I’m not going to work any more and my job will be officially and permanently eliminated Oct 31, but they let me leave with full pay two weeks ago. I get my regular paycheck till 10/31, then I get a very generous severance package. Money is far from a worry right now. I guess I have this male responsibility thing tied up into my self worth a lot more than I realized. My salary does support the household, but that income isn’t going to change a lick until January. So, what am I worrying about? I’m just worrying about what might happen. I haven’t had a lot of response to the resumes I’ve sent out. I have one propsect in the works right now, and I’m quite excited about it, but it’s the only one. What if it’s really the only one? My wife is looking for a job, but the kind of work she is pursuing (mental health/social work) doesn’t pay big dollars, and she’d just be starting out. Every little bit helps, and health insurance is a BIG concern.
I don’t know, I’m enjoying the time I have with the kids, playing in the park in the morning, driving them to school, picking them up from school, etc., but still I worry. Not all the time, it comes and goes, but every once in a while I get hit by a huge wave of insecurity. But then it passes. What also freaks me out is what will I be feeling like in 3 months or 6 months if I’m still not working?
This is a real opportunity, new doors opening and all that. Financially, we could really come out on top as the severance will cover all our debts once I get a steady paycheck again. It’ll be a Good Thing[sup]TM[/sup]. I just want the waiting to be over. (Did I mention that I’m also rather impatient?)
I just got laid off a few weeks ago. I’ll be working until the end of next month and then I get two months’ severence pay.
I spent three years working my way up from the warehouse to a well-paying computer position, and now it’s back to square one…
In a way I’m lucky. I’m young, I don’t have a family to support, and I don’t have any major bills to pay aside from rent. And if worse comes to worse, I could always move back in with my parents (god forbid)…
I’m trying to be an optimist about the whole thing. Who knows – in a few months I could be better off than I was before…
I hate the uncertainty this brings though. Unemployment sucks.
Good luck!
I was “unemployed” (on disability) all summer due to my hip replacement surgery.
During this time, I worried constantly, even though I most likely will retain my same hours and days when I return to Job #1. Job #2 is trickier - I teach at a private post-secondary school, the class is for people wanting to become dialysis technicians. So far, I have exactly half as many students as I need in order to run the class as a profit maker for the school. Tomorrow, I’ll go in and see if another group shows up like they promised. If not, we will continue to advertise the class and see if we get more interested students. Job #1 is with a very small company and I am not guaranteed any amount of work, also it is very physical and I am worried about being able to perform all duties since I am still recovering from surgery. It sucks big time to feel like you are in limbo. I’m a nurse, there will probably always be a job for me but I’m getting older and pickier about working conditions. NO way can I go work a 12 hour shift on a hospital unit.
Best of luck to all those looking for work, and if possible, just try to enjoy your time off with your family and friends.
Just popping in to wish you luck on the job search!
Sending good luck vibes your way! 
Try to keep the anxiety under control so you can enjoy your time off.
We’re heading into the slow season for hiring, with the end of the year, and all the holidays. In general, I found the middle of the week newspaper help wanted ads better than the weekend. The big weekend ads get hundreds of replies from weekend job fishers.
Network. Get in touch with old buddies or previous co-workers, see what they are up to, and if their current employer is hiring. The easiest way through the door is held by someone who’s already inside.
Take a couple days off every week. Go to the zoo, museums, library, or somewhere you like to go. It’s a great privilege to be able to do things when everyone else is at work, you avoid the crowds.
Take a class or two at the local college related to your profession. Most employers look at this type of activity very favorably, it shows you are genuinely interested in the subject of your profession. You can also make valuable contacts through classmates.
There’s a lot of ups and downs along the way. You will find jobs you would love you have but they pass you by, jobs you think would be great but turn into something totally different, and of course seemingly endless dry spells. I always think back to Roy Scheider’s role in the movie “All That Jazz”, when he is down and out, just before he leaves for the day, he looks at himself in the mirror and says, “It’s Showtime!”.
So, keep plugging away, don’t get discouraged.
Good luck to you all, and have a nice holiday season.