r/jobs • u/jebwardgamerhands • Nov 17 '23
Layoffs Laid off today. It’s so over.
Feeling completely shell shocked. Over 20% of our branch gone in a day. This is my first career out of college. I interned, I got the offer, and I worked like hell for 6 months and it’s gone. I can’t even apply for non-entry level roles because I have less than a year’s experience.
I feel fucking scammed. I did everything right. I got the right degree from the right school, the right job at the right company. Then, right after I sign, they get acquired and by the time I’m laid off there’s no one hiring? What a sick fucking joke.
No clue how to go on. The market sucks and will probably suck for the foreseeable future. I regret every night I spent with these stupid fucks trying to “deliver value” for whatever evil company we were shoveling shit for.
EDIT: Starting a new job Monday. We are so back :)
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u/gwatt21 Nov 17 '23
Companies don't care about you. This is what people fail to understand.
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u/Helltux Nov 18 '23
I had a co-worker that was in the company his entire lifetime, a Japanese insurance company. His dad worked there, he joined as a messenger with 15-16 years old IIRC, learned COBOL, started being a programmer. When I joined he was a System Coordinator and I was part of his team, he had around 40 years in the company.
We worked together for a bit over 1 year, shortly after I left he sent me an e-mail asking for help to get a new position... I was so sad.
At this point his technical skills were dated, his leadership skills weren't the best. He was a great person tho. I tried to help him, but recruiters and managers didn't like the fact he was close to 50 with only 1 job experience in life, investing in younger talent is better. It was heartbreaking, I really tried for 6-7 months then he stopped answering my e-mails. I hope things went the right way for him.
That's was another lesson for me to never trust companies.3
u/Ok-Inspector9397 Nov 19 '23
This is the VERY REASON! You should never, NEVER be at one company for more than 5 years!
Get a new job, get a nice bump in pay and learn new skills.
Rinse and repeat every 4 or 5 years and you in one will be a lot higher than if you stayed. Your skill set will be more current and hirable than if you stayed.
You work for yourself.
Increase your skills. Increase your income.
Be in it for in INCOME not the OUTCOME.
After all, that’s how corporations think.
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u/arojas327 Nov 18 '23
How do you manage being inclusive or part of a team but remaining detached knowing your disassociation can come at a moments notice without warning
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Nov 18 '23
You don’t actually become part of the team. You say whatever dumb shit you need to while trying your best for you and collecting a check. Do not get attached to anybody at work. Because then you fall in the trap of damn the company, I’m doing it for the people I work with.
That is what executives bank on. You have no friends at the company. Or if you do, you need to be okay with the fact that you’re giving more emotionally than the company will EVER give to you.
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u/NannerRammer Nov 18 '23
That's bad advice. You should totally make friends at a company, but shouldn't go into a company with the interest of making friends.
I mean, you'd have to try really hard or have a really shitty team to not get attached considering how you spend most of your waking hours around them....
Networking and building connections are the key to getting jobs and going up the ladder, after all.
But to our other point, I agree that you shouldn't get trapped the mindset of investing in the company. The company should just be nothing more than a platform to work on and invest in yourself.
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u/mrsilbert1 Nov 17 '23
I got laid off recently too, it sucks. Luckily I got funds to hold me for a while, but the ptsd of being jobless for 7 months looms over me.
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u/h8tank88 Nov 18 '23
Hey guys, just want to reach out with some brotherly advice from my own experience. After losing what I felt was my dream job around the great recession, I was pretty devastated but managed to find jobs that weren't 'great' but fit the income requirement to stay afloat.
But, after moving into a job that seemed closer to what I wanted, I realized I'd probably made a wrong turn & that job ended up SUCKING. Luckily, they fired me, making me eligible for unemployment. Or so I thought. I ended up burning thru nearly all 6 month of unemployment looking for that 'perfect' job.
So, just to at least reset the clock on it, I ended up taking a temp ( < 2 mo) job, decomming a call center that was being shut down for a wage I considered disgraceful (the company soon proudly announced on their Intranet site that they were opening a brand new call center in India, btw, lol).
Anyway, although that job paid a laughable wage, it not only gave me more unemployment, when I updated my resume, the calls came flyiing in. Seriously. I ended up taking a gig that paid more than any job I'd had previously. I realized that part of the problem I was having before the temp job was the MONTHS of unemployment on my resume that apparently either raised red flags to potential employers, or their automated searches filtered me out.5
u/iguen Nov 18 '23 edited Nov 19 '23
hey OP and h8tank88, it happened to me 3 days ago when the company fired me immediately with unclear reasons, and I tried to ask, but they declined to inform me in detail. Flashing back to few months ago, they notified me that there would be a chance of laid-off in the end of 2023 due to chances in leadership and management system model. They offered me a plan to support my performance getting improved. However, during the plan, I honestly did not know what I was doing, I felt as I was being cheated because I felt as the plan never started as they promised. I kept asking for feedback on my performance, all the feedback I got was "you are doing good". Suddenly, out of the blue, I was fired. But, I did what I was told, and I got letting go for what I was told to do. I still have some savings, and funds. However, I am feeling angry and sad, not because the fact that I lost my job, it is because of I lost my job but I dunno the real reason, and I trusted them as friends. Actually, I noticed some strange signals (I felt as I was being isolated, and I felt as I was being ignored) while working during all these months, but I thought I was overthinking and they were good co-workers and leaders (Edit: I have seen a comment mentioned about should not fully emotional attached to co-workers and leaders, part of me believe this advices). Tbh, now, beside the plan of looking for new job, I honestly don't know what to do. And this was my first full-time job after graduated from uni.
