Thursday, October 3, 2013

Redundant

It’s not a nice word is it? Redundant. Unnecessary. Superfluous. Disused. Outmoded. Unwanted.

All very cheerful terms, to describe a very cheerful thing.

I’ve been made redundant once before. In 2010, a couple of years after the banks all started imploding and collapsing in on themselves like dying stars, the resultant economic black hole had expanded from its beginnings in the City of London and reached such crucial financial outposts as Bristol.

Actual black holes are reputed to suck in everything around them. Nothing can escape. Even that speediest of speedy things, light, isn’t speedy enough to escape the clutches of the black hole. Its fiscal equivalent feeds on jobs. Thousands and thousands of jobs. By the time my job was “reviewed” and, ultimately, “rationalised”, the job losses at my company alone came to around 20,000.

I didn’t fear redundancy in 2010. I embraced it. Redundancy knocked on my door and I welcomed it in, made it a hot cup of tea and told it I would happily be made redundant. Because I was young. Because I was (in marital terms) single. Because nobody depended on the money I was paid. Because of course I would get another job, how hard could it be?

People who had worked at the company for decades were concerned. Their CVs had last been updated when MS DOS was but a twinkle in the pre-pubescent mind of Bill Gates. Some had probably been written on papyrus.

But I was convinced I’d be fine.

And I was, more or less, correct. I was unemployed for about two months.

Now, in 2013, the job I got after I was made redundant the first time is* making me redundant. Sorry, it’s making my ROLE redundant. A distinction I should imagine will keep my spirits resolutely afloat when I drag my arse into the Job Centre for the first time. At least I only have to go once every fortnight…

I'll have a new one of these soon. Mine won't be courtesy of The Telegraph though, like this photo is.

Anyway, yes, today I was formally entered into the consultation period which it is “more than likely” will lead to my exit from the company in somewhere between three and eight weeks’ time.

How do I feel?

Dunno.

Alright. Then not alright. Confident. Then scared. Sure of my abilities. Doubtful. It changes by the hour, by the minute, by the second. Changes when I look at job websites overflowing with “opportunities” which barely warrant the name. Changes when I think about the array of fixed costs I can do nothing to reduce, which zip from my bank account like electronic ghosts. Changes when I hold my baby boy and wonder whether, soon, he’ll be seeing a lot more of me than he currently does. Changes when I think about that black hole, which still no-one has managed to sow up and stop.

I’m trying to think of it in positive terms: a new beginning, a chance to do something I’ve always wanted (what have I always wanted to do? Nothing, I don’t think).

But it’s not always easy to be positive about something so overwhelmingly negative.

Pretty soon I’ll be jobless, and the best thing about it is going to be keeping my curtains closed all day and tweeting pictures of them to George Osborne.


*Almost certainly, although strictly it isn’t set in stone just yet.

22 comments:

  1. It sucks when the role you play in a company is erased like that. Hope it doesn't work out this way for you but if it does, if you can, take some time to find what you'd really like to do perhaps? (Love the line about electronic ghosts by the way and hey on a positive note at least you could throw yourself into Na No Wri Mo :) )

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    1. Thanks, it is a bit sucky, but will hopefully be a good thing eventually. I hadn't even considered NaNoWriMo...

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  2. It's a bummer to be sure. But sometimes it can be a good thing, I got the job I do now when my old job was 'merged' (I left rather than reapply for my old job against someone who had done the job longer) and now I earn more and it's not too bad. Fingers crossed for you. I'd set no store by online 'job sites' though, wandering and ringing round are better - get in first before they even advertise...

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    1. That's good advice, thanks. I tend to get sucked into "everything's online these days" mode, which is blatantly not the case. 70% of jobs are never advertised, apparently.

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  3. I can very much relate to all those emotions, having recently been thrown out into the big wide world myself.
    Fingers crossed that the right thing comes along for you x

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    1. And how is the big wide world treating you? Kindly I hope. Thanks for the finger crossing, I'm sure something will crop up :-)

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  4. It well and truly sucks, but it really can turn out to be a good thing.

    Fingers crossed this turns out to be the beginning of an awesome new chapter in your life.

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    1. That's definitely the outcome I'm hoping for :-)

      Thanks for reading :-)

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  5. It is a terribly difficult and stressful time, a period that I remember well. I truly hope that every thing works out well in the end; I am sure it will. x

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    1. It's something that so many people have been through and come out okay, that I sort of feel silly worrying, but there we are, it's hard not to worry when you're about to have no income!

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  6. I'm a firm believer that things always work out in the end. It's a scary thing to go through but be positive, stay strong and the perfect opportunity will come along soon. My husband is in the profession he's in now because they moved his department to California giving him the choice to move or find another job. He did the latter and has never looked back.
    Signing up with an agency worked for him. Maybe it could for you...

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    1. It's nice to hear other people's stories of how it can pan out well, thanks :-)

      I'm just doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do at the moment, because I don't think I'll cope too well with another job that isn't for me.

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  7. Ugh. Sorry to hear this. OH had this 18 months ago during which time since he worked on setting up his business taking a 50% pay cut in order to do so. It's been a rocky old ride and with a truck load of loans now hanging round our necks we look forward - and I secretly pray it doesn't go tits up! I know not everyone can take their profession and set up alone but the whole experience has challenged our safety zones and made us take a gamble on something different. Really hope it all works out x

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    1. Yeah, unfortunately setting up to do what I already do but self employed isn't really an option (nor, in reality, would I want it to be. The work I have been doing hasn't proved the best "fit").

      I'm considering all options though, and there are a few things I'm pretty good at which might lead to something. Time will tell!

      Good luck with your adventures, and thanks for reading :-)

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  8. Sorry to hear that news. It sucks. I was redundant in March of this year when the whole company went into administration. Horrible stuff. But I am now a full time stay at home dad, which is bloody amazing and I wouldn't go back to that god forsaken office if they paid me (which you would expect they would!).

    Chin up - there are apparently always opportunities - you just have to take them.

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    1. If only I could get paid to stay at home and look after Cam, that would be perfect ;-)

      Thanks for reading and commenting dude, hope your nights aren't too sleepless at the moment...

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  9. Sorry to hear your news. It's not easy to be positive at all. It's bloody tough, especially when you have little people to be responsible for. But have faith, all will be well. If the ending aint happy, then it aint the end...or something like that :) xx

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    1. Thanks for commenting *feels privileged* ;-)

      It's tough, but I'm okay for the time being, long may it continue!

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  10. It's fair to day this is news of the crappiest kind. Like you, I've been there twice. I'm another one of these really annoying "everything happens for a reason" people, but there being a reason for it doesn't make it any less tough. I hope your job is safe but if it's not, I hope you find something that you find even more fulfilling (with more cash, natch)

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    1. Cheers mate, I don't mind the "everything for a reason" philosophy, it's good :-)

      More cash would be nice (and, given the relative crappiness of my existing salary, shouldn't be too hard to achieve...)

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  11. So cruel. However I'm confident that grafters are never ignored. Keep grafting and stay positive. I've no doubt you will! Chin up, knuckle down, and bring on the nice shiny new salary!

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  12. Sorry to hear this, I hope you find something else quickly and something that you enjoy doing.

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