Day One - The News

---Day One of Unemployment or Pending Unemployment---

I had a feeling something was up. I even blurred it out to my sister a few hours before the call that this was a possibility. Still, it was hard to hear it. Thinking back, I am not even sure I heard it but more like understood it without hearing the actual words said. I kept talking to my manager after that, but my mind went blank at that point.

This was my first time being part of a corporate lay-off. My husband would argue that I have been let go before, but I am not going to count that one summer job, washing laboratory dishes, as something I would necessarily have missed. I would also argue that I was only let go due to the politics of the lab and it had nothing to do with my work ethics. Nor will I count the receptionist job from long ago as I knew I were terrible at it. I always fumbled those call transfers. That firing, I believed, was justified. I would have quit if they didn't come to the conclusion that I was not a good fit for that position first. This layoff, however, is different and unique in that, with those positions, I could go out and find another job in a second while this position would require months to replace. Not only that, back then, I was young (in my pre-twenty), with no one else to care for except myself. Now, I have a family with young children to support. This layoff has a much higher impact on me than any other job loss in the past and potentially in the future, due purely to the timing of the economy, the job market, the type of career path I am in as well as my current living and financial situation.

Still, after a day of thinking about it and I do mean a whole day as I did not sleep a wink that first night, I remain optimistic that the future will be alright. I do not blame my company for having to make the cut, but wish that I could have done more. Perhaps that could have made a difference. There are many others affected by the lay-offs and I can not help but feel somewhat responsible due to the fact that if I could have sold more of my company services, it might have saved all of our jobs. Of course, one might say it might not have made a difference. In any case, I do not want to dwell on this for much longer as this would not help my current predicament. My focus, now, will be on finding employment as well as conserving my finance to last through this drought.

My first thought is health care for my children. COBRA has been ridiculously expensive in the past and I do not expect it to be any difference this time around either. So, what are my options? Buy my own insurance? Go for the state insurance? I don't know all of my options just yet, but that would be the first area to tackle.

Second thought, how long can we last on our savings? Being a worry-wort, I have been saving but it would be good to know exactly how long we can go on.

Third, would we have to move? Where would we move? Should we move to an area with better job prospects to ensure that future employment changes would not require yet another move. How would we move? Should I go first and leave the family behind? Could we pack up the entire family and go? What's about our home? My son's school? What's about my husband's grandmother? We moved her here to a nursing home from California. She will be one hundred years old comes August. We can not possibly move her. What's about my parents?  We suggested that they move out here when the housing prices went down.

All these questions swirl in my head and will continue to do so until I can find employment. I hope that by writing these thoughts down, they will help me better formulate my strategy. I also hope that those who might be going through the same ordeal could gain a "friend" if nothing else, for I know job hunting can be quite lonely. Best of luck to all of you and in return, please wish me the same.

I will post relevant findings during my job search. I have done these before but less prominently as a job seeker. I am taking my own advice from my previous blogs and letting everyone know that I am actively seeking employment, so please do send me any leads. Certainly, if I can be of any help to you, please don't hesitate to ask. I would gladly review your resume and welcome any feedback on mine.

Again, best of luck to everyone and have a wonderful day.

Mindy