Well, I just blew my Life.

[Scott Campbell]

Hope you are piling money into your mutual funds!

In? Yeah, but not as fast as it's leaking out.

[mraynrand]

I lost my job in June. It was a mixed blessing. It about killed me to see our start-up fail, but it had been clear for the past year that we were no longer playing to win. So my 12 year run at company X was over. I was pretty exhausted, and planned on taking a year or so off. It's a crappy time to be looking for a job anyway.

Then, one week after I was finished, the phone rang. A company that should have been in the business to begin with had finally decided to jump in. I told them I hadn't really been looking for a job, and didn't have my resume updated. I sent them a 6 year old resume - with no information on my pertinent experience. 2 weeks later they flew me out for a face to face interview, and 3 days later I had an offer - 14% higher than my previous job. This was a pretty stunning turn of events. And to top it off I'm double dipping with my severance package not running out until next April.

I didn't see any of this coming - especially in this economy. Luck can turn on a dime - in either direction. Keep your chin up.

Scott, sorry to hear about the start up tanking - but isn't it strange how something like that can lead to something good? Pretty cool. But please explain how you lost a start up, but still have a severance package. A golden parachute of sorts???

[Scott Campbell]

But please explain how you lost a start up, but still have a severance package. A golden parachute of sorts???

It was a start up business within a big ass company. The mothership lost patience when the core business began to falter.

And nothing close to a golden parachute - just my regular salary. Though it was about 5X what I thought I would get.

[bobblehead]

When we come back, we'd like for you to have sketched out on about 3 flipcharts how you approach a product relaunch for say, our iced coffee beverages".

I'd fail at that too. I'd be like: "Hey, we've cooled down our coffee and added sugar and lard - now drink up!" or "Have you ever picked up a cup of coffee on Monday morning only to find out it's cold 'Friday' coffee? Well, we add mocha and sugar and bottle it up as 'ice coffee.' Enjoy that bitter, cold coffee taste!"

I'm sold...how can an employer not like that sarcasm?

[bobblehead]

I lost my job in June. It was a mixed blessing. It about killed me to see our start-up fail, but it had been clear for the past year that we were no longer playing to win. So my 12 year run at company X was over. I was pretty exhausted, and planned on taking a year or so off. It's a crappy time to be looking for a job anyway.

Then, one week after I was finished, the phone rang. A company that should have been in the business to begin with had finally decided to jump in. I told them I hadn't really been looking for a job, and didn't have my resume updated. I sent them a 6 year old resume - with no information on my pertinent experience. 2 weeks later they flew me out for a face to face interview, and 3 days later I had an offer - 14% higher than my previous job. This was a pretty stunning turn of events. And to top it off I'm double dipping with my severance package not running out until next April.

I didn't see any of this coming - especially in this economy. Luck can turn on a dime - in either direction. Keep your chin up.

The only way this story could be better is if you fell into a threeway at the airport during your layover.

[retailguy]

I lost my job in June. It was a mixed blessing. It about killed me to see our start-up fail, but it had been clear for the past year that we were no longer playing to win. So my 12 year run at company X was over. I was pretty exhausted, and planned on taking a year or so off. It's a crappy time to be looking for a job anyway.

Then, one week after I was finished, the phone rang. A company that should have been in the business to begin with had finally decided to jump in. I told them I hadn't really been looking for a job, and didn't have my resume updated. I sent them a 6 year old resume - with no information on my pertinent experience. 2 weeks later they flew me out for a face to face interview, and 3 days later I had an offer - 14% higher than my previous job. This was a pretty stunning turn of events. And to top it off I'm double dipping with my severance package not running out until next April.

I didn't see any of this coming - especially in this economy. Luck can turn on a dime - in either direction. Keep your chin up.

The only way this story could be better is if you fell into a threeway at the airport during your layover.

:P Priceless.

[esoxx]

But please explain how you lost a start up, but still have a severance package. A golden parachute of sorts???

It was a start up business within a big ass company. The mothership lost patience when the core business began to falter.

And nothing close to a golden parachute - just my regular salary. Though it was about 5X what I thought I would get.

I was downsized 11/06 based on pure numbers after 18 yrs with the same company. I also rec'd a generous severance package.

In 2/07 I turned in the severance to return at the same company with intent to kick some ass. Last week I landed a huge promotion in a management position and jumped three pay grades.

Sometimes you have to turn lemons into lemonade. Life is what you make it.

[Bretsky]

Need an editor?

An editor would not change the meaning of a patented word.

[MadtownPacker]

I think we are all letting Tarlam off too easy here. He fucked up and then he let that fuck up be an excuse to fuck up even more. I think he need to quit being weak and either drink or not drink but dont blame the job search on that. I met him and bullshit he cant get a job. Maybe not the exact one he wants but he can get a good one. That is his problem. He wont accept not having it his way like the world was a big ass Burger King. I wont lie, that is something I noticed and admired as soon as I met him. He is a fly mofo and has major game. He can hustle his way through this. I just think patting him on the head is a bad way to help.

[MJZiggy]

Who said anything about changing the meaning?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Ty,

It is exasperating to communicate with you sometimes. In the US, yes, employee fees are rare, but they exist. Nanny's (and as you stated models) are common.

