"So, Toirdhealbheach Beucail, what is your plan?"
This question has come up (perhaps unsurprisingly) more than once. And I am sure everyone means it in the best of ways - not "Get off your duff and plan" but "Do you know what is next?"
The simple answer, of course is no. But simple answers do not make for actual decision.
"What you need is a plan" - Sun Tzu, "Inspirational Quotes of The Spring- Autumn Period" (Probably)
There are two sides to it.
The first, of course, is my formerly current employer. I am going through and declining all meetings that I do not have any responsibility in and am not 100% responsible for (except those meetings that function as overall updates; I remain curious up to the end how this whole thing will play out). I am organizing my e-mail for convenient archiving purposes (to be fair, it is already largely organized - I am just putting the final touches on it). And I am blocking out any and all time that is not directly related to any meetings I must be at (no, you do not get to add things to my agenda at this point).
The second, of course, is the more critical "And Then What?" discussion.
As it turns out, for all of the wonderful electronic planning tools out there (some I really do need to learn to use), I plan best in a simple spreadsheet table. Rows and columns work for me and the fact I can have multiple sheets within a single notebook make it easy to toggle back and forth on the same overall project.
I have organized my notebook (and high level actions) into four areas:
1) Closeout Money - This relates to anything involving money between now and the end of my employment - in other words, no cash left on the table. This includes things like filing our 2022 taxes (done), make sure all our receipts are submitted for our medical reimbursement (and indirectly, that anything else that we will need in terms of doctor/ dentist visits and reimbursements gets done before 29 May), 401(k) transfer out, budget review, and a revised cash run rate estimate. Although these activities may cover the full time, they should not extend beyond 30 June 2023 (with the single hope that those tens of thousands of currently worthless stock options do something that might generate a little money -a vain hope, but I have until 27 August 2023 for that to happen: who knows?)
2) Job Search - Sadly, I am neither independently wealthy nor of a sufficient age to engage Social Security, so I will need some kind of other job. This is the category for things like CV updates, social networking updates, and the mechanisms for a job search. There is no end date on this activity of course, until some kind of job is secured. I would be wrong to say I am necessarily doing it with a high level of confidence, but I fear if I wait too long things will get difficult or even impossible - the market in my industry is shedding jobs at a terrific rate. The other part of this is planning for some sort of short term part time job. Anything to extend the cash runway.
3) Find Money - Frankly, I have to assume that things will not go swimmingly and there will not be an immediate opening (even if there is: Plan for success and failure). Which means that I need to see what else I have lying about that, frankly, can be converted into cash. This is not digging into any of our savings or emergency sorts of things, but rather the things that might have some importance in a "employed" scenario, but none at all in "unemployed one". As above, there is no end date on this activity: Frankly, it is something I should just be doing.
4) Explore Writing - One of my long-time friends (long time as in "almost here from the start of the blog" friends) Rainbow, has suggested to me for years that I should be a technical writer for Biopharmaceuticals. She believes - to be fair, perhaps more strongly than myself - that I really have the experience and background to provide a service. She has suggested this for at least four years, and my response has always been "Well, I do not think I have the experience". But then, she let me know her mentor was having a five day boot camp for the very reasonable price of $50.
Why not, I thought? I signed up - before I got laid off, as it turned out, and so ended last week not only without a job, but with a series of suggestions, slides, templates and the admonition "there really is a market for this (Website is here).
Do I think I can do it? I have no idea. Soliciting work is so far outside of my wheel house that the thought astounds me - and, frankly terrifies me. I am not good with rejection. I do not think I have the experience people "want". On the other hand and at this point, what do I have to lose?
So I am starting out slowly. I have the classes and slides and will finish those out first (sadly, I missed "Marketing Day" because we were preparing to get laid off). I can find a way to build a website and generate an LOI from a template. And go from there. End date? Who knows - until I either fail, succeed, or give up.
So this is the plan for now, anyway. I am modifying as I go - for example, if my last major job search was any indicator, after an initial bolus the ability to find positions that are feasible become fewer and farther between, and thus take up less time, which will mean I need to have some other things to do to fill the time.
Which is fine, of course. This is one great adventure, with the added bonus that the off ramp is coming up although I do not now know where it is.
