Layoffs are officially scary. They’ve hit my second home(s) and it’s painful.
I’m pretty young and ignorant to things such as “financial downturns”, “recessions” and “depressions”. For me, the worst a bursting bubble could do would be to get in your hair. I don’t own stocks, bonds, a house, or my car (yet). I haven’t started my 401K. My debt is ridiculous. My savings account is always closer to zero than not because I can’t afford to save. But I never really worried. As long as I was doing my job well, keeping my clients happy and not pissing off upper management (too much), I should be able to avoid getting fired. And anyway, fired you (probably) see coming. Fired you might be able to prepare for. Fired you can start shopping around to beat them to the punch. But a “downsizing” is an entirely different story.
When someone up above says shave some of your costs, a company can only cut back on happy hours, Friday breakfast tacos and the multitude of interns so much. At some point, staff numbers have to come under the microscope. Then what? How do you decide who goes? I thankfully have not been in that position so I can’t presume to really know but I can just imagine it’s difficult. Not only are you possibly ending someones career but you’re admitting your company’s not doing as well as you’d like everyone to believe.
In this current economic climate, every company (it seems) is experiencing “staff restructuring” but that doesn’t make the people directly affected by it feel any better. Just because you’re not the only one doesn’t mean you’re not still wondering but why me? Or in my case, if it’s someone you respect and care for “why them?”
A friend of mine was very recently let go. Rather than be bitter, angry, or depressed, he’s unbelievably positive. While I’m sure it hurt him and shakes up any plans in the making, he seems to be treating this as just another bump in the road. With the level of graciousness I don’t even think I could muster up after a fender bender, he managed to make three of us laugh and feel better about his situation. Some people deserve way more respect than they’ll probably ever receive. (I love you, Roberto. And your man boobs. 🙂 )
In the end, I guess the questions don’t really matter but too many unaswered may begin to outweigh any positive or even understandable answers. This is a scary time. Between my two jobs, I’ve survived three rounds of “thank you buts” so far. But if my name comes to the top of the list next time, I don’t really have a plan in mind. There is no money set aside to survive. Hmmm….I guess that’s a problem.
Looking for things she can sell for emergency rent,
Jo’van
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The Truth: According to Jo'van 
My man boobs and me love you. And yes, I still see it as another career experience and as an opportunity. When I have the next job there will be two things I will do, the first one is celebrating with my friends, and the second one is buying a guitar 🙂