13 replies to this topic

[zanzibarjones]

So my boss, last tuesday, told me that starting today, I have 2 weeks left. He said it's because of the lack of funds to keep me around, last one hired, first one fired, sort of thing. He says he is going to give me either 2 weeks or a months salary for severance. Ok cool, I can handle that.

But here is what I don't get. He is hiring 2 other people. 1 person to be a tech manager above us techs at more than what I am making now, almost double my salary, and then he is hiring a tech at less then what I am making now. So both salaries equal 10k a month more than what he is paying me right now.

Does that make sense to anyone? I mean I have heard of knee jerk reactions, but I don't know if it's that or if he just lying to me. I don't know why he would lie though and give me a months salary for severance, ya know?

Can anyone explain this kind of behavior?

[deadmad7]

Aw Man... You are in a pickle now The Boss really doesn't get to decide who to hire or fire... the company probably told him to fire you and hire 2 other people. Maybe the company thought that :

• You aren't qualified (i doubt this, they wouldn't have hired you other wise)
  
• It was losing the company's money by keeping you on the job.
  
• There were too many people with your job and they just had to let someone go.
  
• Instead of having too many people on the same job, they would have decided to hire you and hire people for more "important" jobs.
  
• Your position isn't valued in the economic anymore.
  
• Maybe the company thought you were the worst of the bunch and that you were doing the job wrong/scaring away the customers

Well, thats all i can think of... Most of them wary from the Company being on bad luck and you being too crazy LOL. And I think his "behavior" is that of any typical "BOSS" But now now.. You shouldn't think of the past. It's not like you can "win his heart" and get your job back. I think instead of being under this detective and emotional stress and all the time that might be wasted for this, you could look for jobs elsewhere. Just let the past go and think of the boss as a mean grumpy old man... the mean grumpy old man you are never never going to see in your life again! yay your finally rid of him! I hope you find a new job and I know that its not easy these days.. but maybe you could find a better one and one that has more benefits,etc. and slam it in your boss's face!

[web_designer]

i am so sorry for you zanzibarjones,
and i can't state any opinion here because i don't have an experience in working in USA brfore. but i think you have a contract and there should be some rules in it that protect your rights!!!
i mean, is it normal to get fired suddenly just if he gave you a notice two weeks ago??
i hope others who live in USA give some opinions that may benefit you.

cheer up, and good luck.

[deadmad7]

web_designer, on 23 August 2010 - 01:36 PM, said:

i am so sorry for you zanzibarjones,
and i can't state any opinion here because i don't have an experience in working in USA brfore. but i think you have a contract and there should be some rules in it that protect your rights!!!
i mean, is it normal to get fired suddenly just if he gave you a notice two weeks ago??
i hope others who live in USA give some opinions that may benefit you.

cheer up, and good luck.

I don't think anybody works in contracts that say that you can't fire them... even for people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs... they can get fired if the Board Of Directors do so. And yes, it has been getting more and more normal since the economic collapse... and usually, I don't even think they give you a large time like 2 weeks or so. I think its pretty darn lucky that they give him 2 weeks more to work there and a month's salary. It's going to be a helluva month, but I'm sure you can find a job before that

[zanzibarjones]

Thanks for your condolences guys, I really appreciate it. And yea, it's tough, especially with the US economy the way it is right now. I am struggling with a decision to stay in Texas and try finding work, move back home to Maryland and find work there, or try my hand at starting my own business. But There are hundreds of computer companies doing fixit work, either residential or SOHO. I could try doing the consulting thing, but that never pans out, unless you 'know' people.

I just don't want to wind up having to get 2 or 3 meaningless jobs, JUST to make ends meet. I have this talent for a reason, and I should be able to find a job making what I was making, and get benefits on top of it. If not, well then I will have no choice but to work as a janitor and do whatever I have to to make sure my family is taken care of. Ya know?

It sucks, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Man if there was a way to collaborate with people all across the globe to work as a team to get work and make money, that would be the bomb.

[deadmad7]

zanzibarjones, on 23 August 2010 - 02:26 PM, said:

It sucks, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Man if there was a way to collaborate with people all across the globe to work as a team to get work and make money, that would be the bomb.

Wow.. I'm glad that you are moving on! That must be hard though, especially since you got a family and stuff.

And don't ways to collaborate with people all across the globe and make money already exist? Internet job finding websites like monster.com and craigslist.com?

[zanzibarjones]

deadmad7, on 23 August 2010 - 02:35 PM, said:

Wow.. I'm glad that you are moving on! That must be hard though, especially since you got a family and stuff.

And don't ways to collaborate with people all across the globe and make money already exist? Internet job finding websites like monster.com and craigslist.com?

Yup been there done that. I've already submitted close to 40 resumes. had 2 interviews, one offer, and he wanted to pay me half of what I am making now.....

