So I used to work for NASA — but not really, and if I told you who I really worked for you’d go, Huh? so I say I worked for NASA and you go, OH! Rockets and Stuff! and you’d be right, so I say NASA — until a month and a half ago, when I got a phone call from a guy at Company X.
Dude! Come work at Company X!
Why?
Because we’ll pay you!
I get paid now.
We’ll pay you more!
More?
More!
More, as in, my salary now and a little more than that?
Yes, that kind of more!
Can I think about it?
Well, think about more, and then think about a little bit more than more!
More than more?
More. And then a little more!
OK, I’ll come work for Company X!
Hooray!
Hooray!
(Totally and exactly how it happened.)
So I left the Space Coast and started working in Orlando at Company Y.
No, that’s not a type-o. Company X paid me More, but I worked at Company Y. Not for Company Y; at Company Y.
And it was good.
Then this past Monday, Company Y’s Bombad Project Director said a few words:
Layoffs. Yes. A lot? No. Don’t be scared; have some bagels.
Then this past Tuesday, CYBPD said a few more words:
Layoffs. Everybody. Jumpin’ Jeebuz on a pogo stick! We’re going to have management and maybe one or two people to press Return on a few keyboards, but that’s it. You’ve got 60 days to get the F-outta my lab. Peace out, and don’t eat all the bagels, foshizzle.
Wednesday was spent in silent reflection, punctuated with shrill screams of agony into the phone to all my close friends. Until 5:07pm, when someone who has become near and dear to my heart — she’s married though, so no thank you-trysts in the parking lot — sent me an email:
Dude. Chill. New job at Shangri-la. Same pay, new program. Can you perchance, write?
…
Can I write?
One quick GIMME THE D@MN JOB! email later, and I start a new job on Tuesday.
Thursday, the CYBPD had another meeting:
Just to reiterate, you’re all out on your @sses. Sorry. Gonna save on air conditioning, though, so that’s going on my list of accomplishments. Someone here already has a new job, though, so I guess that the rest of you are all a bunch of total slackers. I’m not saying who he is, but he’s drinking from a NASA coffee cup.
A nice, warm spew of raspberry latte later, I’d been outed.
So to everybody with whom I’ve worked with in the past couple weeks, y’all rock, even the CYBPD, who is the nicest guy on the planet, but a story isn’t funny unless you paint management as a doofus.
To everybody who helped me get a new job in 24 hours, I’ll totally give you a kidney if you need it. Not my kidney, but I’m sure I can scrape one up should the need arise.
And now I’m going to have a brand new series of New Job posts on this blog! Yay for blog-material!
…
Yay for happy blog-material!
And there’s still one more day left in the work-week. Yes, I’m scared.
So… you worked FOR Company X AT Company Y, and Company Y laid you off? I must be processing this wrong.
Either way, that’s amazing that you got kicked and picked back up in less than a day, congratulations and good luck!
Company Y “owns” the project and subcontracted me from Company X. The Pentagon buys a couple extra toilet seats, all the sudden my project is missing a couple hundred million bucks, and you can guess the rest.
My brother-in-law was in a similar situation. He worked for a Tech company which contracted him out, so while he worked for Company A, he worked AT Company B. For several years he worked at Company B, until the contract they had with Company A (his real employer) ran out. He didn’t go back to working AT Company A, he just got laid off. Luckily Company B hired him on temporarily while they put their new contract out to bid, so now he works at Company B FOR Company B…temporarily.
I’d wish you luck, Daniel, but the fact that you already landed yourself a new job means you’ve got someone on your side who has a hell of a lot more clout than me, so, gratz
My, what an “exciting” year for you! It’s like somewhere, someone looked down and said, “hrm, I think Daniel could use some CHANGE,” and now here you are.
Good luck, and keep rolling with the punches. Stuff usually happens for a reason, or at least it seems like that later, when it finally becomes obvious that everything is going to work out okay.
Yes, and Elvis has just left the building. Grats on the new gig!
Holy crap!
So very sorry you got laid off! I can’t believe the year you’ve had so far! Is this normal for you?