My point was more geared to OUTSIDE the US. Things are different there.

If you back and read his original post, he was paying a company to generate leads, prepare and send his information. Plenty of companies do charge for that stuff.

Having applicants pay fees is becoming more common. The pendulum swings back and forth and we're headed that way again. Bluesteps.com, which if you worked in the field, then you know about it, does charge applicants for membership. There is a mac site, can't find it right now, that charges a nominal fee, so it can be free to employers to search resumes for people with mac experience, etc.

Do search firms in the US charge applicants a percentage fee? No. but that wasn't/isn't what Tarlam! paid for either. You know, if you'd stop arguing and read carefully, you might find that telling people they are "wrong" all the time isn't necessary. Let's help Tarlam!, OK?

Since you're familiar with the field, why don't you steer him towards a German search firm, so he can hit the ground running next week?

It is exasperating because you can't read and follow simple conversations.

My response was to Headhunters...as posted by (can't recall). Headhunters don't ever charge employees.

Again, Tar didnt' go to a headhunter..he went to a career management team..and they dont' generate leads...they send out resumes and do the leg work.

And, don't you feel like and idiot when tar posts that headhunters don't charge.

It might be nice if you weren't telling someone who knows more about the field than how it works..is there not a field that you dont' know everthing..cpa, the oil business (we can trust you), and no executive search. Not to mention being an expert in headhunting/career services not only in the u.s. but europe as well.

[Tarlam!]

I think we are all letting Tarlam off too easy here.

Well, I aint letting myself off too easy, that's for sure. I take full responsibility for being a dick. And, life is a minestrone http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=jKG6CJWISVo , everyone knows that! Thanks for the positive appraisal Mad, but I really do need to find the right job. I need to support an soon-to.be-ex-wife, my 2 kids and my Packer Addiction. I also would like to occasionally take my bride-to-be out (more than once a decade!!)

I still have some opportunities and my CV is pretty impressive (says Ziggy) by a lot of people's standards.

And, as for the drinking, I have vastly vastly vastly improved in that area. My psycho doctor has made it clear that I am an alkie, of that he has no doubt. Interestingly, he feels I am only in danger when I am frustrated.

He says he doesn't perceive that danger when life is on track, I am in the company of friends and there is the odd bottle of wine consumed.

But right now, I'm at my girl's house which has a bar stocked like a small liquor store and I have zero urge to drink anything other than tea and coffee. And, she's made it perfectly clear, she'd toss me out in a millisecond if she ever sees me drunk again. She's beautiful and staunchly independant, so that aint no bluff! I know, Mad, being bossed around by a woman is pretty low in your book, but shit, she only wants the best for me!

[MadtownPacker]

I think we are all letting Tarlam off too easy here.

Well, I aint letting myself off too easy, that's for sure. I take full responsibility for being a dick. And, life is a minestrone http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=jKG6CJWISVo , everyone knows that! Thanks for the positive appraisal Mad, but I really do need to find the right job. I need to support an soon-to.be-ex-wife, my 2 kids and my Packer Addiction. I also would like to occasionally take my bride-to-be out (more than once a decade!!)

I still have some opportunities and my CV is pretty impressive (says Ziggy) by a lot of people's standards.

And, as for the drinking, I have vastly vastly vastly improved in that area. My psycho doctor has made it clear that I am an alkie, of that he has no doubt. Interestingly, he feels I am only in danger when I am frustrated.

He says he doesn't perceive that danger when life is on track, I am in the company of friends and there is the odd bottle of wine consumed.

But right now, I'm at my girl's house which has a bar stocked like a small liquor store and I have zero urge to drink anything other than tea and coffee. And, she's made it perfectly clear, she'd toss me out in a millisecond if she ever sees me drunk again. She's beautiful and staunchly independant, so that aint no bluff! I know, Mad, being bossed around by a woman is pretty low in your book, but shit, she only wants the best for me!

If you ain't letting yourself off easy than why dont you get a shitty job that you will hate while you wait until the great one comes along? Have you ever picked, pruned, or tied grapes? How about tomatoes? How about pulling carrot bolts? How about working 18 hour shift during cotton season?

Trust me man I have done some shitty work but I never hang my fucking head down for long. I dont know about the high power business world you live in but you have had time and now a drink to get over it. It is now time for phase 2 until you can rework phase 1.

Pimps keep on pimping, simps keep on simping.

[Tarlam!]

It's a friggin' full time job finding a job in the executive world. I got no time to be pulling fruit and vegies and besides, this isn't Cali where you harvest 365 days a year. We have our first frost!

[HowardRoark]

It's a friggin' full time job finding a job in the executive world. I got no time to be pulling fruit and vegies and besides, this isn't Cali where you harvest 365 days a year. We have our first frost!

Too bad you have a few other mouths to feed, or else you could consider walking away from the executive world.

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

“How long it took you to catch them?” The American asked.

“Only a little while.” The Mexican replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” The American then asked.

“I have enough to support my family’s immediate needs.” The Mexican said.

“But,” The American then asked, “What do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor.”


The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”

“Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, senor? Then what?”

The American said slowly, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos…”