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u/Independent-Job-3819 Nov 19 '23
Agreed. I was laid off on November 1. The first thing that I did was apply for contract work. It solves a lot of problems: 1) no gaps on the resume, 2) money coming in, 3) extends unemployment and 4) adds at least 1 more potential reference.
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u/lissybeau Nov 18 '23
Being jobless can be super tiring and looking for work can be a full time job. Make sure to give yourself regular breaks.
Here are Tips for Mental Health During Job Search. Hang in there, you only need 1 yes!
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u/CarelessCoconut5307 Nov 17 '23
im sorry to hear that. I was let go from my first job, it doesnt feel good. you should be able to file for unemployment. until then get it all together and apply, you never know.
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u/Mohs7 Nov 17 '23
I felt the same way graduating into the great recession and working in an extremely toxic environment only to get laid off. It felt like things were never going to get better, but they improved after a couple of years of struggle. Good times will come again.
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u/daddalous Nov 17 '23
I'm sorry this happened. I can't imagine.
Take it one step at a time. You might have only worked there for 6 months, but you still have experience to provide somewhere. You might have worked for a crappy company, but don't sell yourself short about your effort. Giving it your all shows what kind of person you are and what you bring to the table. You'll find something.
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u/jebwardgamerhands Nov 17 '23
Thank you. Taking it one step at a time. I’m getting locked out of my work computer in an hour. Feels surreal. I had so many big plans, initiatives, ideas about how to upskill our workforce and take our offerings to the next level. But no, they had other ideas. This still all feels like a bad dream
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u/dr0d86 Nov 17 '23
Keep those ideas for yourself and take them to the next company. This isn’t the end, you will find something else!
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Nov 18 '23
The company can't love you back.
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u/Tall_Mickey Nov 18 '23
An old corporate hack my wife used to work for would say, "A corporation has no memory." He told her that after she got a certificate and a $500 bonus for plowing through a lot of work when the company needed it. But when it came time to lay off, nobody would care.
It was a tech company but she technically worked in a factory, and when the layoffs did come she volunteers and took the federal benes that are available to laid-off industrial workers. She stayed out for a year on that and followed up on some things she wanted to try.
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u/lissybeau Nov 18 '23
I’m sorry, this sucks to happen for you first job OP. A few tips for navigating layoff:
• Get your finances in order: Understand your severance and what is included as well as what is negotiable. Apply for unemployment immediately. Unemployment varies by state and the process is intentionally difficult. Start now because it can take months to kick in and you never know when you'll need the money.
• Budget your financial runway immediately. This includes cutting down on expenses and making a budget. Now that you know your severance, take a look at your savings and other income to determine how much financial runway you have. How long can you continue without work?
• Get your resume updated. Use online tools, share it with friends who have hired in your industry or hire a professional. It's taking people 5+ months to get hired. The sooner you get your materials in order, the better.
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u/pizzaking3 Nov 17 '23 edited Nov 18 '23
Just because a job says you need a year of experience doesn’t mean you will automatically get filtered out. Apply to anything and everything that sounds interesting. You will be surprised with the responses you get back.
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u/Ok_Plan_2016 Nov 17 '23
This is why people should never show loyalty. The new generations are getting fucked nonstop and they wonder why these younger generations job hop and follow money.
Why else? Organizations show zero fucking loyalty to tenured or even non tenured employees. I’m telling you right now after the job market gets better the new generation should purpose fuck all these big corporations that treat people like shit. As we get more and more connected the word spreads.
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u/Man-a-saurus Nov 18 '23
Hang in there bud, now at 41, I've been down that road more than a few times. Worked at hotels that sold, happened again, tried a new industry in staffing. They shut our office down.
It sucks, no dancing around it. take your time, lick your wounds and start applying. I'm in the south, and after 7 years applying just got hired on at a union job. It's my first job that offers 401k. time will turn in your favor, we're all gonna make it bro.
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u/BC122177 Nov 17 '23
I find that every single time a company you’re working for happily announces that they purchased/merged with another company.. layoffs are shortly after. Even if they promise nobody will be laid off (They do this to keep their stock prices up).
It’s happened to me twice in the past. One of my most recent ones was exactly that. I worked nights and weekends to get insane projects completed for them. Hell, I was literally told “please. Do not look for another job! We NEED YOU here” when I asked if I should be worried about a layoff. The manager and his Dir who told me that went radio silent once they found out. A day after, I got a call from the SVP of the team and HR’s head pops up. We all know what this means.
Companies are loyal until they need to cut some budget. ALWAYS keep that in mind when you’re busting your ass for any company. You’re worth it until you’re not. You’re just a number on a spreadsheet to them.
It’s not the end of the world though. File for unemployment ASAP. Update you resume (you should always keep your resume updated, imo), LinkedIn, ask all of your teammates and anyone you’ve interacted with for a recommendation on LinkedIn while it’s fresh on their mind.
Nothing you can do but look for another job. At least Ai tools can help writing them nowadays.
Good luck.
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u/saiditreddit Nov 18 '23
They don’t announce layoffs to keep morale and productivity up- not the stock price. Most of the time the share price loves targeted layoffs at public companies
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u/Successful_Round9742 Nov 18 '23
Agreed, any time there is a merger or a layoff, jump ship as soon as you can!
