Job Talk: Lay offs

Without knowing your personal situation it sounds like you're excited about the possibilities for your future in perhaps a new direction. Not weird at all. Helluva lot better outlook than a "fear of the unknown".
Seize the day!

 

Got laid off last year.

I got laid off last year. It's a good and bad thing. I set myself up with a week of 10interviews, then spent the next few months travelling while talking to any call backs on the phone. Unemployment gives you just enough to get by and especially if you've got savings, take full advantage of your time off. I went snowboarding in Vermont and Utah, rock climbed at Red River Kentucky and in Arizona, and did a bunch of surfing and snowboarding in Jersey in between. Nothing's cooler than surfing and snowboarding in the same day. Only real advice I have for people like me is buy the COBRA health plan. It costs a lot (mine was $300 a month) but you can't afford to get hurt in the USA. I got injured in a BoarderX comp during that time and it would have cost me $20,000 out of pocket. Instead it cost me $2,000.

Take advantage of your life. It took me 3 months to find a new job. It's hard to get one these days, but make the best of the situation. If you can't travel or have to save money, make sure you get the COBRA and go surfing everyday. There's plenty of awesome things to do locally. Call up those old friends you haven't had time to catch up with. It was an awesome 3 months for me, though stressful. Just make sure you're managing the job search well the whole time. I ended up accepting with the first company I interviewed with. OK, that's my $0.02.

 

Well I didn't get laid off, but I posted a thread a while back asking around of any available jobs, and now I actually FOUND one!!!! So I start today, and I'm rather excited to start because that means that I can pay up some debts, make my bills on time, and actually eat something other than ramen noodles and crackers. (don't get me wrong, it's still good )

So I just wanted to say thanks for everyone's encouragement from the last thread, and pass that along to anyone who may find themselves in a tight and unfavorable situation.

Also, like the last dude said, take FULL advantage of unemployment, go do some things you've been wanting to do, but think reasonably on how you spend your money. I've been soo broke for a while that I taught myself to like off of . . maybe like $10 a week, but that's not that fun.

 

An even sweater deal (or at least it rests better on the nerves) is to find another job. You determine your start date of the new job, or at least can negotiate it. Everyone always seems like it's an emergency to get you to start, but they can wait. I did that and took a month off in between jobs and had the new job waiting for me. No unemployment, but still worth it. I cashed in on 2 weeks of unused vacation that the old company paid out, and with the 2 week paycheck lag time, the only unpaid time I had was the first week of the new job (works better if you start mid billing period).

You sound like you're ready for a new job.

 

The old cliche is that when one door closes another one opens so you're on the right track remaining optimistic about the opportunities to be had by being laid off. It happened to me last year and I managed to go back to Grad school for my Masters, travelled to Central America, drove cross country and surfed nearly every break between here and there that was over fifty degrees, and not to sound corny but really got to do a lot of the things I always told myself I would do if I had the time.

I managed to get my Teaching certification in the meaning but luckily Unemployment insurance has been extended because my rope is running out and the Job market has done nothing but go down since I lost my job at the beginning of the recession. Haven't really had a bite on any education jobs but we are halfway through the school year so I am optimistic about Fall 09. The only thing that stinks is I don't have health insurance so good call on whoever mentioned the Cobra, get it if you aren't willing to take a chance, luckily I had the nurse at my grad school and like Chris Rock said, Robitsuson will cure anything. Good luck to you, find your way, hopefully it will be brighter and the waves that much higher wherever you land.

 

i got laid off a few years back. it sucked for me because I have a family to support but if I was single it would have been cool for awhile.

 

Was out of work the past two winters. Scored great waves during both. They were much better than this winter so far tho. It is pretty sweet to have nothing other to do than surf, but unemployment barely covered my bills. Just had to simplify things a bit, and picked up some design work from a shop in NY. Take advantage of it man, it's great to have that time. If we get good swell you'll love it. Found myself flat broke this fall and talked my boss into keeping me on this winter. Worked out kind of nice considering the lack of swells. Enjoy yourself and be sure to collect unemployment, that's what it's there for.

 

can anyone educate me about how much do you get from unemployment and the conditions of it? I have never been faced with claiming it before and it looks like it might be happening soon.

 

reading through this thread is funny...we're probably some of the only people who would enjoy not having a job. most surfers don't need any luxuries to be happy. kinda reinforces the stereotype that surfers are bums.

 

My red stapler is a sandy Southern beach

Same boat brother, been working for the ISP that originally brought this wonderful thing we call the "internet" to the people for the past 9 years, and now with the word of 10% RIF'ing (reduction in force, corporate lingo for canning) I'm starting to think about making moves I always wanted to make. Granted, it's easier being single with no kids, no attachments (other than family), and some savings to do it, but the thought of unloading my condo (at a huge loss), moving south to Wilmington or the like and starting fresh and away from teh Metro area BS and enjoying life and living, not working to live..."Hello Bob, Bob"

 

depends on your weekly pay, depends on your grounds for termination. You gotta do at least 2 applications a week, fill out paperwork (most can be dome online) and you gotta keep records. One of my old bosses told me that she went on unemployment every winter cause the hotel she ran closed every fall for seasonal reasons and she was able to claim. Just do some research.....I hear DE is having trouble keeping up with all of the unemployment lately....

 

my dad is getting it now, you get paid 60% of your salary

 

I am pumped to pay your unemployment with my taxes so you can surf. WOOO.