Not to be trite but what is the stoic version of "Just DO it"?
ReplyDeleteTechnical writer is an honorable job but you have to hustle and suffer from the writer's rejection slips (or worse see your rejection in THEIR ADS).
We're rooting for you.
Michael, I think the Stoic version would simply be "Do".
DeleteThe biggest issue I deal with is that I hate rejection. I have to learn to see such things as waiter or waitress sees negative response when asking a customer if they want a coffee refill: it is just business, nothing personal.
I appreciate the rooting. I will need all the help I can get.
Good luck with the writing option, get rejected, keep pitching, it's THEIR loss eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks Nylon12 - at some level, that is it. I think the tools are slightly better than they used to be, but it still comes down to sending out Letters of Inquiry and hoping someone bites.
DeleteSounds like you are much more prepared than I ever was. Usually my first two steps were to put my resume out on job hunting websites and shut down any unnecessary expenses as quickly as possible. After that, it was a lot of slow time since my options were to read a book or watch something on an over the air television station (since cable was cancelled right away) and wait for interviews.
ReplyDeleteEd, it is really not all that different. Applying is likely easier than ever - but everything disappears into a black hole and unless you get pulled out of the crowd, you will likely never know.
DeleteLists like this help me to keep focused on things I can do. The reality is that 29 May is going to come soon enough - fair to say that June will be busy, but after that I may very well have a lot of time on my hands.
That is one avenue. Be open to unusual opportunities. Email inbound with a personal story.
ReplyDeleteThanks STxAR. I am trying to keep my options open, as you suggest.
DeleteWhen job ended in 1990 due to being bought by east coast company. Myself and another worked for another year doing close up work but a former employee of mine called and said this is what I've heard about. Still in the same business but totally different. Called on a Monday and on Tuesday I was on a plane to my first job site. Contract work for the next 19 years. It was just a portion of our world that I had never done before. But it worked and I never looked back. So, same industry just a different chair.
ReplyDeleteAlso don't forget to check and see what day you can apply for unemployment if you don't have a job by that time.
Thanks for the real life example. Contracting is a very possibly model, and frankly something that I might welcome at this point in time, for the mental break if nothing else.
DeleteI will definitely need to review when I can apply for unemployment (as my company has provided zero information in this regard).
I am behind, sorry. Well, you are a writer. Without knowing what you need, dare I suggest something as mild as pet sitter? In someone elses home, of course.
ReplyDeleteI pray the best for you, TB.
You all be safe and God bless.
No worries Linda - you have had so much on your plate. Short version: Got laid off, looking for the next thing.
DeletePet sitter sounds delightful. I am looking at even trying to put together some smaller things in the meaningtime.
Prayers, as always, are very much appreciated.
I appreciate your honesty as you share your feelings going through this process, TB. I admire the work you're already putting into the process of discovering the next thing you will do.
ReplyDeleteThanks Becki - To be honest, one of the reasons I continue with this blog in the fashion I do is that it is good practice in me being honest with myself. I say things here and walk through things in a way that I never seem to be able to in the physical realm. The level of anonymity gives me a freedom that is useful - in some ways, I am likely more "me" here than anywhere else.
DeleteI can appreciate that. My non-anonymity on my blog holds me back at times from sharing some personal things that I honestly think some reader(s) out there could benefit from reading. That said, on the level that I do write about personal things, I feel like my blog is often more "me" too, just not nearly all of me. I never considered being an anonymous blogger, but reading your comment above, I can appreciate the value of it for you - and possibly to your readers, too.
DeleteThink of the requirements as a wish list, they need someone who will show up and work. If you are capable of learning and show initiative they will help you succeed, if they let you flounder then you don’t want to work there anyway. Look in the mirror and smile. You can do this.
ReplyDeleteFitty
Fitty - Years ago I read a comment from an editor saying how they were dying to find something they could actually sell. I tend to get caught up in my side of things "I am not good enough to do such and such" without realizing that in point of fact the world out there is looking for things just as simple as a good work ethic, something interesting, and a willingness to learn. It is just a matter of perspective - something I endlessly struggle with.
DeleteThank you for stopping by and the kind thoughts.