Laid off

I had a multi-tasked job at this company that involved speaking with city planners, photoshopping before and after construction proposals, and assisting an architect. The key responsibility of this job was to assist the architect. There was only one architect in the company.

Today right out of the blue, the architect quit without giving any notice. He didn’t give a reason and he won’t communicate with us.

Because of this, my company closed down their whole architecture department and is looking to outsource to a different architecture firm to get by in the short run. So I am laid off until they decide whether or not they’re going to implement the architecture department ever again. My employer had a hard time breaking this news to me.

Just think, if only I was trained and schooled as an architect and not a product designer, this would be a promotion.

I hate job hunting with a passion, it’s so deflating and discouraging. Maybe I could use this time to build my side business that hasn’t yet profited.

Feeling very empty inside right now.

Reality is slowly sinking in

 

Sorry to hear this!! That's so tough, to be completely blind sided like you were. What is your side business? If you can afford to pay your bills, and work on that side business, then try that? Wish I had something eloquent to offer, I don't like looking for jobs, either. I would recommend if you go that route, to find a few recruiters who will do some of the search work for you.

 

I would definitely use this opportunity to build your business. Maybe it will end up being a blessing. Sorry to hear that though

 

Life is a neverending battle, unless you're rich.

 

Thank you everyone for the moral support.


I checked in with worksource, and I do qualify for unemployment. The downside is that it’ll be pennies on the dollar income, and it’s such a time consuming process to apply for it.

This isn’t nearly as bad as getting fired though (been there done that). I take a bit of comfort knowing I did nothing wrong and my employer said he’d give me a good recommendation. Maybe I’ll get that in writing.

 

Oh man, I am really sorry to hear that, 6

Sounds like a chance it could be temporary though?

 

Sorry about the news bro. I know it's a drag, but keep your head up and and be optimistic that you'll get more work, and possibly something better.

 

I'm not rich. But yeah, I'm in a socialist country

 

Does "socialist country" mean the same to us and Americans?

 

No, most Americans seem to find it a dirty word

Ok, can't resist this..! Argh!

Let it sink in.



But yeah, this situation sucks. I hate job hunting too when forced in this circumstances.

 

As a chartered engineer specializing in the design of cinema, theater and film studios, I have been in the same position countless times. Fortunately, I studied as a doctor in my younger days, so I manage to fill in the gaps working on cardio thoracic surgery and driving a London ambulance.

I have never become rich and with so much 'package architecture' I can see exactly what has happened to your company. I imagine your architect got tired of beating his head against the wall.

Hopefully you will find a position that will use your skills and experience, but it is never easy. Today everyone is after quick fixes and making fast money.
I actually envy architects from the 19th century who were designing buildings knowing that they would not be completed within their lifetime.

 

My side business is graphic design and 3d printing. I've had a little bit of successful business with it, but I haven't yet broke even with the money I've invested into the machinery. I'm about half way there I suppose. Thinking I might contact some of my former clients later today, or wait til Monday.

There is a chance. I suppose if they found it too expensive to outsource architecture firms, and were able to find a new in-house architect, they would call me back. I'm not going to hold my breath though.

The weird thing is that this architect just bought a large house on a huge piece of property outside of this small town.

I could go back to my old place of work, but I wasn't happy there. One time after being fired a long time ago, I returned to an old company doing security work all over again, it felt like I was taking a huge step backward and it was depressing beyond belief. So I could return to my previous employer, who paid me much less, but I would rather not relive all that shit again.

At times like this, I wish I would've gone to a vocational school and gotten more training in a specific job that I could always fall back onto when things like this happen. Being a medical technician like you would be a very respectful and relatively lucrative job to fall back on. I'm just so sick of going back to school and taking more classes though.

However, I do have some skills in auto body work and car restoration. I stepped away from that when I was younger because the guy I was apprenticing for succumbed to alcoholism, went in and out of jail, and fell into poverty. Which led me to believe that line of work would lead that way. It's actually a good trade with a lot of uses. So maybe I'll go back and give that a shot if my side business continues to lag.

I saw that one coming.. lol

I am going to stray away from unsettling and depressing subjects for a while. Anything to avoid depression

 

Where do you live? I work in design-build and am always hearing of opportunities, maybe I can help you out.

 

PS avoid automotive at all costs it’s a horrible industry. I was a mechanic from the time I was a kid and went back to school for construction management at age 35. With the experience you have working with an architect why not stick on that course?

 

I've read that it's not uncommon at all, to lose money during your first year of starting a new business. So, there's that to consider. You have to be willing to lose, before you start ''winning.''

Good luck to you, though. I think you can make it, if you trust in the process.

 

Construction work is pretty cyclical. Even though the next bust hasn't hit, I think working on building your side business when you're between things would be a worthwhile investment of time in the long term.

Good luck Shaman.

 

It depends on region and sector, among other things but I’d agree overall. Residential takes the first and biggest hit. Most big commercial and industrial companies have this built into their planning. The company I work for had minimal layoffs during the last recession and also acquisitioned three other companies.

As far as developing a graphic design business, my advice from what I know about it would be to make it as legit as possible and require some form of deposit. I dated someone who had a little side business like that kind of like freelance design and she could not get people to pay her half the time after she had put hours in.