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The Wacky Wacky World of Redundancy

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Regrettable Juvenilia

11:36 / 07.03.02

It's been a fun-filled two year run, a good deal of it spent posting here, but this week the website I work for has announced that "due to the effects of September 11" (and other things), they're going to have to let some people go. Now, before they do that they've offered us all voluntary redundancy (which in my case is a fairly reasonable package - two months pay taxfree), and having the benefit of reliable insider information that says my chances of surviving the imminent culling are extremely slim, I've decided to jump before I get pushed.

This isn't a "woe is me, give me your virtual sympathy" post - in some ways this is a good thing, and certainly an exciting thing. But I felt like sharing...

Anyway, for the immediate future I may be posting on Barbelith a frankly ridiculous amount, as part of the deal is that they'll let me come in and use the office resources to find another job (amongst other things). When I find another job, assuming I do find one, and assuming I decide what to with my life, I may not be posting very often at all.

Other things I may want to solicit advice about include: should I use some of this money to take a holiday? Buy a computer? Or will I need it all to survive? Should I renew the lease on my flat (I do love the place, and it would provide much-needed security), or do I look for somewhere cheaoer and face the horror that is looking for a job and a place to live at the same time? How easy is it to get a job as record industry/PR scum these days?

Decisions, decisions...

11:40 / 07.03.02

Commiserations, Flyboy. At least you're looking at it positively, though.

As to what you should do with the cash, not living in London I'm not sure how much advice I can offer in that respect - if you renew the lease can you afford to pay the rent, if you don't get more work immediately. I can imagine a holiday would look appealing right now.

As to PR work, two nights ago I was talking to a guy who worked in the PR dept of Hodder and Stoughton. He'd just finished his degree six months ago, didn't know what to do, applied and got in straight away.

However, he was called Henry. But I should imagine it ain't that difficult to get into PR - God knows, some of the numpties I have to deal with on a daily basis don't show much evidence of cerebral activity. Go for it.

11:49 / 07.03.02

Oh Lucky Man! Go on holiday for a bit- by the time you get back the market will have picked up. Keep you flat, but sub -let it while you're away.

This could be your last bite at freedom for a while go forth and multiply.

Regrettable Juvenilia

11:51 / 07.03.02

quote:Originally posted by Sax:
I should imagine it ain't that difficult to get into PR - God knows, some of the numpties I have to deal with on a daily basis don't show much evidence of cerebral activity.

My thoughts exactly. And having been a student music journo and then sort of a proper one, it has often occurred to me that the guy on the other end of the phone seems to have the better end of the deal...

Jack The Bodiless

11:51 / 07.03.02

Go the 'Tribbiani' route and start calling yourself 'Joseph'...

In all seriousness. Do not spend on fripperies. Get another (any) job ASAP, renew the lease, and then spend some time searching for The Right Job (TM) at your leisure. Hopefully with some redundancy moolah still burning a hole in your pocket for that PC/holiday/nosejob you've always wanted.

11:51 / 07.03.02

If I were you I would hold off on splurging on something big (like a computer) until you have a better idea of how soon you'll be working again. Boring, but sensible. If only I took my own advice.

Flat - stick with it unless your rent is horrendously high. Finding places to live is very stressful and time-consuming, and you probably shouldn't be looking for a house and a job at the same time...

12:04 / 07.03.02

Sounds like you're playing with the cards in your hand, Flyboy, always a good thing. Second Jack the Bodiless about getting any job right away, unless you're exhausted and need a rest --which if the case, by all means rest. But I'm of the mind that work keeps you going in more ways than one, if anything keeps you out in the world.

12:20 / 07.03.02

The one thing i would say is "get a computer"- something that has enough abilities so that you could work from home/on the road if need be (and would allow you to continue posting here, natch)

12:23 / 07.03.02

Perfect time to start your hip-hop career, J-Mac.

12:28 / 07.03.02

Oh and from bitter experience i can say that looking for a new job and a new flat at the same time is horrible-- do not do if you can avoid.

