Rob is being laid off

[pegkerr]

This will probably hit the papers tomorrow: Rob, along with everyone else working with CompUSA here in the Twin Cities, is losing his job. They are closing 128 of 229 stores nationwide. The employees are being retained to liquidate the stock, and so he will be working full time for eight more weeks. Then he will have four weeks of severance pay and then it will be the unemployment line if he hasn't lined something up before then.

People, we will need your help.

Rob needs to find a job pronto. He is a licensed attorney, and he is very knowledgeable about computers and computer networks, including Apple. He is excellent at customer service. I hope that we can find some job which combines these skills which does not involve him working retail, however (please God, not another Thanksgiving Day sale, ever again).

I have called pastor and some of my family. I have called kijjohnson. Other ways our friends can help . . . um, let me get back to you on that. (In particular, I think I will need someone to take me out drinking Friday night.)

We have told the girls. They were as stunned as us, and there were some tears, but we did our best to be reassuring. I will talk with sensei in the next couple days about suspending their karate lessons, which absolutely breaks my heart, but we will need every penny we can squeeze out of the budget right now, just in case the job hunt takes a while. We will, of course, begin instituting other cost-saving measures, too.

Right now, I am sorta kinda okay because I'm in such shock that it hasn't entirely sunk in. I have been pushing Rob very hard to look for another job anyway because in so many ways his working for CompUSA hurt our family, but he hates job hunting like poison and so was reluctant to get started. Now he has no choice.

I am trying to tell myself this is a blessing in disguise.

I am relying on you, my dear friends list, to help me keep believing that.



Edited to add: Here is the post I've made on poor_skills about some of the things we are doing to prepare for the layoff. Does anyone else have any other practical suggestions to make?

Locals: you will note that one idea I've come up with is that I think I might want to plan and plant a much larger than usual victory garden, lots of vegetables to help the food budget. Would anyone be interested in helping me plan it, prepare a shopping list? Maybe we can make it a sort of all day party?

Also: (*scratching around for other ideas to save money*) does anyone local have a breadmaker they are not using? Just temporarily, and only if you're not using it.

Comments

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Ouch! I'm so sorry. I'll keep my mind open for ideas.

[raasalhayya.livejournal.com]

Oh that's terrible! Best of luck finding a new good job for Rob. I wish I could help more than that.

--Leslie

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Oh, man.

But as someone who hates job hunting herself, and as the partner of someone /else/ who hates job hunting, I gotta tell you it really is a blessing in disguise. I can live in inertia-land for ages, hating what I'm doing, but not getting over myself and /acting/ on my misery. So if it gets him /doing/ the hunting... then it's all to the good.

(Good luck in finding something-- wish I could be of more direct help.)

[madlori.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this will help, sweetie, but I'm a living example of blessing-in-disguise. I was very nearly fired from Borders after four years of working there, and having been planning to go career and become a general manager. While I awaited the decision I started submitting some resumes and doing some job hunting.

I did not get fired after all. But the resumes I submitted led to my current job at Chem Abstracts, which has been a tremendously advantageous career move for me and is possibly the best-suited job for me I could imagine.

I'm sorry this is happening to you and adding to your stress, but I know you and Rob will work it out, and I will confidently look forward to hearing about the new position he's found that will ease your family scheduling issues.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I'm very sorry; I will be praying for you, and watching to see what I can do that's tangible.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Yikes.

As one mother with a laid-off husband to another, I extend my warmest encouragement and sympathy. Yes, I believe that this will ultimately take your family in a better direction... but the getting there is likely to be a scary process. You're in my thoughts.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Layoffs are NEVER fun. I've been through three. It sucks.

Much sympathy. If it helps at all, every time I've been laid off, I've a) gotten a major pay increase with the next job, b) changed career paths in a positive way, or c) both a and b. Hang onto thinking of it as an opportunity. It's the thing that's gotten me through in the past.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend http://www.indeed.com/ (it aggregates Craig's List, Monster, etc. etc.--make sure to use the Advanced Search function)

Also, with his skills, he may want to join LinkedIn.com ... Supposedly it is the In Thing for getting a job. I can send him an invitation if you wouldn't mind e-mailing me his real first and last name and e-mail address to wintersweet (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.

The situation sucks, but good luck and onward to better things!

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Please give me a call at 612 three oh four 8615 (work) if you wish. I can put feelers out (say for example in our patent/IP department) and find out whether anyone's biting.

[laurel]

I'm sure it really is a blessing in disguise. Rob is smart and can do so much better and that would be better for him and for your whole family. I'm just saying, is all.

Layoffs due suck no matter the circumstance though. I'll keep an eye out for jobs and I'm sure plenty of other folks here and in Minn-StF will too.

[90-percent-sure.livejournal.com]

Tell him to apply at Capella. It's downtown, his CS skills would be welcome, and there are many positions open.

http://www.capellaeducation.com/capella_careers/business.aspx

Even if there are not ones open currently he think he might fit, tell him to apply anyway.

[dreamflower]

((((((hugs))))))))
*insert rant about companies that have total disregard for their employees*

Hope all goes well.

[febobe.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

Oh, Peg. :( I wish the best for you and your family. Will include Rob's job search and all in my prayers.

*EXTRA HUGS*

[castiron.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I'll be praying for y'all.

[bookshop.livejournal.com]

Oh, Peg. I know Rob will find employment soon, and I will be keeping my eyes open and keeping you all in my thoughts. Be courageous.

[pameladean]

Ugh. I am so sorry. Goddamn corporations. Rob is smart and personable and will get something much better. The interim is no fun, though.

P.

[schnoogle.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that I can't help, but my thoughts are with you and I'll let you know if I stumble across anything.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I am very sorry to hear that. I do believe that this will be a blessing in disguise, and I'll try to help keeping your belief in that strong as well.

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

I don't know if Rob is still interested in working retail, and the hours won't be that much better, but there are four Apple stores in the Twin Cities, so maybe a gig at the Genius Bar?

Fingers crossed for you guys.

[phoenixsong]

I just looked those up and was going to suggest them myself s:)

http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/

Depending on his experience, he also might qualify for a helpdesk call center and/or desktop support type position. I'll be the first to say, after many years experience, that helpdesk isn't the most glamorous position -- but it can be a foot in the door with some companies, if tech support is something he's interested in pursuing.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

All I can do is send good vibes your way, and I'm doing that.

[hamsterwoman]

So sorry to hear that! Wishing for a swift and fruitful job search for Rob.

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

Perhaps he could find a suitable position at West Publishing. Seems like there might be some kind of a good match there for someone with his skill set. And the people I've known who worked there always seemed to have good things to say about it.

Thomson-West

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I've already tried to check them out, but their careers website is down at the moment. I almost had a position with them once, and I would be very willing to work for them if they had a good position for me.

[ckd]

Sadly, the open positions I know about would mean either relocation or a commute to Boston. (Where's my Nivenesque transfer booth?)

By way of hopeful thoughts, my first full time job lasted less than three months before they decided that I wasn't a good fit. Within a couple of weeks, I had found and interviewed for a job which was almost scarily well-suited to both my skills and my interests. I hope and wish for the same for Rob.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I know some people looking for jobs in Boston-ish...

Sending you e-mail.

[bekkio.livejournal.com]

Oh I am so sorry to hear that. My thoughts will be with you and your family.

[ann-totusek.livejournal.com]

What sort of salary is he needing?

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I don't want him to accept anything below about $37,000, based on the budget we worked out this week.

His CompUSA salary was actually quite a bit below that.