April 28, 2023 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Survivors
April 28, 2023 at 1:54 pm
Great editorial Steve. This brings back memories of when I got laid off over 6 years ago. I was sad for myself, but i did understand the huge burden put on those that survived. The pressure did get a few of them to quit. This made me angry because I believe that is what management wanted. And these people didn't get any severance package like those of us who got laid off. In the long run we(the laid off) were better off than the survivors.
Unfortunately I am hearing rumblings that the same thing may happen where I am now.
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we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us
Don't fear failure, fear regret.
April 28, 2023 at 2:21 pm
Over my 42 years in IT I suffered layoff three times. Fortunately, every time it worked out that I was in better shape afterward. Of course it is traumatic when this occurs at someone else's decision instead of your own chosing. In the most extreme case, I was one of four developers terminated out of a group of nine. This was my first job as a developer and I was terminated with less than a year of experience.
My observation about these is that if an employer determines the job can be done with fewer employees, possibly the problem is management who are not getting the job done without excessive hiring. And I would further observe that the choices are not always objective either.
I accept some responsibility in that I was not always the ideal 'yes-man' to my managers. And in one situation I was the victim of 'downsizing' but was the only person 'downsized'. I think it had something to do with my suggestion that my manager really needed to take a shower a bit more often.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
April 28, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Great editorial Steve. ...
Unfortunately I am hearing rumblings that the same thing may happen where I am now.
Thanks,and yikes. Usually when I hear those rumblings I'm working on my resume and looking for other work. I hate instability. Even when I've survived layoffs, I've often left without a year.
The exception is Redgate. We had one layoff when the economic activity turned, and it was mostly salespeople. I looked around a bit, but things stabilized and have been great ever since. Glad I stayed.
April 28, 2023 at 2:42 pm
This post could really benefit by addressing those dedicated workers doing IT for government agencies. My work group is only down 50% from the staff level in place when I was hired a decade ago. I regularly work with another group that is down to two developers from a level of nine when I was hired. Your advice ... to keep skill up-to-date and modernize your environment ... is hard to implement when you are just trying to get through the day. My co-workers love our government and constantly struggle to make it a success. The level of stress is through the roof.
April 28, 2023 at 3:23 pm
This post could really benefit by addressing those dedicated workers doing IT for government agencies. My work group is only down 50% from the staff level in place when I was hired a decade ago. I regularly work with another group that is down to two developers from a level of nine when I was hired. Your advice ... to keep skill up-to-date and modernize your environment ... is hard to implement when you are just trying to get through the day. My co-workers love our government and constantly struggle to make it a success. The level of stress is through the roof.
Arthur, hang in there. While I don't know your exact situation, I do have several family members who have held government positions for decades. Without exception, their retirement packages are making it all worth while. In one case, the city government retirement income actually exceeds that during employment. In another, a retired postal worker is doing very well after years as a carrier. And there are several teachers who are quite comfortable. There can be advantages to fixed retirement plans. My do-it-yourself retirement assets currently have lost in excess of $140k over the past 2.5 years, (no comment on the root cause), so our comfortable lifestyle has changed quite a bit. My withdrawals have been limited to what I am required to take and pay tax on.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
April 28, 2023 at 5:33 pm
This post could really benefit by addressing those dedicated workers doing IT for government agencies. My work group is only down 50% from the staff level in place when I was hired a decade ago. I regularly work with another group that is down to two developers from a level of nine when I was hired. Your advice ... to keep skill up-to-date and modernize your environment ... is hard to implement when you are just trying to get through the day. My co-workers love our government and constantly struggle to make it a success. The level of stress is through the roof.
I can't speak to government directly, but I have been in the space where I am buried with work. I've done the 100hour weeks.
What I will say first is that you have to give yourself a break. I did that just recently (https://voiceofthedba.com/2023/04/07/dropping-career-goals-for-q2/).
What I'd say is that finding time to work on your career is something that is important to do regularly. I get you're busy at work, however I would guess there are some breaks. Rather than take smoke/coffee breaks with co-workers, read an article. Try to solve a problem. Set aside an hour a week at home to read/practice something.
This is a journey, not something you fix in a month. I'd make a 1-2 year plan to change your career somehow. New field, new job, etc.
April 28, 2023 at 7:16 pm
below86 wrote:Great editorial Steve. ... Unfortunately I am hearing rumblings that the same thing may happen where I am now.
Thanks,and yikes. Usually when I hear those rumblings I'm working on my resume and looking for other work. I hate instability. Even when I've survived layoffs, I've often left without a year.
The exception is Redgate. We had one layoff when the economic activity turned, and it was mostly salespeople. I looked around a bit, but things stabilized and have been great ever since. Glad I stayed.
Yeah, I need to find my resume. I think I backed it up to the cloud, I hope so , my other PC died about a year ago.
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we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us
Don't fear failure, fear regret.
April 28, 2023 at 8:01 pm
Yeah, I need to find my resume. I think I backed it up to the cloud, I hope so , my other PC died about a year ago.
That's OK, just have AI write you a new one.
Or you could be like me...I don't know where mine is, and couldn't remember enough to re-write it.
Rick
Disaster Recovery = Backup ( Backup ( Your Backup ) )
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