Sunday, April 3, 2011

In which I am made redundant.

Last Thursday afternoon, my boss called me into his office to inform me that after nearly 15 years of service, my position was being eliminated effective April 15.

Oh, swell.

The prospect of looking for a new job doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence. Two years ago, when the agency was in serious financial trouble (like a lot of organizations at that time), I applied for at least a dozen jobs over the summer, to have only one interview - and that was a courtesy from someone who knew me. You'd think a company would want to hire someone with experience and education who's willing to work, but that wasn't the case. It's an understatement to say I was discouraged. Having survived that round of layoffs, though, I decided to just stay put.

And now? Well, there ain't no staying put no more. I've put in a few applications and have resolved that if no one calls me before Easter, I'll hop on over to the temp agency after the holiday and sign up. Mister and I already had a trip planned to visit his family, and I'll have enough money to keep the bills paid till then. Plus, it will be nice to have a few days off.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little scared. I'm also really pissed off, but there's no purpose in that. I'm sad too, because I've invested 15 years there. When I was growing up I was led to believe that company loyalty counted for something. Maybe it was true 30-something years ago, but in an uncertain economy, I suppose all bets are off. Oddly enough, though, I'm not freaked out. I'm strangely and cautiously hopeful. My mom said, "At your age, don't you think it's time to find the right job? You know, this might be a good thing, otherwise you'd have just stayed there forever." And she's probably right. It's a comfortable job, for the most part. (Honestly, Mom surprised me. I thought she would be the one to freak out.)

I also feel strangely liberated. The world is my oyster at this point. I don't know what's around the next corner but I'm excited to find out. In the meantime, I'll keep sending out that resume and working my contacts. I'll get my new jewelry website going and keep working on my knitting projects. I can do some more art modeling (clothes ON, people, get your minds out of the gutter), and if I need to pick up a few shifts waiting tables, I'll do that too.

So. Till next time ----- anyone need an office manager, fiddler, chick singer, belly dancer, or Jill of All Trades?

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