[deadmad7]

zanzibarjones, on 23 August 2010 - 02:49 PM, said:

Yup been there done that. I've already submitted close to 40 resumes. had 2 interviews, one offer, and he wanted to pay me half of what I am making now.....

That's a pretty good offer then, try to piggy back on that job til you get a better one... or you could just wait til they give you one that you cold live of off.

[anwiii]

that doesn't sound like a good offer if it was half of what he was making, but deadmad is correct. don't be greedy. take any job you can until you find a better one. i am sorry about your loss. it seems to me there are going to be more opportunities in texas than maryland. you just need to be where the opportunities are. try to get something in writing that states why you were let go. you will definately qualify for unemployement until you find another job. it might even pay more than taking a janitor job. you never know. it depends on how much you made. keep your head up. you aren't the only person who has ever lost a job. i know the responsibility is tough to keep pushing forward. who knows, maybe this was an opportunity to find something better in the long run. life is strange that way sometimes. also keep an open mind in what you have wanted to to. this may be your opportunity to do it.

[Bikerman]

zanzibarjones, on 23 August 2010 - 02:26 PM, said:

I just don't want to wind up having to get 2 or 3 meaningless jobs, JUST to make ends meet. I have this talent for a reason, and I should be able to find a job making what I was making, and get benefits on top of it. If not, well then I will have no choice but to work as a janitor and do whatever I have to to make sure my family is taken care of. Ya know?

I've also been there - they closed Corning down and I was out - aged 40 plus is a bad time for someone in IT to loose a job so I was lucky to be able to return to teaching.
My advice is keep options open, use some of the internet agencies (they have worked for me) to get your CV distributed. Very often these agencies get word of a job before it is advertised and that can give you an edge. Don't set targets too high. I know you don't want to undervalue yourself - who does? - but getting the foot in the door is always just a starting point. Once in then if you are good it will be noticed and you will have some basis for negotiation. First make yourself valuable then extract the value

Quote

Man if there was a way to collaborate with people all across the globe to work as a team to get work and make money, that would be the bomb.

There are some options. If you have the skills then you could start quoting prices for projects on one of the on-line sites, such as:
http://www.guru.com/
Might bring in some spondulas whilst you job-hunt...

Edited by Bikerman, 24 August 2010 - 01:46 AM.

[mahesh2k]

I learned this from few years of my experience that market and hiring is unstable and is like gamble. Some owners know whom to hire and fire. Besides that when they want to ditch you for any random reasons then they just talk about financial crisis and other things. But they never get to point that why they want to fire you. I mean not everyone is like Mr trumps to tell you truth about your work always.

I can understand how it feels to leave job after 40 plus. Glad there is internet and service industry that allows us to work without those companies and salaried jobs. Look around if you can get the job or else just get into freelance with your own skills. Many people here including owner of xisto started as freelance/2-3 employee company during earlier days. So it's not always bad, just keep eye on profitable projects.

Quote

Man if there was a way to collaborate with people all across the globe to work as a team to get work and make money, that would be the bomb.

Odesk has this functionality for most of the projects. So register there and see if you can work with it. Other than odesk, guru and vworkers etc sites are also there for such projects.

[zanzibarjones]

Wow, thanks for all the replies guys. I will look into those options as well. It's always good to have more avenues than actual opportunities, because those avenues CAN provide opportunities.

I am sure something will pan out eventually, but as you know it can take a while. I guess the thing that worries me the most is running out of money before I find a job. Freelance is a great idea, but it's hard to be a freelance tech. I have other skills, but those other skills are no where near anything compare to others doing the same job. So... hopefully, I will think of something that will make me well off I am sure with the ideas I have and the internet and the help of knowledgesutra, I'll come up with something.

[anwiii]

like i said before. maybe this is your opportunity to do what you want to do rather than what you think you are forced to do. keep an open mind right now. just know that when we search for what we want and even GET what we want, there will always be a sacrifice. but the easy road without sacrifice is usually the wrong road or path.....

Edited by anwiii, 24 August 2010 - 01:00 PM.

[deadmad7]

anwiii, on 24 August 2010 - 12:58 PM, said:

like i said before. maybe this is your opportunity to do what you want to do rather than what you think you are forced to do. keep an open mind right now. just know that when we search for what we want and even GET what we want, there will always be a sacrifice. but the easy road without sacrifice is usually the wrong road or path.....

I think what Anwiii is saying is right... maybe you can FINALLY do the thing that you have wanted to do all your life. I think all you need is a opportunity right now... but that still doesn't mean you can stop looking for something.

You might try to get that job (the 1/2 salary job) and do something temporary like working part time from home, free lancing or anything else that you as a techie can do. And then when you finally land your "big" job, you can leave both and join that. Or keep your part time for some extra cash.