Pink Slip Precautions

From 3arf

Possible job lay off, downsizing...is your pink slip on its way? As a person who has been through a lay off due to the severe downturn of an industry most of us could see it coming, but even then the job market was not the best. Where do you go when your only experience is in an industry that is suffering everywhere. I don't care what anyone says, prospective employers only look at candidates who have the exact experience they need.

As luck would have it I had finally been promoted the year before my lay off to a department with great people and a good manager and I really enjoyed my job. I had been with the company for five years and things were looking up, not to mention I was making the best salary I had ever made. The benefits were great and there were more possible opportunities down the road, so I thought.

The first thing I noticed was the firing of particular people who we knew were not performing, or had absentee problems and this was understandable. Then, they began to increase production and work goals making it more difficult to qualify for a yearly raise. There were many meetings behind closed doors for the management and we knew it meant changes on the horizon. Then, during slow periods they began to ask employees to voluntarily leave early (unpaid) or take an unpaid day off. Work was slowing and we knew that the company was trying to save money, so many of us being working mothers and all obliged.

Then, some of the perks we used to get were discontinued, such as free lunch days provided by the company, various office party celebrations, and any bonus incentives. We even began to supply our own scratch paper, pens and other items to do our job. It was all in an effort to save the company money, but in the meantime many of us were indeed worried and rumors were rampant. Job moral was low and more and more employees were put on written warnings for things that used to be worked out verbally between the manager and the employee. There were new rules on tardies, absences, monitoring scores for our calls, and job evaluation processes all based on the reason that the company wanted the best from its employees to save money.

Memos and training were constant to find more efficient ways to work. New procedures were put in place and styles of work were experimented with and most of it just led to disgruntled employees. However, you were expected to smile through all the changes and make sure to check your attitude at work everyday. I realize now that many of the complainers or those who had a hard time adapting to new procedures were the first to go. Also, don't ever refuse extra work, just paste that smile on your face and agree to the terms. It might or might not save your job in the end, but at least you will feel that you did everything you could to save your job. Believe me, even years later I still wonder if I could have done something different to save the job I still miss today.

Thankfully, I was intuitive enough to prepare somewhat. Years before I'd had another career and I had kept up on the industry, so I found a part-time job just one day a week to improve my rusty skills while things were rocky at my full time job. I can't say it was easy, working six days a week for a time, but I was able to fall back on that career almost full time when my current employer finally laid me off.

Something I also learned too late was to save information on contacts and people that I knew in the industry I was in. I had a few when I was laid off, but not enough to help me land another job. Gather that information now and keep it safe. One good contact might lead to another and that may lead to a new job. These days most jobs are often found by 'Who You Know.' not 'What You Know.'

Unfortunately, I have to say that I was never able to recoup from that lay off. I lost a large amount of income and though I later returned to that industry it was like starting over again. I am still not making the salary I made before I was laid off and the company I work for now is okay, but doesn't offer the same benefits, opportunities and perks that I had before. The industry is still up and down, but I need the health benefits, so I stay and take my chances...again. My other career I can no longer perform due to arthritus in my hands.

So, my point is that you should not wait until the ax falls. Most of us have an intuition that tells us in our gut that things are not right...and we know that the writing is on the wall. If you are not lucky enough to secure another job before that happens you might want to look into part-time work where you can learn a new skill or make extra money so you will have something to fall back on if the time comes. Or, consider taking some classes at a college or look into a certification program in another field. It doesn't hurt to have two careers or some other experiences that you can fall back on. In the job market today we must prepare ourselves for any and every circumstance. Employers expect loyal employees, but it doesn't always work the other way around.

Lets face it, most of us don't have six to eight months of living expenses stashed aside and believe me, unemployment is just not enough to pay the bills. Finding jobs is one of the most difficult endeavors I've ever had to do and I don't envy anyone who is out of work. My best advice is to take precautions before the pink slip comes. Your unemployment time will be much less stressful and a lot shorter. Who knows, it might even give you the opportunity to try something new or change careers. Some people say it could be a blessing in disguise. Most of all don't put yourself down and get depressed. There are just some things in life that we have no control over. It will be a time in your life when a positive attitude is paramount.

Related Articles

Retrieved from "https://3arf.org/en/index.php?title=Pink_Slip_Precautions&oldid=29605"