefer to leave on the best terms possible.

Even if I quit, I don't intend on burning any bridges. (As much as I'd like to.)

[JPMNICK]

I totally understand why someone would, I just have a deep-seated fear of Big Brother ... and would prefer to leave on the best terms possible.

Even if I quit, I don't intend on burning any bridges. (As much as I'd like to.)

that's a really smart idea. You never know who you run into again 5 or 10 years down the road.

[ravn816]

http://corndog.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/roger2.jpg

I can drink the water.... I can drink the water...

Holy Crap...an RCPM reference!:thumbup:

Otherwise, I'm also in Educational Publishing on the Editorial side. I understand your pain and have had similar e-mails conversations at various points in the past. I'm sorry things have sucked so bad these past few months.

[Thebazile78]

....

Otherwise, I'm also in Educational Publishing on the Editorial side. I understand your pain and have had similar e-mails conversations at various points in the past. I'm sorry things have sucked so bad these past few months.

We're about to add the production end of our company's academic products to our workload. During their busiest season, no less.

It basically starts right when the Supreme Court closes because all our authors wait until the last second to submit new material from pending decisions ... and lasts for the next Hellish month in order to finalize all the supplements so that they can ship in time for classes ... the earliest of which start in August.

If I stay, I believe that I will rapidly change from sedate and sardonic to violent and homicidal.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

Liz,

Hang in there!!! My worst day as a proofreader beats my best day being a production editor ANY DAY!

If you are proficient at proofreading, let me know. Seriously. E-mail me.

[Thebazile78]

Liz,

Hang in there!!! My worst day as a proofreader beats my best day being a production editor ANY DAY!

If you are proficient at proofreading, let me know. Seriously. E-mail me.

Thank you, Petrina!

Let me think about it; depending on the location of the office, it might be a good move to get me out of a bad situation.

As for proofing, I am good, but I am not fast. However, with practice, I am sure the speed will get better.

[Thebazile78]

Yesterday, an e-mail went out from Corporate Services informing folks in our Newark (NJ) and San Francisco (CA) offices that the company is trying to save money, so they're looking into consolidating all available office spaces in these locations. (READ: the company wants to save money in rent, so they're looking to have less space rented.)

The folks in San Francisco were just reshuffled a little over a year ago, so I am sure that they are not particularly happy about this announcement.

We folks in Newark, on the other hand, have had announcements about cube-dismantling and the removal of several offices' worth of office furniture from the office ... to be shifted to another company office in North Carolina.

Yesterday's announcement means something a little more serious. Today, the directors of my department and the editorial department were doing a walk-through survey of all available office spaces on our 3 floors in the building.

This morning, I had a phone call from my manager to discuss a possible move to our New Providence (NJ) office because I (1) live in NJ and (2) drive to work.

I said no, absolutely not.

Despite what Yahoo! Maps, Google Maps and MapQuest Driving Directions say, my commuting time would nearly triple because of the sheer volume of commuters using the same roads I have to navigate in order to get to the most direct route to that office. (Plus, they all gave me different mileage...one said it's 50 miles away, one said 42 miles and the last said 43 ...close, but I am NOT driving 100 miles a day for this job.)

In addition, with the increase of gas prices, I'm seriously considering an official telecommute schedule to save money on fuel. (Put it this way: my car holds 15 gallons of gasoline. It's $3.50/gallon in gas times 15 gallons times 2 fill-ups per week times 4 weeks per month = $420/month in FUEL costs alone. If I give up driving 1 day per week, I halve my fill-ups and save $210/month in fuel costs.)

I wonder if this puts me at the top of the list for next round's layoffs....we'll see in about 45 days.

[Freitag]

*sends off email to wife*

[Tazz]

I'm in the same boat as far as hating my job. I get judged at work by my boss because she hates (is jealous of) my personal life. It makes the days incredibly stressful.

I am trying to decide if now is the time to change careers. I have hated this one for years, but taking a big pay cut now seems a bit tough having just bought a house and wanting to get married.

[Thebazile78]

I'm in the same boat as far as hating my job. I get judged at work by my boss because she hates (is jealous of) my personal life. It makes the days incredibly stressful.

I am trying to decide if now is the time to change careers. I have hated this one for years, but taking a big pay cut now seems a bit tough having just bought a house and wanting to get married.

You have to figure out what your priorities are and then analyze the impact of the pay cut on your life. There's more to life than money.

Discuss it with your fiancee first. Your misery directly impacts her! (Mine makes me a lousy dinner companion and horrible conversationalist ... and I tend to sulk instead of doing something about it.)

[Thebazile78]

OK, so the fuckers at corporate real estate made our move happen last week, but they didn't seem to think things through.

Like where high capacity printers would be located.
Or which computers would have our vital-to-production file sequencing programs, before massively high-revenue (as in multi-million dollar) publications were sent to the vendor, and where they'd be located.
Or how they were going to work out shared cubicles.

