Uncloaking

[BruceK]

I've been pretty tied up on work crap the past month and haven't had much free time, so I haven't really been visiting here. But I plan to get back in the swing of things.  So, lots of threads to read to see what I missed.

[MiniDave]

I wondered where you'd been, and I was just about to send you a note to see if you were OK!

[BruceK]

Well, got some news this morning.  My company is going through a massive layoff process and my job has been declared surplus.  I will be an ex-employee in 60 days, just one week shy of hitting my 32nd year service anniversary.  I'm just soaking in that news. 

The good news for me is that they are offering a nice severance pay package, and I can also collect my pension.  I was thinking of retiring this year anyway but this surplus situation makes all the decisions for me, ready or not.  I'm going to roll with the punches.

[gr8kornholio]

Sorry to hear about that, seriously one week.  Sounds like it's not effecting your payout / pension though.  That going to be right around the 10yr BBQ in Tulsa?

Wait, you've been doing all this extra work and working weekends, and now your job is surplus?

That's the stuff company in CA pulled on a group.  We are laying off your whole group and several other people.  You all get the same severance but you have to stay and work until your part is finished.  The pay during the extra work was part of the severance, so they had to work for it and the others didn't.

[94touring]

Sorry to hear that Bruce.  Sounds like you're in a good point to be layed off at least.

[MiniDave]

well, it sounds like that actually worked out OK!  On to the next adventure, eh?  77.gif

[BruceK]

Thanks guys.  The next two months will be interesting.  I had an urge this afternoon to tell someone to go pound sand - they wanted me to help them with a project, but I bit my tongue. 

[MiniDave]

Yeah, I didn't mean to sound cavalier in my reply - I've always been a glass half full kinda guy - but I knew you were looking to retire this year so it seems like it just moved your time table up a bit. As for them expecting you to go over and above for the next two months? Ha!

I don't think so Tim......

[BruceK]

Yeah, I didn't mean to sound cavalier in my reply - I've always been a glass half full kinda guy - but I knew you were looking to retire this year so it seems like it just moved your time table up a bit. As for them expecting you to go over and above for the next two months? Ha!

I don't think so Tim......

Oh, you didn't sound that way at all.  As you point out, I was headed in this direction.  It's just now I've been booted in the butt to make it happen. 

[Jims5543]

Thanks guys.  The next two months will be interesting.  I had an urge this afternoon to tell someone to go pound sand - they wanted me to help them with a project, but I bit my tongue.

Nope, be helpful all the way out the door, even help start some long term projects that you will have to leave while they are moving forward.

Consider starting an LLC after you leave and plant a seed to be a part time consultant.

So many times I hear stories like yours, company merges, downsizes etc.. then they realize they need help. Instead of hiring they look for consultants.

Or, since you were planning on retiring anyway, seems you just got a nice bonus on top of it.

Enjoy your freedom!! I am envious.

[94touring]

Speaking of consultants, 66 owner is in his 70s and works as a consultant.  Stays busy and gets paid well.

[MiniDave]

So, only about 3 weeks to go? Counting the days yet?   77.gif

[jeff10049]

What do/did you do for work? If you don't mind saying. Must be a pretty big corporate place to be considered surplus that just sounds like you are nobody to them after all the time you've put in.
I'm with Jim go out a rockstar make them miss you not be glad they considered you surplus. 

[BruceK]

So, only about 3 weeks to go? Counting the days yet?   77.gif

Yup.  I've started counting down.  Just 14 more work days.

[BruceK]

What do/did you do for work? If you don't mind saying. Must be a pretty big corporate place to be considered surplus that just sounds like you are nobody to them after all the time you've put in.
I'm with Jim go out a rockstar make them miss you not be glad they considered you surplus.

I work for a big telecommunications company - the one with just 3 letters in its name.  With over 250K employees, unfortunately it's no big deal for the company to surplus or, layoff, thousands of people from time to time.  I just happen to be one of the thousands this particular time.  I work at the corporate headquarters in the HR group (yes, I get the irony) and I manage part of the employee compensation process doing data analysis to ensure we can attract and retain employees (and, again, I really do get the irony).  My job won't be backfilled so my boss is going to try to bear the burden of doing her job as well as mine. I know that can't last long.  But it wasn't her decision to have me go - those decisions come from higher up and they are often rather arbitrary - so there is no real satisfaction in knowing she is going to be in way over her head when I leave.  And I am seeing the panic build in her eyes as I hand over various projects that she is inheriting from me in my final few weeks.   

With just until the end of this month, I am starting to wrap my head around not working.  I started working a paper route when I was 13 years old, and all through high school and college I always had a job - sometimes 2 or 3 jobs at the same time.  I'm very fortunate that I have been continuously employeed since then - the longest I have been without a job was just one week.  I've been a cook, bartender, parking valet, busboy, dishwasher, factory worker, door-to-door salesman, small business computer installer (back when computers needed to be installed), software trainer, programer, database manager, international HR rep, and compensation manager. So once I retire I know my challenge will be to keep busy.