Also very glad to hear you’ve got something so soon. Speaks volumes about you. I very much hope things work out!
Wow. Glad that worked out so well for you
I’ve been looking for a job since……mid-march. Hooray for the economy…. Unfortunately jobs for newish graduates with a political science degree and 2 years of Game Art and Design undergrad work and 2 years of IT experience are apparently non-existent….
Daniel, what kind of writing? The report kind of writing or the stuff other people actually read kind of writing?
Either way, i’m very happy for you ^_^
I’d give my left testical for a job WRITING.
Congratulations, dude.
Man if you didn’t have bad luck, i mean good luck you’d have no luck at all. Grats on picking up the new job that quick. I mean WTF seems like they should have known layoffs were a possibility when they hired you, what morons. Course aren’t ya glad you didn’t go for the Porsche? You could have been jobless and a really expensive car payment
Been in the same boat. Left company for big bucks at company B only for company B to lay me off 6 months later. 2 months it took me to find new work (dark times indeed), now I work for company C….but would rather work offshore with a company D, less stress
Just make 100% sure that in your contract with the New Job, it is clearly stated in your contract that you are required to have a chair with a 90 degree reclining factor. That’s highly important…walls you don’t need…if they decide you should have them, great! If not..at least you’ll have that chair.
If u want a kidney, im not hinting at anything but vacation in new jersey
We don’t give kidneys here in Joisey, we take them.
Hey,
Congrats in the quick job. looking forward to the new stories.
Wow, such a roller coaster for you Dan.
I’m glad you can really stay positive about all of this.
Keep ya head up!
How scary, to get laid off after just taking a new job!!
Congrats on the new job, and good luck!
Dang… what a roller-coaster! I cant believe the turn-around, sheesh… Well, I hope the new job works out well for you! ::worried-but-supportive grin and thumbs-up::
DITCH THE COFFEE CUP UNTIL MONDAY. DITCH IT NOW.
A new job. Writting Skillz required. Hmmm…
And Blizz is looking for a new Quest Designer too..
Interesting….
(http://www.blizzard.com/us/jobopp/designer-quest-wow.html)
Congrats!
How utterly confusing your life has been this year, Daniel. We are all still cheering on your side of the bleachers. Looking forward to more stories…
I’ve been contracted to company A but working at company B for a year now, also in the aerospace industry. I was recently offered another job (as an employee, with employee benefits) and I am so happy to not be among my former co-workers, who are running around like headless chickens right now because of F136.
I feel for them, but I’m glad to be out of the industry.
Well at the start of the story it was a “Noooooooooooooo” but nicely turned around, good luck in the new venture mate and if this new job really needs somebody who can write you’ll do just fine mate
Congratulations on the new job! Wishing you all the best, and looking forward to your next installment~ hmmmm– you would be sooooo awesome at Blizzard……
Your sensing of time is getting better.
You quite sure that the layoffs weren’t in response to your admission to being a porcine fellow? In any case, congratulations on being out on your ass followed quickly by uh… falling upstairs.
That’s a lucky break, I guess. I worked for a phone company once and after two months they called a big meeting to announce that we were no longer working for the phone company, but for this new company who would contact us out to the phone company. Turns out that the bigwigs had been naughty and were trying to split up the company to save their assets (the switches and other hardware). Several people asked questions during the question and answer session, but the one I asked had the “oh sh*&” look from them, namely “Is there anything is writing that obligates the hardware company to actually still use us?” I started looking for a new job that afternoon. They went belly up in less than a year.
You are having a year.
In fact, you are having my year!
*toasts via the internet*
Gratz Dan, wish you could rub some of that off on my wife, she was just told that she’s being let go because she expects the people she works with who are responsiable for keeping records to actualy you know, keep records. She left her last job for this one two months ago.
And thanks a heap Shawn, Just found out that the same thing is happening to the telcom I work for, but at least we’ve got a 12 month no fire along with this in writing.
Aww, the man formerly known as BRK is still on the internet.
Also: “warm spew” of anything is gross.
This would never happen in the UK…well not in my lifetime.