Can't hurt...

[magicmike]

Well all,

I should have seen the writing on the wall when I found a dead animal at my doorstep a few weeks ago. Maybe that was a sign or maybe it is just karma who knows. That Wednesday, aproximately 1 week before Christmas I was laid off from the company that I had been with for 7 years. I must say I was a little upset and a little bitter. After all, this is the company that I litterally started off sweeping and mopping up areas in the shop to become second in command working directly with the CEO.
The official wording was "Due to economic reasons, "company name here" is restructuring. I regret to inform your full time position is being eliminated and it is necessary to lay you off, as of today.". I must say that after the initial "oh shit how am i going to pay my mortgage" panic that ensude I have been feeling pretty good. I learned alot there, and I mean alot. I think it was just time for us to part ways. I could see that the CEO was starting to make some poor choices IMO with regard to the direction of the business and perhaps I made my opinion slightly too vocal.
At any rate, I'm glad this happened. I have been in a long distance relationship for the past 3 years with my future wife who lives in Chelsea MI. I'm putting my condo on the market and I'm moving out there. I have realized that my work was the only thing I had here and it wasn't even a good reason to stay other than it paid the bills.
I'm moving to MI and starting a family which is what I have always wanted. I have a few leads on work out there but if there is anyone on here that knows of anything please let me know. I have worked in the machine tool industry in senior level mangement and also project management.

Wish me luck!

[Legacy777]

Good luck Mike! Things will work out.

[evolutionmovement]

Housing should be much cheaper. Best of luck and my respect for going for what a lot of people would be too scared to do. What's more important than someone you care about anyway?

[skid542]

Sounds like a solid decision. Best of luck with it, everything works out for the best in the end.

[93forestpearl]

I feel your pain on the poor executive decisions. I work for an 82 y/old man that runs a decently capable metal fab business. The old part isn't so bad as the fact that he has less than a 5th grade education and is trying to engineer products to sell, along with not meeting government contracts in a timely fashion.


It would be lame to loose the job that I have there, and I'd also feel bad for a couple people that have been there forever, but times like this weed out the businesses that probably shouldn't still be operating. Ten people are employed here and we have almost five acres under a roof. Not exactly sustainable.





Anyways, its good that you get a chance to switch it up, and maybe try something new. Best of luck.

[John Drivesabox]

We're always hiring, pay starts off around $1900/mo + room and board.

[Redlined]

Life has a funny way of taking you where it wants you to go. Sounds like this is an excellent opportunity to turn your long distance relation ship into a live in relationship and find a new Job. Possibly one you will like better.

Life is like a river. Its gonna take you where it wants you. Fght it and your just gonna wind up there tired. My suggestion. Go with the flow.

Best of luck!

[magicmike]

Well, the story has changed but facts remain the same. It’s been almost 8 months and I still have not found work. When I last posted I had some hair brain idea to sell my condo at a huge loss and move my life out to east butt fuc* MI to be with my so called "future wife".

Here's the new chapter. Right around "princess Michigan’s" birthday in February is when I started to see things pretty clearly. It’s amazing how work and stress can really cloud your judgment. That or the excessive drinking, or a combination of both. After not working for a couple of months I stopped drinking. I was so stressed out every day and wanted to kill people every day that I would be at the bar at 5:01 having an 18 year glenlivet double neat. I remember sitting in meetings and looking across the table at co-workers with a smile on my face while at the same time imagining lunging across the table and jamming my mechanical pencil into their neck. Needless to say I had a problem and I was unhappy. So, after not drinking anymore (maybe a beer or two here and there but not like before) I started to see the Michigan girl for who she was. I'm not going to bash her out of respect for her but she has a princess complex and a poor poor pitiful me complex going that I could not bear to support anymore. On top of trying to look for a job exclusively in MI for 3 months I had to listen to her idiotic ramblings every day about her sister losing weight and how she isn't the skinny one in the family anymore?! This pushed me to the point where I ended it with her and focused my energy on looking for work in Rhode Island. It’s funny, just writing about it now is getting me all anxious. I have lived without any bullshit from a woman for 5 months now and it’s great.

