Wow Jon...what a blow.  This is what makes people go postal, commit the uinthinkable, or at the very least make them totally have no faith in anyone.

I have no knowledge of the dog-eat-dog world out there, but I empathize none-the-less with your feelings as to how this must make your life a hell right now.

Words of more wisdom than mine will be forthcoming I am certain.


I do think you have a RIGHT to whine for a while and we will listen.

Linda

I sold auto parts and equipment for over 20 years the company bought out another and moved all help to our store that had more time in than I did and I was layed off due to a staff reduction (yeah right) oh well I collected unempoyment til on got on SSD so it did work out in the end I guess Terry

I feel for you Jon.  The stress of this type of situation is awful.  I've been through some rough corporate situations and was laid off once before.  I left my most recent job (for a much better one) just ahead of the buy out.

Whatever you do, don't let the decisions they make when they come in make you think less of yourself.  It's hard to do but essential.  Loosing one's job is one of the most gut wrenching and gut checking experiences I've ever been through.  It can make you doubt yourself.  Don't fall into that trap.

You know who you are and what makes you a valuable asset to a company.  Don't let them make you forget it.

In the mean time keep doing your job.  You don't want to give them an excuse to fire you.  Unfortunately the only thing you really have control of in this situation is how you do your job and your own job search.  If you find something good, you don't have to wait to be fired.  Especially if there is little expectation of a severence package.

Even corporate raiders don't fire everyone overnight.  They typically send in an investigation unit to separate the wheat from the chaf as it were.  That gives you time to search around for somwhere else to land. 

Work your contacts.  Go find everyone that you used to work with and find out where they are now.  My own search took most of a year.  That's how long it took for the buyout to be completed.  In the end it was a friend from my past who worked for a company that could use my skills.  He found out I was looking and gave me a call.

So my advice is to consider that your two week notice was just given and go find out what else is out there.  It gives you a positive direction to spend your energy and, once you have some options, it'll give you some confidence in dealing with your current situation.

If it works out that they don't fire you. Good.  If not you'll at least know what other options there are for you in the area.  Who knows, this might turn into an opportunity. It did for me.

Good luck Jon...

-Dennis-

Oh my...ALL good and I THANK YOU! Have employed the deep breathing I preach, and am a little calmer now. Resume updating my project for the weekend.

When and if they can me, it's NOT gonna be because I gave them ANY reason. At least in my mind, that will make me better than them.  Papers to be signed next Tuesday. I will fight, not because I want to work for them but because these colleagues are my friends and family (like this one here) and I'll be damned if I make it easy for them. You all know about not making it easy for the "beast".

And Jonny, you crack me up bro' (thanks for the laugh, I needed it). I must admit to being sorely tempted to go comp. But actually, I am in charge of safety here and that would cost me precious pride points.

I am reminded that in 2002, in a hurry and trying to be "the best I could be" I jumped/fell off of a 5 foot loading dock. Broke my hip, ambulance ride and everything (if you're conscious, those ambulances are fascinating). It hurt like a bitch and I remember the emergency room doc asking me to rate the pain. First thing I said was, well, I'm a clusterhead so this rating will be skewed (he had NO idea what I was talking about). Can't remember what I said but apparently it did not impress them. Brought in an orthopedic surgeon who said "no work for 6 weeks".

They gave me 3 (3!!!) pain pills of I cannot remember what and sent me home. I took 1 a day for the next 2 days and the only thing I remember is being pissed that I couldn't go out and buy some smokes. Never took the third and still have it for when something REALLY hurts. By the third day I was so antsy I called work and told them I was coming in. Learned you CAN drive a manual shift car by clutching with just your toes (hey, size 12 1/2 feet).

For the next 8 weeks I used a wheelchair and/or crutches and did my job just fine. Never told the doc what I was doing. After those 8 weeks, just before he released me for full time duty, I admitted I had been working all along. He was pissed but nothing he could do by then.

Geez, I do realize I have rambled about nothing to do with my current situation...SORRY! It just helps to concentrate on a "story" vs the storm coming...sigh!

Regards,

Jon

Jon, you are on the right track. Work on your resume and develop a plan. Dennis is right about working your connections. Are you a member of any professional organizations for your industry? Or have you developed relationships with people higher up the corporate ladder than you? Maybe find out where they are going or what they are going to do.  Don't forget to request letters of reference.
Write down your options, even if they seem crazy. Once you see the possibilities down on paper, I think you'll feel better about the future.

Good luck,
~Kris

Things aren't the same out there.   

I think that folks like Jonny and EJ have the right idea--if you do something extremely well and there's a demand for what you produce, then set up your own shop and go it alone. 

Sure--there are headaches, and you have a nut to crack every month, but you're not looking over your shoulder all the time, wondering what the desk-weasels are cooking up. 

Any chance you can look at what you have to offer, Jon, and do a little thinking about what it would take to make it work for you? 

I know plenty of people who are self-employed, and--although they'll all tell you that it means you're unemployed until you start work every morning--most of them wouldn't trade it for anything.  Some fall on their face, some (like EJ) make a decent living, and some do pretty darn well for themselves.

Give it a little thought, eh?  Maybe now's the time.

All the best,

George