So yesterday was doomsday at my company. they ended up cutting a bunch of people from my room (about 25%) and from the rest of the company about the same. directors, managers, heads of things, and lots of in betweeners.
We are in the midst of a storm that shows no real big signs on letting up…it’s the economy, yes. and it’s fear. The people that got cut here (lots of my sales staff) had children and were single mothers. Unfortunately the issue doesn’t seem to discriminate between the haves and have nots (most people working here under us are single mothers with more than one child). It sucked to do…the tears were really hard to ignore. I am usually good in traumatic situations like these, always calm, always trying to console, but I was winded by the end of the day and in need of a break. Poor A was not having a good day–she told me that people were scared of her and she had never seen that before. All in all I hope it’s a wake up call–the people who are not with us any longer are going to have a hard time finding other work. They did get severance (everyone got 2 months) and their bonuses, so it could always be worse. Still, it’s fucking hard. I really thought I was going to be one of them…but I am multi-skilled to take up the slack for having 4 full time catalog sales people left. People call us and think our company is huge–it’s kind of interesting because we are super tiny. Tiny tiny, as they say. We even cut our open hours down from what used to be 8am to midnight to 9am to 7pm. A sad state of affairs for all. I am in a unique position where even if I did lose my job I would be ok. I would find a way. But the girls…shit. I have many refuges I could take throughout the country in almost any direction. Or I would find a way to save and disappear to Mexico or Costa Rica and find a way.
So yeah. I guess I do get those three weeks after all. 🙁
I really wish the jerks who voted this administration in would be the ones who had to suffer for all of these sins. It would only make sense.
October 17, 2008 at 2:46 pm
That sucks, even though my job is 99% secure(it’s a union job with a no layoff clause) I’m still nervous. Especially since my personal finances are in a shambles right now and that I still can’t see the end of the tunnel.
I agree, but they never seem to be the ones to suffer, it’s always the little people which is why there needs to be a lot more accountability within corporations. One of my best friends works for AIG and she agrees as well, she’s an administrative assistant and even though she still has at least another year before she’ll have to look for another job she’ll have a much harder time finding one then her boss who is a very high level executive within the company.
Life is just never fair.
October 17, 2008 at 7:21 pm
yeah tell me about it. the did the last layoff today of someone on my level. there were four of us to choose from and I wasn’t one of them thankfully.
union jobs are good for that–thank your lucky stars…i just think the concept of future is a little warped right now.
October 17, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I know, things are so bad right now my paychecks are spent 3-4 weeks before I even get them, it’s just getting harder and harder.
October 17, 2008 at 6:45 pm
i heard about the cuts from brian carey :/
i also go laid off yesterday
who all got cut?
October 17, 2008 at 7:07 pm
oh shit dude. I am sorry. I hope you got something?
robyn f
anice k
anita s
gerry d
brian c
corey k (our new head buyer)
(those are the corporate ones I know personally, but apparently there were lines of people walking out the door sobbing)
here:
angelina b
jennie s
alex d
melinda t
apphia m
monica g
johan r
(3 part time bookers I don’t know as well, karis, blaine, and someone else).
this economy is in the fucking shitter dude. I’m so sorry you got let go…business sucks for everyone. 🙁
October 21, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Despite the scary issues in the entry— Happy Birthday!