The IT department has been running themselves ragged putting out small fires.
People didn't seem to have a concept of unpacking ... we'd all been assigned rented crates that had to be returned to the moving company this past Friday. (I was unpacked and organized by 8:30am on Monday morning after the move. And I'd already cleaned both my old cubicle and my new one before we moved.)

Oh, and I'm now right by the departmental director. Who I now want to drop-kick out the window onto Broad Street because she keeps having mini-conferences at the top of her voice in the middle of the hallway.

Yeah, this isn't helping.

And it's t-minus 7 days from tomorrow until the 2nd (and final for 2008) round of layoffs.

If you ask me about them, I get pissy and start to snap at them. Then I say that the fuckers will never lay me off, they'll just work me until I either go insane or have a complete and utter nervous and physical breakdown.

Either way, the bastards win. Sonsofbitches.

Unless, of course, I get out first. I've applied to another job at Acme Insurance, which will be closer to home, but, I suspect, will require more hours and possible tighter deadlines. This isn't a problem, although the extra hours kind of defeat the purpose of getting out of the current situation ... I kind of want to spend more time with my husband than I do on the road (or on the couch sulking.)

Anyway, we'll see what happens. I have a week before the corporate bastards don't lay me off. (I am not optimistic. If the woman who's in the cube next to me can keep her job, there's no hope for me. She's positively incompetent.)

[Thebazile78]

Ugly, ugly, ugly times these are around the office.

Firstly, as part of a cost-savings measure, they have consolidated our entire workforce at my location in lovely, tropical, Newark (NJ) from 3 floors to ... one floor.

As a result of this, several people in the Union, Morris and Warren County areas decamped to another office in New Providence, which is near Summit, NJ.

Several more have made the full-on switch from office-based employees to home-based employees.

A few are still office-based, but they've increased their telecommuting days ... so they now share offices (and, in one instance, a cubicle) with other people whose telecommute schedules mesh with theirs.

Secondly, they started construction as part of the second phase of our move, as there are a handful of people (and services, like vending machines, icemakers, coffee makers, microwaves and refrigerators) on the floor below us ... which is ours until mid-September.

We were told that the noisiest and dirtiest parts of the construction wouldn't take place during office hours ... or if it did, we'd be informed in a timely fashion.

That above statement is an out-and-out lie, incidentally.

Third, our second (and final for 2008) round of layoffs happened last week. Of the 7 people (10 positions; 7 actual bodies) who were laid off, rumor has it that I know and have worked off-and-on with 4 of them. No official announcements have been made as far as names and locations.

However, if the names I've heard turn out to be true, and there's not much around here that indicates otherwise, it's further proof that nobody is safe around here. Their time of service ranges from 20+ years to 4+ years. They're solid, hardworking, dedicated folks who've been through a lot over their time with the company.

But, at the moment, I'm still in no danger of losing my job.

There are times when I think that I would have to have a nervous breakdown in order to get out of here.

Then there are other times when I freeze up after looking at job postings on the major sites (Monster, Yahoo! HotJobs, CareerBuilder, etc.) ... I think I need a new plan.

On the plus side, there are informational meetings for the NPTNJ (New Pathways to Teaching in New Jersey) program at the county college through the Fall. I just have to pick a day and call the number to sign up. Who knows? I may be on the road to an actual career, rather than a crappy job.

[Thebazile78]

Today I called the county college in the county we're moving to in order to find out when the next information session(s) for the NPTNJ ("New Pathways to Teaching in New Jersey") program would be held.

Drawback: I called after business hours and talked to the departmental secretary.

Positive: She had the basic requirements in list-form in front of her.

Positive: There's an information session in a few weeks.

Positive: I know how to get my transcripts from my college. I may even have a spare copy kicking around. This is good, considering the fact that I want to triple-check my GPA. Applying to this program requires a minimum 2.8 GPA. I think I graduated with a 3+ GPA, but took two non-matric classes when I thought I wanted to pursue an MBA, so I am concerned that those grades may count towards my cumulative GPA.

Why the sudden fire under my butt?

Today I had a meeting to discuss increasing my telecommuting days from once per week to at least twice.

I was denied right now because it's the fourth quarter. OK, I understand my manager's anxiety about fourth quarter, but, for the love of God, it's not the end of the world for me.

Whatever.

In conjunction with this discussion about increasing my telecommuting time was a discussion of going home based.

I wasn't flat-out denied, but I wasn't approved either. There are "concerns" about balancing the team.

Again, whatever.

I'm disappointed and frustrated, mostly because there's not one thing that I can do in the office that I can't do at home, but pitching a fit isn't going to get me anywhere.

OK

I've been considering going back to school for a while; I just had to find the right program for me. This is a good program; there are two tracks. One leads to a certificate; the other gives you 15 credits towards a Master's degree.