I've been looking for work now for 8 months to no avail. I am on EVERY job site known to man and usually search on Indeed which searches all the sites. I apply to jobs every day and I've only been on 1 interview in the entire 8 months. Needless to say I did not get that position but they were kind enough to send me a letter 3 months later stating the obvious.

It’s really hard to keep my head up right now. I'm drowning in my mortgage and every month that passes I'm approximately $600 in the red. That's including my unemployment benefits which are maxed out for Rhode Island. I'm currently borrowing this money every month from my equity line which is the only place I can get it. The bank will not help me with my mortgage because I don't have a job?! I'm paying $250 dollars a month for PMI on a mortgage that I haven’t missed a payment on in 4 years even without a job! Meanwhile, the assholes that bought new houses and literally walked away from their houses and couldn't pay their mortgages (by following the advice from the banks themselves) didn't have PMI and the housing market crashed devaluing my property but I'm the one paying the insurance for the irresponsible bank? Why the fuck aren't they paying this insurance?

Meanwhile I can't find a job because I have worked since high school and never finished college. I have almost 10 years experience in precision manufacturing but my resume never hits the hiring manager's desk because of that little check box that reads "4 year degree". It really makes me ill. I am a smart, talented, hands on, business wise, technically savvy guy who can't catch a break right now. I have connections and close friends in manufacturing who are in high level positions and they tell me sorry but without a degree no one will even talk to me. I was making over 80k a year for the past 4 years and I can't find a job for 40k now. I could at least live off of 40k.

I am completely and truly utterly fu$#ed….

[evolutionmovement]

Sounds like where I was a few years ago, except for the mortgage thing. Pisses me off, too, that the deadbeats get help, but I can't refinance with a credit score higher than most people have seen because, supposedly even with my drop in salary due to the economy making me keep a job that underpays me (though, believe me, I'm still thankful to have it!), my brother-in-law and I make too much money. All we're asking for is a legit re-fi so the mortgage would be manageable if either of us get laid off (because then we won't be making enough, yet they won't re-fi then because we won't be making enough?!). Maybe I should just be a deadbeat crackhead and the government would bend over backwards for me.

[Legacy777]

Mike,

Sorry to hear the troubles on the job front.

I however fully agree with this statement. I'm going on about a year and 3 months.

I have lived without any bullshit from a woman for 5 months now and it’s great.

On the job front, are you looking inside a particular industry, or just whatever you can find? Have you thought about going back to school with student loans?

It sucks right now, because of all the damn offshoring we did with manufacturing a couple years ago. It's a very sad state we've put ourself in.

[magicmike]

On the job front, are you looking inside a particular industry, or just whatever you can find? Have you thought about going back to school with student loans?

I’m looking in all fields yes. I really thought that I had a solid base in project management enough to cross over into other industries. I can't tell you how many jobs I've applied for but I average about 2-10 a day. I am looking at project managers, project planners, and manufacturing supervisor positions. Anything really that relates to manufacturing. I'm definitely not too proud to make less money or do something other than push a mouse. I have a heavy AutoCAD background and I'm actually certified from a local college in 2D and 3D CAD. I've looked into CAD jobs also. It’s pretty bad here in RI.

As for school, I understand that without a degree I am screwed. I have enrolled already at a Johnson & Wales U for the fall in business Management. All of my credits from my CAD program actually transfer right into this new 4 year degree program. It’s the school of continuing ed so it’s all night classes and probably Saturday classes also. I'm taking as much as possible. I am also approved for free courses due to my unemployment so that should be good. But again, that doesn't help me now.

[SubaruNation]

content

[Legacy777]

I think if you are willing to move, you could probably find something, but yes, there are definitely certain states/cities that are struggling much more.

[kleinkid]

I worked for the US Navy for 34 years, 31 years as a civilian employee. Very satisfied with my career, retired now. Steady job, health care plan(employee and employer contribute), annual leave, sick leave, retirement plan. Give it a look.

https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/

Any questions for me, just ask.