The Return Of Rothkoid

12:31 / 07.03.02

Fly; as far as the computer goes, it might be a worthwhile purchase (depending on spec, etc) if you're planning on having the ability to do freelance stuff as and when it comes up, to bring in some extra cash. If you know someone who won't mind you using theirs, it's probably not such a big thing, but... might be worth considering...

12:46 / 07.03.02

I'm gonna be all wanked out...

13:03 / 07.03.02

Cool your boots, Quick Draw McGraw. He hasn't asked for that yet.

13:05 / 07.03.02

<detumesces>

13:09 / 07.03.02

Something to do in your spare time.

13:18 / 07.03.02

(So what exactly are the duties of a 'pr' then? are they the folks that write press releases and send out promo cds? easy to get a job as one, you say? no physical labour? hmm.. sounds a good post-uni possibility for a lamo like me..)

13:41 / 07.03.02

flyboy--everyone else has better advice than i can give, but when I want to take a vacation but can't afford the time/money, i always try to take small virtual vacations. remember alot of us would kill to live in london. go be a tourist at some of the london sites that i'd love to go see ... the british museum, the tate, the plays. AND definitely get a massage. seriously--it's my favorite way to be in a different world, naked, with someone getting paid to touch me ... it's fabulous. and while you're on the table, you can imagine being in Belize ...

13:46 / 07.03.02

The duties of a PR are to ring people like me on a daily basis and have the following exchange:

PR: Hi! I'm Jocasta from Cuntchops PR, and I've got a fantastic feature idea for you!

Me: Oh, good. Tell me all about it.

PR: Well, we've got a press release about Bonkers Cheese - the really bonkers cheese! It's about 10 absolutely bonkers things you can do with cheese! Should I send it to you?

Me: It sounds crap. Any local angle I can hang it on at all?

PR: Oh, sure! We've done a survey of all the people in Glasgow and apparently 69 per cent of them do absolutely bonkers things with cheese! Glasgow is in Yorkshire, right?

Me: No. It's about 300 miles away.

PR: Okay, I'll send it to you!

(((Four days later))))

PR: Hi, it's Jocasta from Cuntchops PR! I sent you a press release about Bonkers Cheese, the bonkers cheese! Did you use it?

Me: No, I threw it in the bin.

Etc, etc, etc.

And you get loads of money. And as much cheese as you can eat. But you'll have to change your name to Tarquin.

14:04 / 07.03.02

*splutter*

Thanks Sax - I was trying to find a way to say 'don't do it, Riz!' and that's just spot on.

PR is vile - bad for the soul and you get shit from both the cheesemakers and the journos. Though you do get lots of money, I'm told.

14:18 / 07.03.02

It's certainly true that a willingness to chow down on corporate cock is an asset - lots of ex-journos I know have done it in the area I work (IT/technology) and say there is a great deal of the above. You have to look people in the eye and go "so yes, product X really is the dogs bollocks"- which isn't something everyone has the stomach for.
Doing a fair bit of this kind of work meself at the minute, at least in a writing capacity < blind, searching mouth looks eagerly for money teat >

On a wider note - more radical ideas you could explore include taking the money and buggering off to a cheap country for a bit, catching up on a bit of reading/writing or whatever. Come back in a few months and look for new job/flat.

14:26 / 07.03.02

(ringing people up and bothering them? yikes, not bloody likely ..)

14:28 / 07.03.02

In medical parlance, PR stands for 'per rectum' - which may or may not influence your decision.

pointless and uncalled for

14:30 / 07.03.02

Just remember this, if you want to take a vacation then wait until you're getting a job, for security reasons, and then advise them of prior commitments about 2/3 months into the job.

A handy scam if you can pull it off properly.

14:50 / 07.03.02

Good luck with it, old bean. Apart from that I can only second what 'Nesh said.

<massages right wrist>

15:17 / 07.03.02

If you've got some time and a bit of money then it would be a better idea to go somewhere and just live for a bit. You need two thousand in the bank for a working visa to Australia, you could work anywhere in the EU and there are plenty of cheaper places to stretch out two months of London salary. If you don't fancy that then yeah pay the lease on the flat.
As for getting any job straight away, well that is a highly personal choice, but not one I could go for. I just depends how much you value time to yourself and how you are able to fill it. The happiest times of my life have been lazing around with not much on...and what with Spring coming round and the flowers bursting out...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

16:28 / 07.03.02

quote:Originally posted by The New Flesh:
Something to do in your spare time.