Both are good options, but I would have a greater chance at placing in a good district if I pursued the Master's.

Depending on the program requirements that are discussed at the information session, because the website indicated that you had to have an offer of a position from a school in order to begin classes, I may be able to leave Newark and my manager and my daily grind behind and lay the groundwork for a career. Not just a job.

I think I'd like to have a career because my job sucks.

[DarkHippie]

Today I called the county college in the county we're moving to in order to find out when the next information session(s) for the NPTNJ ("New Pathways to Teaching in New Jersey") program would be held.

Drawback: I called after business hours and talked to the departmental secretary.

Positive: She had the basic requirements in list-form in front of her.

Positive: There's an information session in a few weeks.

Positive: I know how to get my transcripts from my college. I may even have a spare copy kicking around. This is good, considering the fact that I want to triple-check my GPA. Applying to this program requires a minimum 2.8 GPA. I think I graduated with a 3+ GPA, but took two non-matric classes when I thought I wanted to pursue an MBA, so I am concerned that those grades may count towards my cumulative GPA.

Why the sudden fire under my butt?

Today I had a meeting to discuss increasing my telecommuting days from once per week to at least twice.

I was denied right now because it's the fourth quarter. OK, I understand my manager's anxiety about fourth quarter, but, for the love of God, it's not the end of the world for me.

Whatever.

In conjunction with this discussion about increasing my telecommuting time was a discussion of going home based.

I wasn't flat-out denied, but I wasn't approved either. There are "concerns" about balancing the team.

Again, whatever.

I'm disappointed and frustrated, mostly because there's not one thing that I can do in the office that I can't do at home, but pitching a fit isn't going to get me anywhere.

OK

I've been considering going back to school for a while; I just had to find the right program for me. This is a good program; there are two tracks. One leads to a certificate; the other gives you 15 credits towards a Master's degree.

Both are good options, but I would have a greater chance at placing in a good district if I pursued the Master's.

Depending on the program requirements that are discussed at the information session, because the website indicated that you had to have an offer of a position from a school in order to begin classes, I may be able to leave Newark and my manager and my daily grind behind and lay the groundwork for a career. Not just a job.

I think I'd like to have a career because my job sucks.

Go for the Master's. That is similar to the program i am doing for the same thing, except i am doing special ed.

You would be a good teacher, you are smart and you like everyone to know it ;)

[Thebazile78]

Go for the Master's. That is similar to the program i am doing for the same thing, except i am doing special ed.

You would be a good teacher, you are smart and you like everyone to know it ;)

Thanks Craig. And you're not too shabby yourself.

I am thinking that the Master's would be the best way to go, but I need to be sure I can swing the costs. (I'm reluctant to take out another student loan, but there may be a way to work things out with a school district to get tuition assistance that way.)

Part of the reason my job stinks so much is the toll it takes on my emotional well-being. Oh, and the time I spend away from my husband doesn't help, either.

I know that teaching won't be any easier in many respects, but the fact that it's an intellectually demanding position with constant challenges makes it incredibly attractive to me. Besides, I enjoy helping people ... what better way to put that in motion than to teach??

[DarkHippie]

Thanks Craig. And you're not too shabby yourself.

I am thinking that the Master's would be the best way to go, but I need to be sure I can swing the costs. (I'm reluctant to take out another student loan, but there may be a way to work things out with a school district to get tuition assistance that way.)

Part of the reason my job stinks so much is the toll it takes on my emotional well-being. Oh, and the time I spend away from my husband doesn't help, either.

I know that teaching won't be any easier in many respects, but the fact that it's an intellectually demanding position with constant challenges makes it incredibly attractive to me. Besides, I enjoy helping people ... what better way to put that in motion than to teach??

You could go on Jeopardy for the money ;)

[Thebazile78]

You could go on Jeopardy for the money ;)

Yeah, but I'd have to qualify first.

[DarkHippie]

Yeah, but I'd have to qualify first.

Yeah, i didnt make it last itme either :(

[Thebazile78]

Yeah, i didnt make it last itme either :(

A number of factors contributed to my not qualifying the last time I took the test. Including my computer locking up, my husband not retrieving dinner from the oven while the test started and then criticizing the recipe that he insisted on using while I was trying to fill in the answers .... but, hey, I'm not bitter or anything.

[Freitag]

A number of factors contributed to my not qualifying the last time I took the test. Including my computer locking up, my husband not retrieving dinner from the oven while the test started and then criticizing the recipe that he insisted on using while I was trying to fill in the answers .... but, hey, I'm not bitter or anything.

I bought you a new computer and a new house. STFU. Thanks.

[Thebazile78]

I bought you a new computer and a new house. STFU. Thanks.

"STFU" ? I don't deserve that. I understand your frustration with what comes off as an accusation that you were the only problem as to why I didn't ace the Jeopardy! online qualifying test. I wasn't entirely fair; I also wasn't entirely prepared, but when you take the test in person, there are no distractions. REALLY. Nobody is watching you and nobody is trying to talk to you. Everyone in that room is 100% focused on the questions and recording the answers.

