<p>Thank you all for your kind words, hugs, and advice. I am luckier than many in this position. I have 60 days notice.
Today I decided to take a few days off before I begin the grind of updating resume, reaching out to contacts, and everything else. I have not had to do this for 12 years, it is very scary.
DD and I went shopping for a graduation dress and, in the end, decided to go with something she already has. About every hour she asks if I am okay. I am shell shocked but keeping up the good appearance.
Thanks again.</p>
<p>shelley14, not only do you have 60 days notice, but you are eligible for unemployment, unlike those working as independent contractors. Hy H’s employer simply stopped paying everyone this past spring. No notice, no unemployment. (And prior to that long periods of slow paying…so he turned out to have been working for nothing for quite a while.) Another friend has been laid off twice in 18 months after decades of a successful career in sales. Unfortunately, the “any port in a storm” jobs often turn out to be of very short duration. It’s rough out there. The “unemployed executives” group run by the state in our region has had to close to new members, because there was no longer sufficient room in the place where they meet!</p>
<p>At least NJ is in an area with a large economy, where I hope you will find alternatives. I wish you all the best. Keep your chin up.</p>
<p>Keep your chin up, Shelley! There is still a lot of room in our economy for good IT program managers. A lot of companies are still keeping the program manager on-shore, even if many of the lower level IT jobs move offshore.</p>
<p>One specific suggestion would be if you don’t have your PgMP certification from PMI yet, take advantage of your time off to study and pass the exam. I did that with the PMP exam last year when I had an unexpected three month layoff, and it was well worth the effort in finding a new position. I found an online course to take and also purchased study materials from PMI (very necessary, the exams are picky and difficult!). By the way, it didn’t take the whole 3 months of time! For PMP it was about 40 hours of online training, about 8 hours of paperwork, then about 60 hours of studying for the exam once the paperwork was approved.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>No big words of advice, Shelley - just compassion. I have been where you are, and I remember well the feelings of shock and panic of those first few days/weeks. When my research site closed, i had been employeed at that same company for 23 years, so my interview skills were plenty rusty. I did find another job, but it was in a completely different field… and not a great match, but it’s a job!</p>
<p>Anyway, good luck! Be good to yourself.</p>
<p>I have been laid off twice. Only once was my income a significant portion of our household income (the other time was a part-time job) but both times it was a blow to my self-esteem. No matter how much I knew it wasn’t my fault - they closed my whole department - it still felt personal. </p>
<p>Sending you good thoughts. At least you’re not alone, in this economy no one will look askance and assume it is somehow your fault! </p>
<p>Talk to the finaid office of your D’s school asap. And best wishes to both of you.</p>
<p>Check out today’s (Sunday 3/29) Boston Globe online. There are several good articles on what to do when one is laid off. I did most of what they said to do and eventually found good success in my search. Also, check out the website; layoffsupportnetwork.com. </p>
<p>([Layoff</a> Support Network](<a href=“layoffsupportnetwork.com”>layoffsupportnetwork.com))</p>
<p>This balloon and burst is huge, deep and wide, worldwide, poor and wealthy. </p>
<p>I’ve been on layoffs, RIF, fired, unemployed, pay freezes, pay reductions, reductions in pay, shorten work weeks, too many times. DS with recs from professors, industry internships, did not belief us. He’s working but only a promise.</p>
<p>Good Luck.</p>
<p>shelley, you might want to look into joining LinkedIn (a facebook for professional networking). My H found it very helpful to find contact information of his long-lost former co-workers and pals. Just as everyone said, apply for unemployment bennies ASAP. Tha way, you will miss only one week worth of unemployment pay. Make sure you play by the rules of the game of your State Unemployment Office, or you might lose some of your pay. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a good job offer comes your way soon.</p>
<p>You have received some wise advice from those who know more about this than I do. I simply add my words of support. Take care of yourself.</p>
<p>Shelley, cyber hugs from here. I am so sorry. This is happening a lot these days. I hope you find something soon.</p>
<p>shelley14,
There with you, and joining you in your pain.
One difference: my child’s a freshman in a state school.
Thank goodness it’s a state school.
Interesting effects on my student: a heavy interest in Econ 101 and a renewed commitment to grades.</p>
<p>First things first:
- Financial aid office contact
- Unemployment filing.</p>
<p>Will be interesting to see how financial aid offices deal with the slew of similar cases surfacing now. At a time when endowments and state support are dwindling, the need is never greater.</p>
<p>That said, there’s some insight here if you search for “displaced worker” AND kelsmom. Kelsmom tells what you might hear from a financial aid office, and it’s more uncertainty.</p>