Author Topic: Crisis averted -- for now  (Read 1580 times)

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Offline Orbert

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Crisis averted -- for now
« on: March 27, 2018, 09:32:02 PM »
40 years ago, computers still filled rooms, or at least took up a wall or two.  I was in junior high school.

30 years ago, I was taking Computer Science classes at the community college.  Yeah, I know, you can do the math.

20 years ago, I was a programmer at a major airline.

10 years ago, I was in the position I am now, on a team of 8 programmers doing ad-hoc programming.

5 years ago, things had shifted to primarily production programming, more stable, but less work overall and the team was down to five.

1 year ago, with most of the work being sent offshore, we were down to three of us plus a contractor.  His contract is up at the end of April.


3 days ago, the other two full-time employees were let go, their positions "eliminated".  I am the last man standing, or will be at the end of April.


Yesterday were the first two of what will be many meetings outlining the various projects which my two coworkers supported.  The contractor and I will take them on for now, on top of everything else we're already doing.  Some of the workload will be shifted to another group.  How much is shifted to the other group is not known at this point.  But eventually I'll be the only programmer and there's also Karl the big ugly guy on the other side of the wall from me who bugs the shit out of me but will be my last remaining teammate.

He's not a regular progammer; his specialty is "automation".  He's not going anywhere.  My intention is to not go anywhere, either.


My philosophy has always been to project something beyond mere work ethic.  There must be no question that I attack my job, I do battle with the forces which define what I do.  There is a shitload of work to do yet fewer and fewer of us to do it.  No matter.  I will do it, I will do the work of eight men, and if there is ever a discrepancy, it will prove to be someone else's fault 99% of the time, maybe 100%.  It will be clear in everyone's minds that if there is one person the department cannot do without, it is me.  It has come to that.  I really didn't think it would, but being prepared for it was clearly the only approach.  There is no job security any more, for any job.  Market forces shift, business models change, jobs are created... and eliminated.

I have to stay in the game, for now.  Crisis averted, for now.  I still have 10 years to go on my mortgage.


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Offline PowerSlave

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2018, 12:41:14 AM »
I've got my fingers crossed for you, man.

I returned to a company about 5 months ago that I had worked for in the past. I basically get to sit around and photoshop all night long, and I love doing the work. Things got a little bit crazy around the beginning of the year. None of are getting a full 40 hour work week, and they've been bringing in "seasonal" help left and right despite the fact that they can't give any of us fulltimers a full work load. Then they announced that the company got sold to another company out of California. We're all shitting our pants worrying about what's going to go down when the sale becomes final sometime between April and June. I have some minor physical challenges, and this kind of job is ideal for someone like me. If they shut us down then I'll be stuck back out on some factory floor again, and feeling like shit all of the time. My stress level is through the roof right now, and it doesn't help that I lost a job back in 2008 that I had been at for over 10 years when the huge recession hit. I'm always afraid of that happening again.
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Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2018, 05:12:13 AM »

My philosophy has always been to project something beyond mere work ethic.  There must be no question that I attack my job, I do battle with the forces which define what I do.  There is a shitload of work to do yet fewer and fewer of us to do it.  No matter.  I will do it, I will do the work of eight men, and if there is ever a discrepancy, it will prove to be someone else's fault 99% of the time, maybe 100%.  It will be clear in everyone's minds that if there is one person the department cannot do without, it is me.  It has come to that.  I really didn't think it would, but being prepared for it was clearly the only approach.  There is no job security any more, for any job.  Market forces shift, business models change, jobs are created... and eliminated.

I have to stay in the game, for now.  Crisis averted, for now.  I still have 10 years to go on my mortgage.


Oh yeah, I definitely agree with that. And I try and do the same.

I bust ass, cause no waves, and go out of my way to get along with everyone (including management).

One thing that is kind of nice about me is I'm labeled as per diem. No minimum number of hours and no maximum, I just show up when they need me to, so there's nothing to really lay off  :lol

But I am glad to hear you were able to still stay in the game. Getting laid off is never fun.

Offline cramx3

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2018, 07:41:42 AM »
Good luck and keep at it.  But look at the positive, you are the last man standing meaning you bring something to the table the rest didn't.  I'd probably start updating the resume though because besides maybe getting a work load that's too much to handle, there's clearly a lot of volatility in the work place now.  It's not good for anyone's mental health to be worried so much about your job and the stress/pressure of everything being on you while also wondering if you are next to get the ax.

As for your historical point, that may be personal, but programmers are still in high demand.  I work for an IT company that is dominated by programmers and they are always looking for more and apparently the competition for hiring companies is competitive so they offer some good compensation for programmers.  At least over here in the NYC job market. 

Offline Stadler

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2018, 08:54:30 AM »
I like your  attitude.   

My daughter is two weeks into her first job.  Every night it's "I didn't get a break today.  Doesn't the law say I get a break?" or last night it was "[The owner] is such a bitch; the master stylist had five minutes between clients and sat down, and the owner said "hey, we need a sweep around chair four [it's a salon].  What a bitch!"