So, based on the above statement that "YOU" bought the house, then my income isn't necessary for us to pay the mortgage on said new house?

COOL. Thanks!

I'll let my manager know I'm giving my two weeks' notice! Shitty job situation problem ... Solved!

Woo-hoo!

[DarkHippie]

You two are so cute

[A.J.]

I bought you a new computer and a new house. STFU. Thanks.

"STFU" ? What are you, 12? And am I a board character? No.

So, based on the above statement that "YOU" bought the house, then my income isn't necessary for us to pay the mortgage on said new house?

Thanks!

I'll let my manager know I'm giving my two weeks' notice! Shitty job situation problem ... Solved!

Woo-hoo!

Uh oh. Mommy and Daddy are fighting. Time to break out:

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/0/0b/HarperValleyPTA.jpg

[Thebazile78]

Uh oh. Mommy and Daddy are fighting. Time to break out:

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/0/0b/HarperValleyPTA.jpg

I still don't get that reference. I've only heard that song once or twice.

And we're not fighting. We probably should've taken that offline.

[A.J.]

I still don't get that reference. I've only heard that song once or twice.

It was something little Fez would do when there was fighting in his house.

[Freitag]

"STFU" ? What are you, 12? And am I a board character? No.

So, based on the above statement that "YOU" bought the house, then my income isn't necessary for us to pay the mortgage on said new house?

Thanks!

I'll let my manager know I'm giving my two weeks' notice! Shitty job situation problem ... Solved!

Woo-hoo!

I'll deal with this off-line.

[Thebazile78]

It was something little Fez would do when there was fighting in his house.

OK, now it makes sense.

Thank you.

(Yeah, I'm posting on a fan board for a radio show and have very little experience listening to the show. I know.)

[Freitag]

I'll deal with this off-line.

Actually, F that, I dealt with it now.

[JPMNICK]

60% of Tenbats and Bazile's posts are pretty much PM's for us all to read.

[Freitag]

60% of Tenbats and Bazile's posts are pretty much PM's for us all to read.

That's what's great about our relationship. We hardly fight at home, but when there's a blowup, it happens on the board.

[A.J.]

That's what's great about our relationship. We hardly fight at home, but when there's a blowup, it happens on the board.

I'm glad your home is a cesspool of positivity.

[Thebazile78]

I'm glad your home is a cesspool of positivity.

Isn't that an oxymoronic statement? Like jumbo shrimp?

[Tenbatsuzen]

Isn't that an oxymoronic statement? Like jumbo shrimp?

Starving. Maybe fried for dinner?

[barjockey]

my job stinks and i dont like it.

[Thebazile78]

my job stinks and i dont like it.

Effectively, that's my problem.

Also "I hate this place .... nothing works here .... I've been here for seven years ...."

[Thebazile78]

Effectively, that's my problem.

Also "I hate this place .... nothing works here .... I've been here for seven years ...."

OOOOOOH! I found it on YouTube.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6pUSIjdvTIY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6pUSIjdvTIY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Things have not improved.

I have a bullshit training to attend tomorrow.

I know. I should be thankful to have a job in this economy. And I am, but not at the toll it's taken on my emotional well-being.

Plus, I've been a real bitch to Matty lately and, no matter how much of a savage he can be, he still doesn't deserve that.

[sr71blackbird]

At my job I am getting fed up too. My manager does not want to lose me in the worst way, and I am suspecting he is doing things behind the scenes to keep me from getting other jobs and out of his area. I have applied and been over qualified for other positions and I keep getting passed over and I an starting to feel trapped. But I know the outside job world is bad, so I have to stick it out. But I am not happy doing my current job and thats what's causing me to want to move on, so I am in a pickle If I tried to tell him, I think he will get very upset.

[Drunky McBetidont]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knetbVx5A-Q

:wallbash:

[Thebazile78]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knetbVx5A-Q

:wallbash:

You should see what I wrote in my personal review about my "future plans" with the company.

[led37zep]

This would have been an awesome thread for me to see yesterday.

[Thebazile78]

... or, a whole new adventure!

Today we had a large "mystery meeting" at work this afternoon to discuss some corporate b.s. involving real estate holdings, especially locations that are rented.

The location where I am based is rented space.

The location where I am based will be closing effective June 1st.

I still have a job, but employees at my location are "strongly encouraged" to move with the office to another location where the company owns the real estate.

Moving would mean I tack another half-hour (round-trip, without traffic) onto my commute ... and another 30 miles (round-trip) of wear-and-tear to my car ... and another $1.20 (off-peak)/$2.50 (peak) per day in tolls.