[94touring]

Want a job doing body work and assembly on minis?   20.gif 77.gif

[MiniDave]

I thought I would be bored when I was "retired" too, but it's liberating - you can now do anything you want anytime you want - you don't have to plan ahead for weeks or make arrangements - you just go do whatever whenever. And you're young enough and in good enough health that you can do anything you want.

First thing on your list will be to organize your garage to get ready to move, I'm always amazed at how much stuff I can get rid of before a move - and then how much I need some little widget one week after the move that I threw away before.

Then you should seriously consider a part time job, something that you can break away from at a moments notice and pick up again whenever you want. You could be a docent at a cool (car) museum, you can volunteer at the local hospital, teach at the community college and so on - but the point is to keep you out and about and interacting with people.

You're gonna be fine!   77.gif

[BruceK]

Want a job doing body work and assembly on minis?   20.gif 77.gif

I see.  You've already got the Kansas City operations running, and you're looking to expand southward...

[BruceK]

I thought I would be bored when I was "retired" too, but it's liberating - you can now do anything you want anytime you want - you don't have to plan ahead for weeks or make arrangements - you just go do whatever whenever. And you're young enough and in good enough health that you can do anything you want.

First thing on your list will be to organize your garage to get ready to move, I'm always amazed at how much stuff I can get rid of before a move - and then how much I need some little widget one week after the move that I threw away before.

Then you should seriously consider a part time job, something that you can break away from at a moments notice and pick up again whenever you want. You could be a docent at a cool (car) museum, you can volunteer at the local hospital, teach at the community college and so on - but the point is to keep you out and about and interacting with people.

You're gonna be fine!   77.gif

Thanks Dave.  Good ideas.  I know I will start with cleaning up the garage and ridding it of 'stuff'.  Same goes for the rest of the house. 

[MiniDave]

Want a job doing body work and assembly on minis?   20.gif 77.gif

I see.  You've already got the Kansas City operations running, and you're looking to expand southward...

I think he's trying to build a Mini empire in Ramona...he wants us all to move there to work!  ;D ;D

[BruceK]

Want a job doing body work and assembly on minis?   20.gif 77.gif

I see.  You've already got the Kansas City operations running, and you're looking to expand southward...

I think he's trying to build a Mini empire in Ramona...he wants us all to move there to work!  ;D ;D

And I just heard he's offering free beer to lure us in.    ;D

[jeff10049]

I'm in.

[94touring]

Free room and board and beer.

[Jims5543]

What do/did you do for work? If you don't mind saying. Must be a pretty big corporate place to be considered surplus that just sounds like you are nobody to them after all the time you've put in.
I'm with Jim go out a rockstar make them miss you not be glad they considered you surplus.

I work for a big telecommunications company - the one with just 3 letters in its name.  With over 250K employees, unfortunately it's no big deal for the company to surplus or, layoff, thousands of people from time to time.  I just happen to be one of the thousands this particular time.  I work at the corporate headquarters in the HR group (yes, I get the irony) and I manage part of the employee compensation process doing data analysis to ensure we can attract and retain employees (and, again, I really do get the irony).  My job won't be backfilled so my boss is going to try to bear the burden of doing her job as well as mine. I know that can't last long.  But it wasn't her decision to have me go - those decisions come from higher up and they are often rather arbitrary - so there is no real satisfaction in knowing she is going to be in way over her head when I leave.  And I am seeing the panic build in her eyes as I hand over various projects that she is inheriting from me in my final few weeks.   

With just until the end of this month, I am starting to wrap my head around not working.  I started working a paper route when I was 13 years old, and all through high school and college I always had a job - sometimes 2 or 3 jobs at the same time.  I'm very fortunate that I have been continuously employeed since then - the longest I have been without a job was just one week.  I've been a cook, bartender, parking valet, busboy, dishwasher, factory worker, door-to-door salesman, small business computer installer (back when computers needed to be installed), software trainer, programer, database manager, international HR rep, and compensation manager. So once I retire I know my challenge will be to keep busy.

Upon reading this I change my suggestion, napalm the place on your way out. Companies like that do not care about their employees.

Let me know if you need suggestions.   Let me get you started though, right off the top of my head;

1. Stop flushing the toilet in the bathroom after dropping a deuce.

2. Put something extra horribly stinky in the freezer and fridge on your last day there.

3. Booby trap your desk with a glitter bomb so who ever gets it, gets a welcome gift from you after you are gone.

[BruceK]

Thanks guys. I'm sure I will find myself throttling back a little with just 2 more weeks to go.  I'm also biting my tongue but I'm sure that will lessen too.