So on Monday I was told that as of July 1 I will no longer have my job. The foundation will be creating a new position of Communications Associate (a downgrade from my current position) and I'm being actively encouraged to apply. But it's being posted publicly so there is no guarantee that it is mine -- and there are two other people who are laid off as well who could be candidates for this job.

So I have to update my resume and line up my references. The references pose a problem, the Foundation president is in the midst of making calls to some of our stakeholders letting them know about the upcoming strategic changes and has asked that we give her time to make those calls before we broadcast our need to job search. I had no problem giving her a week or so until today when I saw a news story about a state position (public affairs for one of the state college systems) opening up. This position would be fantastic. It also will be highly competitive and if I wait too long to apply it might be filled.

Some of the people I'd like to ask for references are journalists (either former colleagues or reporters I've worked with over the last four years). Journalists are a gossipy group which could come in handy in terms of networking/job search but could also prompt a call in the capacity of doing a news story of "so we've heard there are layoffs - is the foundation in financial trouble?" especially from the reporters we work with the most.

So now I get to ask my boss and the foundation president exactly how long they need to make calls, because I have some reaching out to do.

I've come to the conclusion that I think I prefer the newspaper way of doing layoffs - here's a box, you have 45 minutes to clear your workstation of personal belongings. At least then you don't have to walk a tightrope of keeping your job while searching for a job.

Ugh that whole thing sucks. Do you need the references to just apply? If not, I'd at least get the ball rolling that way, most people realize that confidentiality is important to someone who is currently employed and looking for work and will ask before calling references. Also, there is no need to talk about your layoff to your references - you can simply say that you saw this job opening up and it is your dream job - and you have to apply to see if you can get it.

Good luck to you - I think it is a good sign that you already see something that has piqued your interest, and I think this week you were just complaining about some aspects of your job, right? This may be a silver lining.

That sucks so hard.

I agree with Sextillion. I'm sorry you're dealing with it all, but hoping it leads to better opportunities for you.

Ugh, I am sorry your company is doing this. I agree, I would much rather be called into the office and let go suddenly than be told a date in the future I will have no job. And the fact that they are leaving you in limbo sucks even more. Can you do what is suggested and just tell your references that you are just looking, or will they catch on?

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk

They should have had their ducks in a row. They are setting up roadblocks to your future employment.

Your future doesn't matter to them. They matter to them.


You do what you need to do. Go for your dream job. Follow their lead. Update your resume and submit it. Then, let them know you have applied for a highly competitive job and if the contact your references their cat will be out of the bag.


Hope this made sense. I haven't had my coffee yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I spoke with my boss yesterday and told her that a job just opened up that I wanted to apply for and told her that I would be as discrete as possible for the moment but that I needed to reach out to some former colleagues to line up my references, because the job wanted them with the application. And that for the moment I willing to skip reaching out to the two reporters we work with the most, but that at some point I would be asking at least one of them to act as a reference because there's nothing better when applying for PR positions then to have a reporter who can speak to your ability to be responsive to them.

My boss responded with - you are using me right? and do what you need to do, but to try and be as discrete as possible.

I'm glad your boss responded well, that makes it much easier! Good luck with your application!!

Got the resume updated this weekend as well as my LinkedIn and reached out to a few former colleagues to ask if they would serve as references. I have to now tackle a cover letter or two so that I have a few templates to work off of a customize for each application. Cover letters, to me, always sound so freaking fake and/or braggy, but I have to sell myself and so I'll plug along and get them done.

Yes, brag away. You have to do what you have to do to be employed!

Three applications in and a couple more that I want to apply to. I've decided, that for now, because of the nature of my job, to skip the insurance companies. If I get to June and I'm still looking I'll throw them in the mix.

Although my boss texted me a job link this weekend -- at an insurance company

The outplacement services firm is supposed to come in and talk to those of us facing layoffs this week -- so we can get an idea of what we might want to contract with them on.

I agree with the upthread poster, which might have been Twinklestars, that you need to look out for you. It's not your job to keep the secrets of the organization that is laying you off.

I was told in August that my last day was in December. That was a drag.

(at my last job, that is.)

signed and turned in my severance agreement earlier this week. Same day I turned it in the foundation president asked if I'd be willing to have lunch with her after our event next week.

So I had lunch with my direct boss today -- we worked on our resumes together.

Oh my!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When is your last day?

July 1. But we can leave before then -- as long as we give a minimum of two weeks notice -- and still get the severance package. It's kind of nice to be able to go to your boss and be able to get metrics you can use in your resume (things like how much it saved by our being able to bring some work inhouse).

Good luck!

wheeeee -- one month to go and just being there is getting so fucking weird. btw 5 months from time of layoff notice to actual layoff is just too long

the president insists on throwing an appreciation luncheon for us -- because that's normal when you've laid off 3/4 of your staff. My guess is they are dropping between $600-$800 on this event -- they've charted a boat for a cruise around the Thimble Islands and are bringing in lunch.

I get out of it -- because despite some of us requesting that if they insist on doing a lunch to please do it before the kids get out of school -- they are doing it a week after the kids get out. My child care arrangements for my last 7 days of work make it impossible for me to go (I'm seriously not disappointed lol).

we've always had the freedom to work from home when we've needed to, lately that's become a problem (it's a matter of perception on the president's part -- in the spring the two of us with younger kids always use more flex time because of the end of the year stuff at the schools and the kids' sports schedules - so much of what is going on would be happening anyway - and she was told this). On Tuesday we got an email chastising us for "abusing" flex time. general attitude among those of us being laid off -- whatthefuckever.


On the upside -- one of the members of the board for the Foundation is also big in Girl Scouts (ie the former president of the board of our council) so I ran into her at the council's annual meeting earlier this week. She just was announced as the new CEO of a very big deal foundation so I went over to congratulate her on that (and on receiving one of the national awards that night) and we chatted for a bit. She asked if I had something lined up yet and she told me to send her my resume. This particular woman has some serious connections and wouldn't do the nicety of asking for my resume if she didn't have the intentions of trying to help. so yay!