So ... that's an additional 120 miles per week times 48 weeks per year (5,760 more miles per year) PLUS an additional $230 (off-peak)/$480 (peak) in tolls PLUS no compensation for the wear and tear on my vehicle PLUS the additional costs in fuel and time ...

AND, to add insult to injustice, as a cost-savings measure, I DIDN'T GET A RAISE THIS YEAR! :furious:

Yeah, we're gonna have to fix up the 3rd floor or else I will go out of my mind.

[A.J.]

That sucks. It would almost be better to be unemployed than deal with the extra hassles.

[Thebazile78]

That sucks. It would almost be better to be unemployed than deal with the extra hassles.

That is exactly how I feel right now.

[angrymissy]

Will they let you work from home?

[Freitag]

By "fixing up the third floor" she just wants me to move a few boxes.

[boosterp]

Poor Liz, that sucks ass.

[Thebazile78]

Will they let you work from home?

I don't know yet. The last time I mentioned it to my manager, she wasn't real receptive to the idea.

However, I've already told her that I am not going to drive over 100 miles a day to get to this job.

I don't know what will happen at this point.

[Thebazile78]

Poor Liz, that sucks ass.

Thanks budday.

[CountryBob]

That sucks - companies right now are just not giving a shit about employees anymore. Due to the economic conditions in the market place we will need to .......bla bla screw em all. You should be compensated for this move.

Another note - the last job I had was 165 miles round trip each day and once gas prices went through the roof - i was contemplating quitting. I asked for more $$ or some adjustment to my wages (I recieved no travel expense or mileage) and was told that they didnt care where I lived - it was my cross to bare. Bullshit.

[Thebazile78]

That sucks - companies right now are just not giving a shit about employees anymore. Due to the economic conditions in the market place we will need to .......bla bla screw em all. You should be compensated for this move.

Another note - the last job I had was 165 miles round trip each day and once gas prices went through the roof - i was contemplating quitting. I asked for more $$ or some adjustment to my wages (I recieved no travel expense or mileage) and was told that they didnt care where I lived - it was my cross to bare. Bullshit.

Would you believe that one of our corporate "core values" is 'valuing our employees' ? Oh the irony.

That's exactly what I mean. We should get some sort of compensation for the additional costs ... which would've been offset (albeit slightly) by a raise. Which we did not get this year.

Even the folks who take public transit are royally fucked up the ass because even though the company trumpets its "transportation spending account" it's effectively a healthcare flex-spend account - it's still YOUR money, they just deduct it from your paycheck pre-tax, and you have to apply each month to get it back into your pocket. It's more trouble than it's worth, IMO.

But they won't pay wear-and-tear on someone's car ... I'm sorry, but if I don't have a car, I don't have a way to get to the office. It's that simple.

We're already not getting raises and they expect us to increase our expenses? Are they crazy???

They've chosen to invest several hundred million dollars in new company initiatives, including offshoring and outsourcing my job. It's only a matter of time before I have nothing ... and they want me to pay for the privilege of not getting fired.

Personally, they can shove it up their collective asses.

Fortunately, the nature of the work I do doesn't involve me actually dealing with clients or anything, so I can actually do 100% of my job functions from my laptop at home. I don't know exactly how I'm going to pitch it to my boss, but I've already told her in no uncertain terms that I am NOT driving 100 miles round-trip to this job.

Whenever we discuss my options, I'm standing firm on this - for my mental and physical health, I can NOT commute to this other office every day. If they want me to perform at my current levels, they'll let me home-base. If not, I will have to find some way of telling them to shove it without burning any bridges.

[SP1!]

Some places are doing fine and using the economy as an excuse to not give raises or cut bonuses, its bullshit.

[midwestjeff]

Some places are doing fine and using the economy as an excuse to not give raises or cut bonuses, its bullshit.

You mean K-Rock, don't you?

[Gvac]

The GM at work is fond of saying to the salesmen "Don't worry...I'd never send you guys into a gun fight with a knife."

That's precisely what they've been doing the past few months, however.

With sales in the shitter, all of our competitors have lowered their prices. Our owner, in his infinite wisdom, has raised ours.

"That's what I pay you salesmen for; to sell our service and yourselves and convince the customers that it's worth it for them to pay more."

All fine and dandy when everyone is making money. In these times? EVERYONE is price shopping.

Oh yeah...and they took a huge chunk of my territory that I spent the last year building and gave it to our satellite company.

[Judge Smails]

http://tsmo.pp.fi/kuvat/revolution-howto.jpg

[boosterp]

http://tsmo.pp.fi/kuvat/revolution-howto.jpg

:lol::lol::lol:

[Thebazile78]

The GM at work is fond of saying to the salesmen "Don't worry...I'd never send you guys into a gun fight with a knife."

That's precisely what they've been doing the past few months, however.

With sales in the shitter, all of our competitors have lowered their prices. Our owner, in his infinite wisdom, has raised ours.