No! NO! Minemineminemine! Mine is the random act of pop terrorism!

I'd certainly second the whole "take a holiday" idea, but maybe go for a few days in one of the cheaper European cities- Prague? Buda-Pest?- instead of a fortnight somewhere expensive. As for computer-buying... depends what you plan to do, right? Upgrading your skills is never a bad thing, but do you need a new computer for that? Maybe check community colleges for a short course you like the look of- needn't be work-related, but it'll give your week some shape and will also look better to a prospective employer that "Well, I bummed around Prague for a week or two and then went on the internet a lot".

18:23 / 07.03.02

PR flack = bastard child of journalist and salesperson.

If you want to come to the US for a bit, I should have a guest room ready by this summer....

18:28 / 07.03.02

oh and i have a guest room all ready if you will travel . . . to, ummmm, the bleak midwest u.s.--but a very funky town therein, I assure you.

Matthew Fluxington

19:24 / 07.03.02

Flyboy........come to NY.......Flyboy.......come to NY.....Flyboy.....come to NY..... (repeat hypnotizing mantra)

19:43 / 07.03.02

Flyboy, do you know how to tune guitars, or set up and properly mic drum kits?

If so, I'd encourage you to apply to become a roadie for Zwan. I think you might have what it takes to help me rock out.

Regrettable Juvenilia

07:13 / 08.03.02

Day One after the initial confirmation of redundancy: the panic sets in. PANIC!

I'd love to go to America, actually, specifically New York - kept saying I will for years now, and putting it off, and in some ways this seems the ideal time. I don't think uprooting permanently is what's going to happen, though... Then again, I'm not sure exactly what I'll *do* if I stay in London, and can I afford to take a holiday now? Argh. It's times like this that my combination of mindless optimism with a tendency to worry about everything really doesn't help matters... Nor does the fact that I don't understand money (I have a body for figures and a head for sin).

Thanks for all the support, suggestions (even the conflicting ones) and offers of spare rooms though...

10:44 / 08.03.02

Flyboy, if you get the opportunity to do some PR work, don't let the minor debate about the morality and ethics of it put you off at all. Sure, you'll have to suck a bit of arse, but I'm certain someone of your fortitude can gaze into the abyss without blinking. And if you get involved in music PR, there will be a lot of time sitting about listening to records and wearing porterage bags, and possibly sleeping with girls called Tara.

But good luck with whatever you decide. Just don't spend all that redundo on comics, you hear?

11:18 / 08.03.02

Sheesh - lot of it about at the moment, ain't there? Being in the same position, I'm trying to save the money until I've got something else - but at the same time, there's a bit of me that's saying 'go on - take a few months off and fuck about'.

At the end of the horrible worry pattern, I've got a lovely pair of pictures.

One where you're comfortable and live to an old age, in a comfy house. And you sit in your comfy chair thinking 'I wish I'd drunk milk from the breasts of nepalese maidens'.

And another where you die early - cold and alone on the street but thinking - 'remember when that nepalese bird let you drink milk from her boobs? Fantastic.'

I suppose whether you apply for pr jobs sums up which way you go. Me, I've started applying for 'em already.

Good luck whatever you do.

18:48 / 30.10.03

13th october: Get job.
30th october: Get told being made redundant.

So, and of january, no jobs around, all xmas temps needed have been given permenant jobs, and 150 people begin looking for jobs on the same day in a not so large town.

So I thought, quit while Im ahead. Untill I found out, if I stay to the end, I effectively get paid until the end of march, so... even if i dont get a job straight away, who cares?

I can change, I can do what I want, I could travel with redundancy payment, and I get money for doing fuck all, but finding a job that will be ending soon.

Feeling somewhat guilty though- everyone else is so upset.
I'll soon be free again!

19:20 / 30.10.03

i second the 'get a job any job' sentiment.
even go work in a bar or a bookshop for a while. even if it is hell, its easy hell and it'll keep your cash at least flowing in the way.

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