And for the most part, I nod my head and say "yeah, real bitch" but part of me is like, she owns that business.  Her head, heart, blood, sweat and tears are in that business, not to mention likely her life savings and at least one loan, AND she's paying you guys.  You're not paid to take breaks, or be comfortable, or be happy (though that's always a bonus).  You're paid to do what the person paying you is asking, within legal limits (in my state there is no requirement for breaks or even lunch, and I'm in a blue - very blue - state).   I get it; the owner has an obligation to balance, to make it a place that people WANT to work, but right now?  My daughter is one of ten or 15 girls (they're almost always girls) that can do that job.   She needs to show every day that there is, as Orbert says (and I'm stealing) "no question that she attacks her job, doing battle with the forces which define what she does."

Yeah, I know you're in the ballpark of 50 and she's in the ballpark of 20, but all the more reason.   Dues have to be paid. 

Offline Chino

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2018, 09:25:07 AM »
If your daughter works more than 7.5 hours, her place of employment does by law have to give her a 30 minute break so she could consume food if she wants to (It doesn't have to be paid though).

Offline Stadler

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2018, 10:13:28 AM »
If your daughter works more than 7.5 hours, her place of employment does by law have to give her a 30 minute break so she could consume food if she wants to (It doesn't have to be paid though).

Not usually; most shifts are six hours.  Sometimes seven.  She's done one 8 hour shift.  I think she was hired for 25 hours a week, if I recall. 

In any event, if I'm being honest, I was wrong, because I didn't mean "doesn't have to less than 7.5 hours".  When I looked it up it said they didn't at all, so I have to go back and revisit (not sure I trust MY source). 

Offline Orbert

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2018, 11:43:08 AM »
It's not officially a competition, but on some level it is.  You work with your co-workers (duh), but if/when it comes down to it, you don't want to be the one laid off.  I get along with pretty much everyone (even Karl the big ugly guy seems to like me), but these people are not my friends; they are only co-workers.  I always try to be better than them.  Our clients have asked for me by name.  The other guys were okay, but they wanted me for the upcoming project.  That's pretty cool.  Also, year-end reviews were done recently, and I did pretty well, even got a raise.  I told my boss that if he ever puts together a short list, or even a long list, of who gets cut when the axe falls, my goal is to not be on the list.  He said it was funny I should mention that, because he'd recently been asked to create both short and long lists, and I was not on either one.

I thought about it later.  He'd been asked to create both short and long lists, and there were only five of us in the group at the time.  Uh oh.  This was a week before the axe fell, and I dodged it.  Obviously I won't be so lucky next time, because the next step is them totally eliminating my group.

My kids are both out of high school now, so the insanely expensive area we live in is no longer required.  It probably makes sense to sell the house and move to a cheaper area.  According to Zillow, my house is worth more than I still owe on it, more than I originally paid for it, for that matter.  Moving is such a huge, colossal pain in the ass.  But we bought the house nearly 20 years ago because of the school district, and we don't need that anymore.  I need to run some numbers, but right now, it should be possible to sell the current house, get enough to pay it off plus put a down payment on something else, and that something else will still cost me less per month than I currently pay.  Then when my group is eliminated, I'm at less risk.  Maximize potential, minimize risk.  It's the only way to play it if you're in it for the long haul, which I am.  Hopefully I've got some years still ahead of me.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2018, 11:51:17 AM »
Really sorry to hear that, Orbert. Here's hoping for the best. Good luck.
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Offline lordxizor

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2018, 11:55:24 AM »
Sucks to basically see the writing on the wall that you job will eventually go away. I agree with others who said to get your resume together now and start looking right away. No need to wait around for the inevitable.

Offline Big Hath

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2018, 11:25:34 PM »
I just show up when they need me to, so there's nothing to really lay off  :lol

 :lol

reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer was fired from a job he didn't even have.

Manager: There's just no way we can keep you on.

Kramer: I don't even really work here!

Manager: That's what makes this so difficult.
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Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2018, 03:50:48 AM »
I just show up when they need me to, so there's nothing to really lay off  :lol

 :lol

reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer was fired from a job he didn't even have.

Manager: There's just no way we can keep you on.

Kramer: I don't even really work here!

Manager: That's what makes this so difficult.

You read my mind. I almost mentioned Kramer in the original post. That's seriously what it feels like.

Manager: Phoenix, its almost like you have no pharmacy experience at all

Phoenix: Ugh.. just trying to get ahead, lol

Offline TioJorge

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2018, 02:29:31 PM »
As long as you kick ass at your job and make sure that said job's loss isn't going to put you in dire straights, you're good. Always having that safety net is paramount. Sad to see the state of affairs but glad to see that you're the man that is too good to let go; that's kind of a bittersweet moment.

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Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2018, 08:26:14 AM »
Sorry, Orbert. May the Force be with you.
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Crisis averted -- for now
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2018, 08:55:54 PM »
Thanks!  :tup