"That's what I pay you salesmen for; to sell our service and yourselves and convince the customers that it's worth it for them to pay more."

All fine and dandy when everyone is making money. In these times? EVERYONE is price shopping.

Oh yeah...and they took a huge chunk of my territory that I spent the last year building and gave it to our satellite company.

Don't you just love it when you work your ass off to prove yourself responsible and they take your responsibilities away from you?

Fuckers.

Fuck 'em in their fucking fuck-holes.

Either that or kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out.

[Gvac]

Don't you just love it when you work your ass off to prove yourself responsible and they take your responsibilities away from you?

Fuckers.

Fuck 'em in their fucking fuck-holes.

Either that or kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out.

I'm fine with them taking responsibilities away from me, it's the commissions that they've screwed me out of that has me furious!

I'm with you.

Fuck 'em.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Oh yeah...and they took a huge chunk of my territory that I spent the last year building and gave it to our satellite company.

East Side Dave is selling brake pads?

[Tenbatsuzen]

Some places are doing fine and using the economy as an excuse to not give raises or cut bonuses, its bullshit.

EXACTAMUNDO.

I can't understand why the county government is threatening massive layoffs because of the recession. You may have to cut some jobs, but they were talking like hundreds of people may go.

[SP1!]

You mean K-Rock, don't you?

NOoo.

My job and the GFs job both had raises denied and bonuses cut, strangely enough her company made record numbers last year and our company owners have decided to quit driving their Porsche and him pimpin BMW to work now. Add to the fact they paid a shit load of money to buy into a sports team last year and of course that winds up to us getting no raise, its bullshit.

[Judge Smails]

My wife is a physical therapist. People are still getting hurt and needing therapy - right? She says that she's not seeing any less patients - if anything she's seeing more patients than she did this time last year. Last year they froze increases. Now they said that because of the economic situation everyone's getting 5% cuts. They said it was either that or they would have to let people go. Fuck them!

[boosterp]

Don't you just love it when you work your ass off to prove yourself responsible and they take your responsibilities away from you?

Fuckers.

Fuck 'em in their fucking fuck-holes.

Either that or kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out.

Sexy when you talk like that. :tongue:

My wife is a physical therapist. People are still getting hurt and needing therapy - right? She says that she's not seeing any less patients - if anything she's seeing more patients than she did this time last year. Last year they froze increases. Now they said that because of the economic situation everyone's getting 5% cuts. They said it was either that or they would have to let people go. Fuck them!

I hear this from many friends/peers and family who are in the field. More patients, expanded hours, same pay. It is sad because health care costs rise but the workers do not experience the rise in cost of living, bonuses, or salary increases.

[Thebazile78]

Rumor has it that, on top of all this, there will be layoffs in April.

[JPMNICK]

Rumor has it that, on top of all this, there will be layoffs in April.

do you want to be laid off?

[Thebazile78]

do you want to be laid off?

Strangely enough, yes.

[JPMNICK]

Strangely enough, yes.

so request it. you will be getting what you want, and saving someone elses job. also you will prolly get a package and you will be able to collect unemployment

[Thebazile78]

so request it. you will be getting what you want, and saving someone elses job. also you will prolly get a package and you will be able to collect unemployment

The issue with that is I've been advised by multiple people not to do that.

And you should've seen the look on the HR rep's face when someone asked about that possibility during the last round of layoffs ... I don't expect them to be open to the possibility.

[topless_mike]

it would save you the commute...

[Thebazile78]

it would save you the commute...

True, but then I'd also be up shit's creek without a paddle as I apparently have no marketable skills.

Jesus. 8 years of my life down the fucking drain ...

[Freitag]

True, but then I'd also be up shit's creek without a paddle as I apparently have no marketable skills.

Jesus. 8 years of my life down the fucking drain ...

you're ripping off jerrytaker. hoo hoo.

You do have skills - you just need to help yourself recognize them.

[topless_mike]

you just need to help yourself recognize them.

YEAH, RECOGNIZE BIATCH


sounded so much funnier in my head.

[Freitag]

YEAH, RECOGNIZE BIATCH


sounded so much funnier in my head.

yeah, calling someone's wife that.... or implying I would say that... may want to re-think that.

[topless_mike]

yeah, calling someone's wife that.... or implying I would say that... may want to re-think that.

chill, chester.
to think i would really say that.

literal matty today.

[PhishHead]

yeah, calling someone's wife that.... or implying I would say that... may want to re-think that.

chill, chester.
to think i would really say that.

literal matty today.

yea I figured everyone took "Recognize biatch" as a complete joke...apparently matty is very sensitive today.

[Jujubees2]

yea I figured everyone took "Recognize biatch" as a complete joke...apparently matty is very sensitive today.

It's the 2009 Matty. Less confrontational. More sensitive.

[A.J.]

True, but then I'd also be up shit's creek without a paddle as I apparently have no marketable skills.