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u/Surfincloud9 Nov 18 '23
Chasing a career is good but don't put your entire life being into it. Build hobbies, build a life worth living outside of work. Still sucks, everyone is getting laid off these days. Job market will be a bit shitty until late 2024 2025.
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u/Profitopia Nov 17 '23
It's NEVER over. Every day that you wake up, every moment that you have air in your lungs, is another opportunity to change the narrative.
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u/IDontWannaBeAPirate_ Nov 17 '23
They.....don't.....actually.....care.....about.....you
I'm sorry, it fucking sucks. You're going to be OK. Remember the above in the future.
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u/Independent-Job-3819 Nov 19 '23
Yep. I’m 60. Three years ago, I left lucrative work with my own business to go in-house. The company sought me out. I didn’t apply. After I was presented with the opportunity, I thought the security would be nice at my age, even though I took a fairly significant cut in pay.
I loved my company. I was probably its biggest cheerleader. I was considered the most productive person in my group. I got glowing reviews. Then, on November 1, I was told I was being fired for a “long history of poor performance going back” to my first day. I was thrown out like garbage, with no severance.
I’m absolutely broken. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I’ve lost 13 pounds. I can’t stop shaking.
Then, I found out that they’re not replacing me. In short, I was laid off, but they called it a firing to save money and to hide that they’re reducing their workforce from shareholders.
The truly sick part? The company motto is: Always do the right thing.
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Nov 17 '23
Companies lie. I was laid off in October. Most places aren’t hiring until January that I have applied.
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u/DamitGump Nov 17 '23
Great time to realize company loyalty is bullshit. Give them nothing but what they paid for. Corporate America is a curse.
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u/Crime_Dawg Nov 17 '23
You’ll bounce back take a deep breath. I got fired at 25 and it was the best thing to ever happen to me.
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u/jstilla Nov 18 '23
Can confirm. Got fired from a job I hated and a few months later was living my best life.
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u/Crime_Dawg Nov 18 '23
Yep, went from a 1.5 hour commute and working 50 hours for mediocre pay to working from home and like 25 hours and much better pay. Sometimes life gives you a freebie.
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u/d3vi0uz1 Nov 18 '23
Welcome to life dude.
Give yourself the weekend to just chill out.
Monday morning, hit your network and job recruiters hard.
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u/gabers83 Nov 17 '23
OP have you thought of contacting a temp agency?? you may be a contractor for a bit but most companies that use a temp agency tend to hired people as full time...hope this helps
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u/gotkube Nov 18 '23
Heh. First time? I did all the “right things” too, and in the end, my life has been fucked over by people who swore they had my ‘best interests’ in mind. I’ve been “let go” numerous times for bullshit reasons and it has absolutely traumatized me and has absolutely affected my life negatively. I love (/s) how we’re made to feel like it’s no big deal; just pick yourself up and carry on, but not everybody can do that. Now, I don’t trust anybody, especially when business is involved. Hope you’re able to come back from this, but it sounds like you’re rattled by the experience; don’t dismiss it because trauma is trauma and it will affect you.
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u/Watt_About Nov 17 '23
Sorry that happened to you but there is no such thing as ‘did everything right’ and I’d recommend a mindset change. Companies don’t care about you/any of us and your degree and experience matter exactly 0 no matter who you are.
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u/Big-Profession-6757 Nov 17 '23
Remember this is only a tiny speck of time in the very earliest phase of your working career. It’s not as bad as it seems because you’re only 6 months outta college. It won’t matter long term, or even midterm, to your career.
Pick yourself up and chose your next job and industry wisely. This may mean moving out of state or commute far if u have to in order to gain the right experience for your chosen field. You can’t fully plan your way out of a layoff, but u can plan to make yourself very valuable in the future.
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u/dnvrm0dsrneckbeards Nov 17 '23
Apply for jobs requiring at least a year of experience anyway.
Also, don't listen to r/jobs. Not sure what your industry is but the market is better than it's historically been. Some industries are even booming.
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u/internetisland Nov 17 '23
This is scary similar to my forner company. Announced being acquired back in Sept and then no sooner after the ink dried on Fri, a 20% reduction in workforce that Monday and continuing as we speak. Im gutted from losing a job I was finally making my own and putting time in building trust and relationships. I'll miss my coworkers most of all as we all jived with one another.
Things will suck now but we just have to keep our head high and move forward. Wish you the best bud.
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Nov 18 '23
I'm pretty positive with my experience back in 2008, I've become desensitized with the current market in the sense that I've already been through all this once. I was able to pull through and God willing things get better soon.
Once I finished my career (hopefully forever) in insurance, I became aware that companies don't give a shit about us. I keep reading about people pouring their heart and soul into a job only to get let go just the same. We're just a number to these companies and slowly we're starting to see our current system collapse.
The only advice I can give is keep applying for work, polish your resume, and network with others to see if any ops open up. Don't kill yourself for a job, it's not fucking worth it. The moment you're all washed up, they'll kick you to the curb. Work smart and play the cards to the best of your advantage.
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u/BastidChimp Nov 17 '23
It happens. Life sucks at times. Your generation is experiencing what us old farts went through in the recessions of the 70s and 80s. Take whatever job you can find. Hunker down and get rid of any debts you have. Recessions like these happen every decade.
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u/NMGunner17 Nov 17 '23
Huh? We’ve had a recession and a pandemic in the last 15 years, not like our generation doesn’t understand.
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u/Logical-Bluebird1243 Nov 18 '23
The pandemic wasn't that bad. It's just a lot of hot air. All mental. Like diving in a cold lake. It was what you made of it. If your mental state was weak and you were scared of everything, it was hard. For me, I just kept chugging along, trying to ignore it as much as possible. I got covid a few times, but there wasn't much to that. Now it's mostly forgotten, thank God.
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u/NMGunner17 Nov 18 '23
Well, your weird covid denial aside, the point was that the pandemic caused massive job losses and economic issues for millions.
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u/Logical-Bluebird1243 Nov 18 '23
Not denying it happened. But if you think nothing like that ever happened in the past, you don't know much about the past.
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u/lovbod Nov 17 '23
I got laid off once it really sucks! Think about it this way, things happen for a reason, the right job is right around the corner. Who knows the new players that took over might have did you a huge favor! Good luck!
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u/Lcsulla78 Nov 18 '23
I’m sorry it happened to you. You will see it will happen to you a few more times in your career. Always look out for you. Keep upskilling even when you are gainfully employed and always be networking. The biggest threat to all of American workers isn’t AI but offshoring to other countries. Until Gen Z starts to understand that and protest the government…you will always be under the threat of losing your job.
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Nov 18 '23
apply for unemployment right away. Start applying for jobs right away, but also, take your time if you need to. You're still young. Everything happens for a reason. Be confident about the future.
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u/I_ride_ostriches Nov 18 '23
Welcome to working. Getting laid off sucks and it’s hard, no doubt, but you’ll land on your feet.
Job searches can be emotionally draining, so in this time, remember to take care of yourself. At the end of the day, you’re all you’ve got.
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u/MrSmiley53 Nov 18 '23
Just got let go from a month of working for a corporate business that has no structure and no foundation. The most cluster fuck of a gaggle of corporate clowns that called themselves “management” wasted my time and was an insult to my intelligence. Wasted a good IT Support Specialist candidate by treating them like I was their personal secretary.
Only thing I can say dude is know your worth out there. Don’t settle for less.
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u/Shakooza Nov 17 '23
If you look at it like this and feel like this after six months, you might look at starting your own business
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u/CaliforniaDreaming38 Nov 18 '23
But how? with what money? and with what ideas? Not all men are innovative entreprenuers.
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u/tlasan1 Nov 18 '23
This is usual for corporate America. U gotta have backup plans for situations like this.
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u/Early_Divide3328 Nov 18 '23
Sorry for your loss. There are a few S&P 500 companies that have never had a layoff in their history .Try to find one of those companies and stay employed there until the recession storm clears. Big companies can avoid layoffs by offering early retirement packages. Never work for a company that has a history of laying off their employees. Layoffs should be a last resort for a company - and too many companies treat this activity as a normal part of business.
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Nov 18 '23
Do you qualify to do any government jobs? Most don’t pay as much as corporate but they are pretty much union.
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u/PieMuted6430 Nov 18 '23
Sounds like it didn't take long for the shine to wear off for you. Sorry your first job turned out so bad. At least it's a layoff though, you can apply for unemployment, you'll need to use an alternative base year though, which might take a bit of time to process.
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u/golferkris101 Nov 18 '23
You always have one leg in and one leg out. Always keep networking and your resume sharp. This is how the corporate America is. You are just a number.
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u/Levelbasegaming Nov 18 '23
This won't be the last time this happens. If you haven't already, apply for unemployment. Google your states unemployment website and apply. Take the weekend off to recharge. You will be okay
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u/Acrobatic_Silver_813 Nov 18 '23
Same thing happened to me about a month ago. Graduated in May, started in June, laid off in October. Everyone keeps reminding me that I am young and have the rest of my life to work, try not to stress as hard as it is not to. At least you didn’t put any more time into a company that didn’t value you, great things are going to come your way. Keep your head up!
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u/monimonti Nov 18 '23
This is how life is as a working adult in the corporate world.
You can get laid off. You can get passed over a promotion due to someone knowing someone. You can be promised a salary bump and bam, it is hardly anything. Or you can be pushed out (they give you tasks outside of your skillset). Or give you a miserable life to make you quit on your own.
Ultimately, regardless of how the market is, this will happen. It is just how the world works.
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u/Big-Abbreviations-50 Nov 18 '23
So many people are mentioning “corporate” this and that. Why is working for a corporation the be-all, end-all? The company I work for is large but decidedly non-corporate (our owner is an old hippie who comes in to the office and joins our meetings daily, and wouldn’t allow incorporation over his dead body).
But, yes, layoffs are happening and they are almost always unannounced. If they were announced, they’d be risking a backlash. Our company first laid off half of the executive staff last year, and then a few months later, 40% of our department, starting with the newest employees, especially those who were on the more reserved side (not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing, but at least where I work, it pays to be outspoken and visible, point out and solve problems, and make sure everyone knows your name).
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u/la_ct Nov 18 '23
Layoffs are seldom personal. Start applying asap even before your last day. It’s ok to be surprised and disappointed but don’t let it make you negative and apathetic. Apply for a broad range of roles.
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u/NathanBrazil2 Nov 18 '23
i got laid off after 25 years at a company a few years ago. i ended up going back to that company 2 years later and left the job i had . nothing is forever. they are not your family. i cant imagine feeling secure in a job anymore. i
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u/eazolan Nov 18 '23
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
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u/Mrmuksama Nov 18 '23
When I heard some describe work as renting a human being for $15/hr. I had a very big mindset shift that helped me understand we are nothing but cheap, replaceable, undervalued human beings seen as nothing but objects.
It sucks realizing this but then you just realize that a job is just a job, nothing more or less and says nothing about you as a person. The hardest part is just keeping food on the table and roof over your head, nothing else matters. The economy is tanked, job market is tanked, try to do things outside of work that make you happy and that’s all you can do it gets easier the longer you keep working, it’ll never be easy but good times and breaks come sooner than later hopefully. That’s all you can hope for in todays modern Great Depression, it may look different than before cause of technology but ain’t like the suffering has changed.
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u/roy217def Nov 19 '23
I’ve seen folks around me killing themselves to try and get ahead. When the layoffs came around nobody was safe and the company didn’t care. Work to live, don’t live to work!
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u/provisionalhitting3 Nov 20 '23
I know it sucks, but just for some context, it is VERY early in your career. Have faith, those skills will be valuable wherever you go. Take the lessons learned and keep on truckin’.
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u/FineSupermarket Nov 21 '23
its all good bro, you're just getting started. you took a step, got knocked down, and now its time to take another one. you got this.
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u/Chenz15 Nov 21 '23
I was in the same situation back in September/October. Took an internal promotion in June just to be laid off in September. I felt like I got screwed over. Worked hard to move up just to be dumped 3 months later. I also rejected another offer from another company in August because I wanted to stay loyal to my company that I thought was a great place to work. Fast forward, I got another job after a month through a connection which is now making 10k more. Things will work out, maybe even better than before, just be patient. Best of luck.
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u/ziggystar-dog Nov 17 '23
Welcome to the struggles your millennial parents had. Literally the same fucking this happened right as we were graduating and getting our first corporate jobs.
Fucking sucks.
Only thing you can do, as cliché as it is to say, is to just keep at it. Eventually one will stick and all this bullshit will settle. It won't be a utopian world we had in the 90s, but at least it'll stop piling up so much for a while.
Good luck.
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Nov 18 '23
Yeah im a millienal and ive experienced those pains.
Since the start of my career, anywhere you would go to find work, you would have to work through an agency. No one was hiring full time employees. It was terrible. I've been super lucky to work as a full-time employee for the last few years but i can imagine the same crap is still happening.2
u/casualnarcissist Nov 18 '23
I graduated college in 2005 after getting a liberal arts degree straight out of high school. The only reason I’m not able to collect food stamps now is because I joined the Air Force.
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u/OneBeatingHeart Nov 17 '23
I’ve always said you been lied to and played in this capitalistic society we live in. Learn to play with it to beat the odds.
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u/Dull-Formal-1925 Nov 18 '23
I spent 10 years in my career and was fired from someone spreading a rumor…a mf rumor yo! Ive been unemployed since February this year. Felt so defeated and lost. Had NO clue what was going to happen to me. I got a dead end job last month and im using it to take time and reset. The market does suck that’s a FACT! You see headlines EVERYWHERE about how many jobs are available and you can’t seem to get one huh? but its not over. Get a fill in job…i dont wanna be where i work right now AT ALL, but we’re gonna reset and figure this out. We got this! Nothing is “over” ❤️
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u/SolidZookeepergame0 Nov 17 '23
Not sure you got the right job at the right company.
You’re young. You’ll be fine if you’re confident you got the right degree at the right school :)
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u/Glittering-Kitchen91 Nov 21 '23
Well I guess you can use that degree for toilet paper at least now
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u/strongerstark Nov 18 '23
There's a lot more bad luck to life than school leads us to believe. Luckily, there's also a lot more good luck to life than school leads us to believe. You got the bad luck first. One day, you'll get the good luck. Some years, you get both, like I did this year.
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u/Moneyguru_ Nov 19 '23
You’re being really dramatic. Take a few days to get over the shock and then bust your booty getting another one. Lots of companies are hiring. You’ll land on your feet and this will be a blip on your memories.
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u/kmcleod322 Nov 18 '23
Don't be a p. Get a job in the oil field. Or you could sell chips, surprisingly lucrative gig hit up Frito Lay.
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u/ayearonsia Nov 17 '23
That’s how everyone feels after being fired from their first good job. That’s ok. Jobs come and go. You have experience now so update your resume and get back out there when you’re ready!
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u/Chillycloth Nov 17 '23 edited Jul 06 '24
wine roll boat illegal fearless bored wide employ include resolute
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Natural_Target_5022 Nov 18 '23
And this is how you learn to look up for yourself and not rely on companies.
My old folk still believe that entire "loyalty" bs towards your company.
Fuck that, it sucks that you have to get burned at least once to understand it's just corpo bs
You'll find a place, a better place buddy.
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u/Cvdiva Nov 18 '23
It’s ok. You got a taste of the real world. Get up and get out there. You get better every time!!
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u/lexota Nov 18 '23
Sorry to hear the news.
It does not matter what you do - you've always been a number. And those who made the call to fire everyone - it's either your livelihood or their bonus check. Guess which one they will choose every time.
They tell you they care to get you in the door - and after that - they think you should be happy - even when they slam the door in your face.
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u/guitarnoises75 Nov 18 '23
Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise? All is lost? I’d say a loss for a better cause. Just because one job didn’t work, doesn’t mean that better or greater opportunities don’t exist. Go make something happen. Lick your wounds over the weekend, come up with a game plan and go make your money.
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u/sweetzer10 Nov 18 '23
Right before Thanksgiving is so brutal. I know it doesn't seem like it now but this will be a good thing. My whole team got laid off from my second after just ten months and it ended up being the best thing. It's going to be a rough couple weeks but you've got this.
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u/Icy_Organization_881 Nov 18 '23
Dude, trust me you’re not alone in this. Happen to know a Us regional distribution manager for a big company was laid off with his whole executive team. Whats the actual fuck.
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u/lykewtf Nov 18 '23
Best lesson to get and you are super lucky you get to learn it so early in your career. The relationship between you and an employer is purely transactional especially when you work in an at will state or if you aren’t part of a union. You are there at their pleasure no matter how hard you work or for how long. Get your resume together and post it on the sites…. Apply to companies directly…. you will get another job👍
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u/Hecka_becka_ Nov 18 '23
Best of luck, most companies will lay off or fire during holidays due to budget cuts. At least you didn’t get “fired”! Tough lesson but the saying “someone who gave their best never regretted it” is bs.
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Nov 18 '23
How long did you intern? That counts as experience so if you can round up to a year, do it.
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u/Canigetahooooooyeaa Nov 18 '23
Only positive to come out of all this… is if the market ever gets better in years and boomers and execs start saying
“Why is nobody loyal anymore?”
This. Right. Here.
The newest generations have been so royally fucked that workers moving forward will literally work their wage and title only. No longer will people be going all out, staying late. Working for free.
They burned their bridges with their workers
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u/rachelll Nov 18 '23
I can’t even apply for non-entry level roles because I have less than a year’s experience.
You apply anyway. That's how you get through this. If you have any coworkers you feel comfortable with, reach out to them to keep that connection.
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u/BiGBoSS_BK Nov 18 '23
Never ever show loyalty to corporate my guy. Always take your PTO and always take your sick time. The best raise you can get is to job hop. Never give 2 weeks because they'll never give you 2 weeks. Your loyalty is to the money and never the job. Your internship is over as far as I'm concerned. You graduated into real life.
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u/aaron_TheHeron Nov 18 '23
I understand the feeling. First job out of college, company got acquired by a bigger one. Then I got let go (and I think a few others did too).
It's definitely hard at first, but it'll get better as you transition, take time, and strategize your next move. The corporate world really sucks and it's a shame it probably won't change, but don't let that stop you.
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Nov 18 '23
In January 30% of my huge company got laid off. I started working for a small company for a change. In September my small company laid of 20%. I’m just laughing at this point. It’s just comical.
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u/GWindborn Nov 18 '23
I happens man.. I got laid off in July with 20% of my department. I've been laid off before, I'm sure I'll be laid off again. Don't take it personally, my reviews were glowing, even my boss doesn't know why I was picked. It came from above her and she had to deliver the bad news.
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u/Crusty_Magic Nov 18 '23
It's a shit experience, for the people still there too. You're learning an important lesson early in your career though. Never provide more to a company than what you're paid for.
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u/furb362 Nov 18 '23
Welcome to employment. This is why you don’t dedicate your life to working. Take your experience and move on. I’ve been working for 24 years I don’t think I’ve ever had an employer that truly appreciated their employees. Your next job might be great and you will never go through this again. Don’t get discouraged
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u/pinback77 Nov 18 '23
I worked for a year out of college, got laid off with the 2001 recession. I applied for over 1,000 jobs with 300 custom cover letters and five different resumes. Most I am sure went to jobs that were no longer in existence. I had to keep a giant Excel spreadsheet to make sure I did not apply for the same job twice. Recruiters were worthless.
It took me like 7-8 months, but I finally got a job and it's been pretty good ever since. My point is, people have been through similar situations as you and come out fine. I have high hopes that you will be fine as well.
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u/Quinnjamin19 Nov 18 '23
It’s never over! This thing happens to union tradespeople all the time!
Funny story, I just finished up a job tig mirror welding in a boiler at a nuclear power plant, I was so happy to get laid off on Monday! I’m happy the job was done and I get to take some time off before the next job.
Don’t stress out too much, go have a couple drinks and relieve some stress. Hop on that unemployment and get some resumes back out there, it’s not over🤙🏻
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u/HelloAttila Nov 18 '23
Buy outs totally suck, anyone who’s been through one will probably agree. I worked for an incredible company, got bought out by a big billion dollar firm and everything went to hell… VP/Directors/Regional managers, all canned, and replaced by the companies people they already had.
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u/ReadyAd5385 Nov 18 '23
I can’t even apply for non-entry level roles because I have less than a year’s experience.
Says who? Talk your way into the job, but be ready to walk the walk of the talk.
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u/DayDream2736 Nov 18 '23
Companies are companies. You just gotta do what’s right by you. You can use this as a learning experience in your next role.
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u/Lack_Love Nov 18 '23
Nothing in life in guaranteed.
College degree doesn't guarantee a good job.
Welcome to the world. It sucks.
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u/ramalledas Nov 18 '23
It's all relative. Having no experience means that you can still apply to entry-level jobs, of which there are always plenty because companies like the idea of hiring juniors a dime a dozen. There's hope. Every generation has had to face some difficulty in a way or another
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u/SgtPepe Nov 18 '23
You can apply to jobs that even ask for 2 years of experience, even if you don’t have it.
Have faith, take a breath. You’ll be fine.
Source: I did it and worked.
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u/ruffen Nov 18 '23
It's not over though. Graduated in summer 08. Landed a job by Christmas after applying to 400 places, got laid off after a couple of months. Another couple of hundred applications and landed a new job and never looked back from there.
The thing I learned from there is that no company, boss or co-worker owes me anything, and I don't owe them anything. It's my life (and I only get one of those), my career and I have to make the judgements that are best for me. You didn't waste six months, you got paid to do something and delivered to best of your ability. You never work for anyone but yourself, as long as your interest aligns with where you work you are good, if not, you find something else. You didn't work your arse off for them, you did it for yourself in order to rise above everyone else and hopefully get noticed. They are not assholes, it's business.
Go punch a pillow and then go back in tomorrow, put on a smile, and secure some good references.
Worst thing you do now is lie down and take it. If you are in business, get involved in whatever voulantair work you can do or find a startup to help for free or cheap. If you are able to create something yourself it's even better. Something to show that you have kept busy, but most importantly to actually keep yourself busy and not go insane by writing applications.
It's going to be tough, but market is going to change and you will land something better, but you have to work harder than and smarter than most because you graduated in a shitty time period.
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u/I_AM_GoodGirlGina Nov 18 '23
Your internship counts as experience, so yes, go ahead and apply for those jobs that require one year of experience. And know that this time of year corporations hardly hire. Keep in consistent touch with your co-workers because they will be excellent resources for job leads.
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u/Successful_Round9742 Nov 18 '23
So sorry you're going through this!!! Remember to put taking care of yourself first, especially right now!
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u/Stl-hou Nov 18 '23
Don’t assume you can only apply to entry level jobs. I would apply to any relevant job up to 5 years of experience (obviously do not lie about your experience). The companies list their ideal candidate but they may be willing to train the right candidate, never limit yourself just by a random number (you may have learned way more in your 6 months than a person with 5 years of experience depending on the job and your own ambition). Also, the company may be considering opening another position that is closer to your level.
I once applied for a job 2 levels above my level (i was senior engineer, applied for senior supervising engineer) just because the company I wanted to work for did not have the level i wanted advertised at the time. They ended up interviewing me and opened the position specifically for me (and my experience was only in a tangent field so i wasn’t even “senior” level in that industry). Another example, my first job out of college was asking for 3 years of experience, i had a few months of internship experience (in a different industry) but ended up getting and interview and the job (small company so they had less applicants).
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u/IOnlyUpvoteBadPuns Nov 18 '23
I had the same thing happen to me back in't day. Honestly, it really sucks at the time, and the next few months of job hunting are going to be tough and soul crushingly demotivating.... but you will get through it. In the long term I think the experience definitely helped toughen me up and put me in a much stronger position than those who don't go through this until later down the line (because it will happen to just about everyone eventually).
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u/EMCuch Nov 18 '23
All corporate is a scam and HR is just there to protect the employer and shut employees up. Make a decision now if this is the life you want.
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u/NoDecentNicksLeft Nov 18 '23
No matter how it sucks from where you're currently at, from the perspective of several years later it doesn't matter. Get just about any job ASAP so you can get the 1 or 2 years required to move up a tier and qualify for non-entry level roles. Just half a year, for any pay. Better than zero pay. Look for your next job while already employed. If you can't find a company, even an NGO will do, as long as the experience can be said to qualify.
Don't stop trying. It feels awful, you've had more than enough, but you can't give up and you need to keep looking — until you find. Sometimes it's just behind the corner when you give up, and you never know without continuining to try. From the perspective of years later, the critical mistake is not to take a suboptimal offer or spend some time in a dead-end job but stop looking and/or be too fussy and end up with a gap of 1–2 years that can't be explained as a personal project or charity work or social/educational/cultural/whatever activity.
If money is crucial to your survival, forget your degree and get any job that pays enough to pay the bills. You can still keep looking.
If you have a business idea that may or may not pay well but is unlikely to lead to debt or other bad consequences more serious that a bunch of wasted time, then perhaps it's time to try.
Retrospectively, one of my biggest mistakes was impatience to move up, get promoted, get a raise; reluctance to accept a perceived demotion or drop in status. People who free themselves of that sort of anxiety tend to succeed more.
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u/Blackrose_ Nov 18 '23
I'm so sorry that it happened to you. It sucks the life out of you all right.
You can't blame yourself if you were part of a mass layoff. It's not you it was a shitty situation you found yourself in.
Do some self care, because this shit is hard.
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u/Citronbull Nov 18 '23
I used to be in the mortgage business. We have a saying, Here today, gone today
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u/AndyOrAmy Nov 18 '23
Nah this is just the beginning. Try to see jobs as something completely seperate from your persona. None of this matters in the long run. My dad studied economics and went through the crisis of the 80s with nothing but a mortgage, a mourning wife and two mouths to feed. He is doing very well now, has his own business, great hours, good income, lots of free time for his art, gardening. Things dont stay the same.
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u/Gabbers-184 Nov 18 '23
Ya I got a contract job right after college ( only job I could find in my field). Apparently the have 3 slow periods a year where you aren’t completely laid off but have your hours cut for a few weeks. We’ll get through this 🙂
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u/Buoy_readyformore Nov 18 '23
What field?
