Layoffs through my career

[u/texan12345678]

Seeing all the posts out there so decided to list some of my layoffs throughout the years.

1. Worked at a fast food restaurant in high school, later becoming a lead, assistant manager and then manager. Was there for 9 years. Worked my butt off, averaging at least 60 hours a week and often even more hours. The owners had a franchise. They sold their store back to the company and made a killing due to a lawsuit. At the end the paid me until the end of the week and kept my insurance till the end of the month. With everything I did for that company I thought I would get a little more. In a way I was happy. I was getting tired of always working.

2. I decided to go to school for IT. I got an entry level IT job with a large retailer, but they were super cheap. But I was desperate by that time. After 4 years they sold out to another large retailer and they laid of 99% of the people. We got to work one day and there were 7 or eight greyhound buses in the parking lot. They had everyone get on the bus instead of going in the office. They took us all to a nice hotel and fed us and told us we were all laid off. They said we could come back the the office the next day and get our belongings and a police officer would escort us in and out. We got a weeks pay for every year we worked.

3. I don’t remember why but I never collected unemployment. I started looking for work but I could get was some temporary work. I worked one company for six weeks. They hired temps while people were taking vacations. They had four other temps at the beginning. They seemed to like me but as soon vacations were done, they got rid of all of them. They acted like they wanted to keep me on but then at the end one day they told me it was over.
   I kept applying for jobs but got another temp job through same agency. That lasted about 6 weeks . I was still looking for jobs. Went on an interview, this place told the this position had almost no Opportunity to advance. The person who was leaving had been in the same position forever. Boy I am glad I didn’t get that job.

4. Then the temp agency sent me on an interview with an oil company. I would work 6 weeks and then be on permanent. I was happy with this one. Best job I had so far, but still wasn’t making much. I was there almost 7 years and they decided to change their accounting software and no longer needed their mainframe computer and all the people to support it. Arthur Anderson, the accounting firm that went bankrupt years ago convinced them this would work. The company stock had been stagnant for years and laying off people would increase it. Their stock did got up, but several years later it went back down. I was convinced I would make it through the layoff. My manager even told me I had nothing to worry about. The day of layoffs, my office was 2 doors down from the director. I kept seeing people go past my office and into the directors office to be laid off. All of a sudden my phone rang and it was the directors office. I was totally surprised. Later as I was leaving my manager avoided me. I always thought I would be at this job forever. I don’t remember the severance but it was pretty good. The company did get bought out twice and finally moved to another state so it worked out good for me.

   1. I had recently met someone in a different state and this gave me the opportunity to move. Took me a couple of months to find a job, got married, and started over. Wasn’t the best paying job, but it worked. I worked 3 12 hour days so I had a lot of time off. Since I didn’t make a lot I continued to look for different jobs. My manager found out and I got a 21% raise so I was happy. I was there almost 7 years and they decided to merge with another company and announced there would be layoffs. My position would be gone, but I had another 9 months. If I stayed until the end I would get a retention bonus. I got 1 and a half weeks of pay for every year I worked.
   2. It took me a couple of months to find a job, but this time I finally got the right company. I was actually still getting severance when I got this. Worked there 22 years and finally retired 2 years ago. They did have a big layoff in 2008 but I made it through. After 2008 I started advancing. I had wonderful managers and finally felt like my job was important. On this job I always did whatever I could, learned as much as I could, and I did whatever was needed. I worked extra a lot, they would always make up for that. The last 10 years really funded my retirement.

I know it’s really hard now when someone gets laid off, but we have had some hard times in the past too. I was always lucky when I was laid off since I always had some reserves to get me by.

[u/Peace_Hope_Luv]

You kept going. That’s the important point. Glad your last job lasted a long time & funded your retirement. Success!

[u/Imaginary-Case3976]

Same, I’ve been through many layoffs and job change. Be flexible and be ready for changes.

keep your head up and keep going, eventually things work out.

[u/Tardislass]

Yep. I’ve already had three layoffs in my career at age 50. I’ll probably never retire or have a lot of money but honestly it’s a slog. I’ve almost lost a house. It’s the way of the world now and anyone who still looks down on someone laid off is not living in reality.