Jesus. 8 years of my life down the fucking drain ...

You do have skills - you just need to help yourself recognize them.

What Matty said.

[Thebazile78]

What Matty said.

But that's gonna take work ... I just wanna whine a little bit more!

Srsly, being fed up with my job and feeling like I'm being over-supervised doesn't help me think clearly about my skill set.

It's getting a little better, seeing as how I've been tapped to work on some special projects in the past month or so, but I still feel icky about having to get up and out the door to the job every day.

Though, at this point, I'm sure I'd feel a lot worse about not having to get up and out the door to a job every day.

[topless_mike]

not to be all gloom and doom, but you still have a job to go to and a paycheck to deposit.
could be ALOT worse.

[Thebazile78]

not to be all gloom and doom, but you still have a job to go to and a paycheck to deposit.
could be ALOT worse.

I know, I know.

I'm really pissy this week.

But, on the bright side, the sun is shining and I don't have to go back to Newark until Thursday.

[A.J.]

It's OK to whine but at the same time don't sell yourself short. I've been there before, believe me. I had a shitty job I hated and thought I wasted so many years there that my skill sets were going to be unappealing to do the job I wanted. Well, what didn't kill me made me stronger and I realized that my experience WAS transferable. Most corporate settings (private sector, gubment, military) are pretty much the same. That's why Office Space is such a great movie.

[Freitag]

I know, I know.

I'm really pissy this week.

But, on the bright side, the sun is shining and I don't have to go back to Newark until Thursday.

...this "week"?

[Thebazile78]

...this "week"?

Why do you have to be such an ass?

[Freitag]

Why do you have to be such an ass?

"Oh relax, I'm just teasing you!"

quotes intentional.

[Thebazile78]

"Oh relax, I'm just teasing you!"

quotes intentional.

It's not April 1st.

[disneyspy]

Why do you have to be such an ass?

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> (http://<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>)

[Thebazile78]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> (http://<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Uv-bFQFDwRA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>)

They never should've taught you how to embed videos.

[disneyspy]

They never should've taught you how to embed videos.

c'mon thats a pretty good song and until i saw that i always thought simply red was black

[Thebazile78]

c'mon thats a pretty good song and until i saw that i always thought simply red was black

I didn't know who sang it because I associate it with those TimeLife music collections advertised on TV.

[led37zep]

Last night when I was being thrown under the bus for something that went on in Post I was thinking about this thread.


And kicking in windows.

[topless_mike]

Rumor has it that, on top of all this, there will be layoffs in April.

Well, its april.
I'm not ill-wishing, but rather am curious.
Have you heard anything yet?

[Thebazile78]

Well, its april.
I'm not ill-wishing, but rather am curious.
Have you heard anything yet?

Nope; no official word, so I am inclined to think that the announcements that the other 2 managers made were strictly along the lines of "upper management was CONSIDERING moving up layoffs to April, so don't get anxious" or "layoffs will happen in April for (x department) so be sensitive" (while we're a part of "y" department.)

We are definitely closing our Newark location in June, though.

I have spent the last 2.5 days at the new office testing the possible routes I could take to get here and have found a good fit, as long as I get off the new exit earlier than 8am or after 9am (which is almost not worth the effort because of the home-bound traffic) ... oh and now, instead of costing $3.50 round-trip in tolls to get to work, it will cost $1.50.

So, I now know which way to drive come June. And I can pick stuff up at Trader Joe's whenever I want ... as long as it's on the way home.

[topless_mike]

We are definitely closing our Newark location in June, though.

I have spent the last 2.5 days at the new office testing the possible routes I could take to get here and have found a good fit, as long as I get off the new exit earlier than 8am or after 9am (which is almost not worth the effort because of the home-bound traffic) ... oh and now, instead of costing $3.50 round-trip in tolls to get to work, it will cost $1.50.

So, I now know which way to drive come June. And I can pick stuff up at Trader Joe's whenever I want ... as long as it's on the way home.

at least no more newark. where is the other office?

[Thebazile78]

at least no more newark. where is the other office?

New Providence.

[topless_mike]

ah, the trader joe's in westfield.
very nice store.

[Thebazile78]

ah, the trader joe's in westfield.
very nice store.

Yup.

It's like 10 minutes away in the direction I have to travel to get home anyway. I stopped there the other night to get chicken sausages and frozen chocolate-covered bananas.

[topless_mike]

yo
trader joes has the best "meal in a bag"
like, 3 bucks each. heat/oil skillet, pour bag in... dinner served.

[Thebazile78]

yo
trader joes has the best "meal in a bag"
like, 3 bucks each. heat/oil skillet, pour bag in... dinner served.

Good to know; that's like half the price of those horrifying Bertolli "skillet meals"!

I just stocked up on chocolate-covered frozen bananas and chicken sausages. I'll have to start bringing a cooler and ice packs to work once we move so I can get stuff like that home without it going funny on me.