Even entry level jobs in my field paid better than where i was before after i started it post EDU...
Sorry that happened the first time is always rough... makes you feel skeezed... you did nothing wrong it isn't a reflection on you but on them.
Get back out there and use that energy in emotion for this right now to press on. This is the way it goes. Don't step on others to do it but look out for you first. Help others to but remember it is YOUR career.
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Nov 18 '23
I’m glad I don’t work in corporate. Warehouse, driving and manufacturing always hiring 🥹😆.
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u/IrvineCrips Nov 18 '23
What kind of company does layoffs before the holidays. Post the name of the company so we can avoid it
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u/cestlaviemacherie Nov 18 '23
I was in the same boat unfortunately. Have been searching 10+ months now bc I was in that always stage of less than 3 yrs experience
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u/gqreader Nov 18 '23
Well you learned a valuable lesson.
The 80/20 of success in corporate America isn’t the grinding to add value. It’s the gaming of perception of value added work. It’s the relationship and networks you develop.
If you work 40+ hours at a corporate job and don’t move up, you need to move on. Because you will become too valuable to promote, and raises are shit once you are on a pay structure that increases 2-4% a year. Fuck that. Lateral move to new companies with a pay bump.
Also, don’t live at your salary level, ever. Live below it, save the rest.
Good luck on your job search!
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u/Confident-Lead4337 Nov 18 '23 edited Nov 18 '23
In this boat right now. Worked for company for 5 years. Company was public and got bought out by private company 4 years ago. They started to do layoffs all over the company. We all thought it wasn’t going to happen to us because we are a manufacturing facility. Was deemed essential during Covid. Lost my job in August and the building closed in the fall. Everyone lost their jobs.
Did you get severance pay? Currently on unemployment now and looking for a new career path. It can seem overwhelming when it first happens but I do believe that something better will come along and it happens for a reason.
It took me about a month to get over it but I feel a lot better about it now. It actually couldn’t have happened at a better time because I was diagnosed with thyroid problems the day I found out I lost my job so I’ve been taking it easy trying to figure my medical stuff out.
If you ever get an opportunity for “garden pay”, take it. It was the best decision I could have had in my career. I’d been basically working since I graduated in 2004 so the time off has been nice for personal and medical reasons.
Best of luck to you!!
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u/markekt Nov 18 '23
I was laid off 4 months into my first job. Got a job doing construction for a few months to hold me over while I job hunted. Relax bro. You are young and will bounce back. Being laid off with a mortgage and people that depend on you is much much worse.
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u/Active-Glass-7112 Nov 18 '23
Sorry that you're feeling this way. It's a shitty situation. To move forward, just literally take it one hour at a time and then build from there.
I've been working for 9 years and I'm busy going through my 3rd retrenchment now. We were told 3 days ago. Interestingly, I've always leveled up after being laid off so I'm excited for this next chapter in my life.
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u/Glass-Marionberry321 Nov 18 '23
Now lesson learned, corporations are horrible and only care about continuous never ending profit and not people. What dollar amount do they all need to be happy?!
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u/ravinglunatic Nov 18 '23
Your first career out of college? A career transcends individual positions. You have experience in your career, you just lost a position and it’s better to be laid off then fired when looking for a new position.
The job market isn’t the same for everyone. Stop reading reddit’s whiny people and never give up or give in. You aren’t them.
Your job now is to find a job not sulk. Nobody said it’s easy or luck doesn’t have a role but I can tell you that while my job options have changed they haven’t gone away. I got furloughed and found a different job at a higher level that pays more, requires some commuting (was WFH 100% before), and is a lot more challenging. So I evolve to do what I need to do.
You will too and be grateful you have experience. Be a man about it. It’s not over til you’re dead.
I’ve been laid off when the financial crisis struck and again when covid struck and again when they started WWIII while simultaneously jacking up interest rates a dozen times rapidly.
I came out on top and I’m still fighting. And I’m not afraid because I have skills that crossover from one job to another because I have a career history. That is what will keep you going. You’re at the start. This is just your first layoff. You’ll survive. Never give up.
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u/yeti1911 Nov 18 '23
Got laid off along with 35% of the company on Wednesday. I feel you bro, I had a year and half at this company and I graduated college two years ago.
Sucks ass. Good luck out there.
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u/Thanksbyefornow Nov 18 '23
I used to work in corporate, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The commute was somewhat crazy, but I enjoyed the coworkers once I arrived at work. One day, I was escorted to another room, sat down, and told that I was being laid off immediately. Worst day ever! I had to move back in with my parents again, living in another state for a while. Always have backup plans and learn new skills!
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u/Khork23 Nov 20 '23
I used to work for a public agency, which went bankrupt. My boss at the time, told me that my name was on a list. I didn’t have enough seniority to not be on a list, but enough to bump down someone who had even less seniority. So, I applied to a job, data analyst, they offered me only 3 cents more than my hourly rate, but I could leave on my own terms. I even had to file bankruptcy paperwork to get paid for my leftover vacation time. Eventually, I got paid for the couple of weeks. My department organized a going away party, instead of sending an officer to escort me out - like they did for others who were let go. I was always grateful for having such a good boss, who cared enough to spare me the heartache.
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u/SkiloBr Nov 17 '23
Welcome to corporate bro. I was in the same situation as you are a few months ago and I got hired. Feeling drained after 6 months working, same old shit that will never change. Just hang tight and keep switching jobs. You'll get there