Jobless with Twins

I don't know how many times I've heard the same story over and over again.  So and so just had a kid and now they got laid off from their job.  Gone are the days when an employee would stay at a company for 10, 15, 20, 25 years or more.  Not in the high tech industry anyway.  I made it to 5 years only.  Companies are also less willing to pay for benefits hence a host of contract jobs.  In any case, losing a job, or getting laid off, is stressful.  Just look in the news and how many times have we heard an employee getting laid off and the next day, come into work to shoot down everyone?  Stressful as it may be, there is hope.  Yes there is hope because losing a job is not the end of life.  It's a bump in the road, or possibly a new journey.  My story of Jobless with Twins begins in the summer of 2011.

Summer 2011 - The Vision

"I don't know, but something big will happen when the twins arrive.  I mean,  family life will change but career-wise too.  I'm not sure what it will be yet but I know something has to change.  The twins will let me know."  I remember saying that to a friend when they came to visit.  I was referring to my job and how it didn't make sense any more to have a 9-5 job.  What I needed was flexibility in my schedule.  What I needed was to be with my children.  Fast-forward to Fall 2011.

Fall 2011 - D Day  

In early fall I took 2 months paternity leave from my job.  I returned to work on Nov. 3.  The next day I entered my office building and several security guards were roaming the production area.  I could see many of my co-workers huddled in a circle, just talking.  Minding my business I took a flight of stairs to my cubicle where I found more of my co-workers standing around, looking out the glass window to the production floor below.  "You know what's going on today right?"  "I think I have a good idea," I replied.  I didn't really believe my gut instinct until I walked down the hall to get some coffee.  "Jason, come with me to the cafeteria.  We have a meeting."  I followed my manager to the cafeteria and at that moment, I didn't know how to feel.

In the cafeteria were all my co-workers, seated in chairs.  At the front of the room I could see HR personnel, an interpreter, the director of engineering.  I sat down, waiting to hear my fate, and the fate of the others.  "It is my regret, to announce a difficult decision...."  That's all I remember hearing because all I thought about after were my twins.

Getting Laid.    

We have a saying at work, "When are we getting laid?"  Laid off of course.  Getting laid is another story we have to deal with but we'll save that for next time.  The company will be letting all of board operations go by the end of this year.  I only know of 4 people who will remain at the company from about 50.  I received my package for 5 years of service. Hard to believe it's been 5 years.  

A New Life

The days following the announcement, I remained calm because in essence, it's something out of my control.  In life you are given a set of cards, it's how you play them that counts.  Are you going to fold?  Or are you going to try changing your hand for something better?  Who knows what you will end up with but if you don't do anything, you will end up with nothing.  If you don't take a risk, you will never gain.  In this life, I believe things happen for a reason, and it doesn't become apparent until you look back.  As Steve Jobs once said, "you need to look at the past in order for you to connect the dots, before it all starts to make sense."  I look back and see the birth of my twins, and now a chance to spend more time with them.  I look back and see that the 9-5 doesn't make sense for me.  I look back and maybe getting a job isn't even the right thing to do.  I'm not crazy, trust me.  There is method to the madness but it has to start small.

So for those who have recently lost their jobs, or looking for a job, or just trying to find out what's the next step in life... keep your ears open and hearts open...it will allow you to find your way around that bump in the road.  Have patience and believe in yourself because no else in this world will.