[TjM]

"Chicken Sausages" I don't like the sound of that

[Thebazile78]

"Chicken Sausages" I don't like the sound of that

It's sausage made from chicken rather than pork, you filthy beast.

Trader Joe's are the best of the processed, pre-cooked kind. The second-best are Han's All-Natural. Skip the Al Fresco brand. They taste weird.

[~Katja~]

today was my new low at my job... for some strange reason my boss decided to rearrange the department and make people move into empty cubes from across the building to consolidate space... but also switched around people in existing cubes...
well I have been here several years now, never moved... his assistant has been here for even more years than that...
She is supposed to leave the company a few weeks before me and my end date is end of May... yet he made her move into another space and moved me into hers... I am dying from freakin dust and cleaner inhalations... this place never gets cleaned and I am happy that someone even found cleaner and wipes... else it would have been an even messier deal.

I am so glad I packed an extra inhaler this morning for my asthma...


and sorry for hijacking the thread with this, but with this title it was just the perfect place to vent

[~Katja~]

yo
trader joes has the best "meal in a bag"
like, 3 bucks each. heat/oil skillet, pour bag in... dinner served.

I really have to find me a TJ... there are none around...

[Thebazile78]

today was my new low at my job... for some strange reason my boss decided to rearrange the department and make people move into empty cubes from across the building to consolidate space... but also switched around people in existing cubes...
well I have been here several years now, never moved... his assistant has been here for even more years than that...
She is supposed to leave the company a few weeks before me and my end date is end of May... yet he made her move into another space and moved me into hers... I am dying from freakin dust and cleaner inhalations... this place never gets cleaned and I am happy that someone even found cleaner and wipes... else it would have been an even messier deal.

I am so glad I packed an extra inhaler this morning for my asthma...


and sorry for hijacking the thread with this, but with this title it was just the perfect place to vent

No, it's not hijacking when you've had it with your job, too.

And that makes no sense whatsoever, by the way. Why move people around if they're not going to be there in a few weeks?

[Drunky McBetidont]

And that makes no sense whatsoever, by the way. Why move people around if they're not going to be there in a few weeks?

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/imgcache/38519.imgcache

[Thebazile78]

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/imgcache/38519.imgcache

So then they firebomb your office.

Again, what's the use?

[~Katja~]

No, it's not hijacking when you've had it with your job, too.

And that makes no sense whatsoever, by the way. Why move people around if they're not going to be there in a few weeks?

my only guess is that my boss is reorganizing so while people drop out the ones staying for good or longer are closer around him so they won't be all over the building... they already got rid of the entire helpdesk... the network team is down to two and some project related contractors and employees are still here... next group leaving will be at the end of April and the way it looks they are now sitting the farthest away... and he put people closer together that work on project teams which is why he probably took me out of my cube... but seriously he could have just waited till everybody is gone and all permanent employees remain

[Thebazile78]

So we had "heap big meeting" today to discuss the impact of the corporate O&O (that's "offshoring and outsourcing" for those of you who haven't encountered this newspeak before) on our department.

We sat for an hour in a meeting that had a highlight of our colleagues in the San Francisco office demonstrating how they're totally on the ball, but nobody checked the conference room until 10 minutes before the meeting, so they found out they didn't have a phone in the room. Which delayed the start of our 2pm meeting to I don't know when (I've given up wearing a watch at work) ... but made me laugh, because I don't consider the SFO to be comprised of the sharpest knives in the drawer anyway. Hey, I take my schadenfreude where I can get it!

Anyway, the big take-away from this meeting is that our current offshoring plan is running according to expectations ... which means June will bring another round of layoffs. They intend on eliminating between 10-15 positions at this time; folks in my office who are being affected are to be notified prior to the NPV move to save them some grief.

Another round is on its way, sometime during the 4th Quarter 2009.

The later round will be preceded by a round of e-mails informing folks of their continued status with the company and, in cases of laid off employees, their date of termination.

Needless to say, lots of folks are running the emotional gamut from numb to shaken and everything in between. We feel dumped on, irritated and anxious.

It'll be a fun couple of weeks from here on out.

[topless_mike]

:(
sorry to hear about all this agony.

[Thebazile78]

:(
sorry to hear about all this agony.

Thanks, man.

It may suck for now, but we'll see.

So far, no news is good news.

[~Katja~]

it's starting to look really depressing around my job.
Last afternoon HR called all the people left in the building together and announced that they are letting yet another 20% go by the end of this week.

This morning as I walked in I saw one guy who was with the company for probably 20 years and had made it fairly big in the Finance department, walking out with a box of his belongings...
I just got another e-mail with a long list of employees being let go (cause I have to remove some of their security rights) and again, some were just honored for their 30 years with the company... it is so sad to see them being let go.

My last day here is in not even 2 weeks.

[khaxzan]

:dry: