Lost my job today

[ellis4538]

Sucks big time.  Hope things work out.  You and your family are added to my prayer list.

God Bless,

Richard

[fightingquaker13]

Right there with you buddy. Lost a job due to cut backs. But I found an alternate gig doing research. Its starting to dry up and I don't really like it (I prefer teaching). BUT, and this is the key it pays the bills. My advice? Write down a list. Write all of the skills you have, no matter how odball. Everything from your profession to whittling or singing in the shower. Then make a list of your contacts and their jobs, even if they are the cousin of a friend of your ex. See if there is a match, even if its number four or five on your skills list. Its how I got my gig. FWIW.
FQ13

[BAC]

Thanks for the kind wishes, everyone.  I don't think it'll really sink in until I send all my equipment back.  I'm going to miss having tens of thousands of dollars worth of photo equipment that I didn't have to pay for.

We've got enough savings to last us for a while until one of us finds something.  The whole thing basically sucks, though.

[billt]

Hang in there BAC, Something will come along. I went through this after 9/11. Things turn around, it just takes time and that moves slow when your out of work. Things will get better.  Bill T.

[fightingquaker13]

One other bit of advice. Take a little vacation time. Take a couple of weeks and just go someplace (obviously budget compliant), but hell, drive to Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon and camp. You're only out a few bucks plus gas if you cook your own meals. Go fishing, take an el cheapo cruise (there are plenty on the net). Just get your head out of deppression and say, well "upside is I can take three weeks off for once". Do it.
FQ13
 

[Sponsor]

[BAC]

One other bit of advice. Take a little vacation time. Take a couple of weeks and just go someplace (obviously budget compliant), but hell, drive to Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon and camp. You're only out a few bucks plus gas if you cook your own meals. Go fishing, take an el cheapo cruise (there are plenty on the net). Just get your head out of deppression and say, well "upside is I can take three weeks off for once". Do it.
FQ13
 

Great advise, but we've got a 5th grader that can't leave school.  The NRA convention next month will be like a mini vacation for us.  Lots of time to finish the basement now.

[fullautovalmet76]

BAC,
Like others, I wish you the best. I work in health care as IS guy but I don't take anything for granted....I'll pray for you too.

[alfsauve]

BAC,

Let me add my condolences.  It's not just the loss of the job and income, but even if we try to deny it, part of our identity is tied up in our job.   Heck we spend 40+ hours at it and it defines who we are, at least in part.   So loosing a job is having part of your identity taken away...........and it hurts.   Been there.   Even in jobs we don't particularly like you can feel some loss of worth.

Okay.  So have a good cry over it.  Roll up your sleeves and let's get on with the rest of your life.   

I don't know how old you are, but I was 52 when I was let go from the corporate world.   I thought I was hot stuff.  I beat my head against the wall repeatedly  (insane I know).   It took 9/11 for me to realize that a) I needed a job....most any job.  b)  I was never going to get back inside the big corporate world again and I needed a new career.

You're on the right track and at least you have been planning ahead (unlike myself).  So you're miles down the right path.   Older guys have to re-invent themselves.

Here's Alf's patented secret for getting into a retail operation.  While product/customer knowledge is helpful, what a retail manager wants more than anything, is clean, sober and reliable (on-time) workers.   I've counseled a number of middle aged people on how to get hired at big box retail.  Now a gun store is a little different and you may want a little more tact and sophistication, but you'll get the idea.   Here's the spiel I tell them to use when they go for the job.   Find the store manager and say:   "I'll show up on-time, ready to work, clean, sober and enthusiastic, whatever shift or department you assign me."

GO FOR IT, BAC.   Whatever new career you want.   It'll take a little apprenticeship, but if you like doing it, have fun at it and apply yourself, you'll be back on your feet in no time.
 
     --  Alf

[sledgemeister]

That sux ass bad BAC. Hopefully something better will open up. Best of luck to both yourself and wife on the employment front.
As much as the pollies portray it as all beer and skittles but real people know better!
goodluck!

[Texas_Bryan]

Sorry to hear that, I've been through the same a couple years ago.  If photo is what you love, don't give up on it.  What kind of photography do you do?  Stay positive and start pulling those business contacts, surely you've made a bunch in that line of work.