The countdown to unemployment winds down for me. As of February 1st, 2006 I will move to a status that is new and frightening for me --
Unemployed.
It was totally unexpected -- well not really -- we knew the office lost a huge contract -- over 30 percent of our overhead was funded by this government agency's contract. But I told myself that I was indispensable to the office, that they wouldn't RIF me because it would be foolish to do so. Silly me!
In some ways I have led a very sheltered life -- I've barely done any job hunting in my life -- back in 1989, three months away from college graduation I already had a job offer in hand. When that "golden opportunity" turned out to be totally not what I wanted (working in a Jewelry store with an eye to becoming a jewelry designer) -- I spent less than one month before I had multiple job offers and by dumb luck chose wisely as I'm still in that office 16 years later as I wind down my career here.
I do remember that brief time when I was a bright young eager job seeker armed only with the hope that my BA in history actually meant something. Oh I was even more silly and naive then!!!! Looking back I did end up in some really crappy interviews -- loved the guy who was noting that "You have really beautiful hair." I couldn't run out of that interview fast enough and laughed the entire way home.
Then there was time I was driving to an interview in my sis's not so gently used Datsun she had given me as a graduation present (she had gotten a nice job and bought herself a brand new MR2). I was on I-66 and it was late morning so no NOV rules. Why was that trouper motioning me to pull over, I wasn't speeding? Oh dear! I looked to my horror, my state safety inspection tags had expired two months ago. Needless to say I was in a foul mood when I arrived. But ironically it didn't matter -- somehow me the brash young kid was able to demonstrate enough potential that the office decided to take a chance on me and offered me a job a week later!
So rather then wallow in self-pity and "why me?s" I'd rather read some stories from the trenches, know that I am not alone and that brighter days lie ahead.