The R word came out today

[murphy99]

I just thought I would stick my nose in and give you my advice for what it is worth!
I was made redundant last year and still don't have a job. Its hard not working especially when I have never been out of work in my life.

I would ask yourself one question... is it worth changing your whole life just for a job, a job which you have said yourself doesn't pay much for all the work you do? Its just a job! There is also no guarantees that even if you make all these changes that they will not do the same to you later!

I spent over 10 years bending my life to suit my job, driving all over the country , away from home all week etc etc. They didn't think twice to discard me when things were tough for them, not just me lots of my work collegues.. its business! Thats not bitterness its a fact of life, companies are not family they are there to make money, even the ones who have the pretence of being a "happy family"... not true the bottom line always comes first!

Consider the fact that you have options with this money .... this is an opportunity you wouldn't have had at any other time!
It maybe tough to find something new and it may take a while, but you have the means to allow yourself the time to do that...

you can fill you time with the garden and volunteer work while assessing what you really want to do next. I spent my summer in the garden and loved it, never had the time or inclination in the past to do it before.

As for me .. well still unemployed, get down most weeks about something but would I go back to the old job... no I don't think so! I am still hopefull that there is something better for me around the corner. Take it from me commuting is not fun

good luck with whatever you decide to do

[weekendwellies]

thanks Murphy.
I really hope that you find something soon. And I am glad that you seem to be making the best of your situation now, even if it is hard at times.
I am still undecided and am paying them a visit this week and try to decide after that.
It does fill me with dread having to make that trip 5 days a week and that is not a good sign. I have learnt over the years to trust my instincts whilst at the same time listening to my head. Tough choice, but it will have to be made soon.
XXXX

[Incy]

Hi weekendwellies,
As I am in much the same situation as you (currently on notice of redundancy although my notice period is a bit longer) I thought I'd throw my tuppence worth in.
I too am looking at it as a possible 'change for the better' I'm still, like you looking at options internally but should I end up redundant I also have transferrable skills so expect to find something else without too much difficulty. In the meantime I have got my management to agree to me volunteering for half a day a week in a local school which I am loving, and I am fortunate enough that they are paying for me to see an outplacement consultant to look at possible options and help with practical stuff such as cv's. I would recommend that you seek this sort of practical help if you can.
One of the places I am having to consider as a possible internal replacement is just near Liverpool so for me it's the opposite direction. I'm not sure what part of Liverpool you are in or where the Manchester office is, but have you considered taking the train rather than the car? I believe they are pretty frequent.
I do think that doing voluntary work can be really helpful in focussing on what you really enjoy so if you are in a comfortable enough position to take the time out to consider your options and do some voluntary work while you're doing so, I think you will probably really enjoy it.
as far as your house is concerned I really couldn't advise you on that. You say you were thinking of moving before this news, had you an idea of where to? If it was to be a relocation to somewhere else, maybe this is the opportunity to do it.
In any case I wish you the very best of luck with whatever you decide. Do keep us posted won't you.

[northepaul]

Hi WW, sorry to hear your news. I hope you either find a way to commute over to Manchester or another jobe soon. Its tough out there, but we all need to keep our heads up.
Good luck and best wishes

[weekendwellies]

Just to update:
I made the trip to Manchester on Wednesday morning. I left home at 7:20 and arrived at 8:40. So while not quite the 2 hours I was expecting, it is still close on 1 & half hours. I left a bit early because the footie was on and I really didnt want to get caught up in that traffic. A 3 hour commute every day is a bit excessive for me. Not to mention the fuel - 65 miles = 1gallon & half. The equivalent of losing out on about £2k a year I reckon, so decision is made. I wont be taking them up on their offer.
I just wish I could work from home, to my mind it makes no difference where I am sitting, the job still gets done. But they just want a bum on a seat in a particular place, very backward thinking in my opinion, but there you go.

Thanks for all your advice and support peeps, I took it all on board and gave it a lot of consideration.

So from Easter I will be a lady of leisure, at least for a little while, I am now quite excited about spending the summer in the sun
And a bit nervous about how things will work out when I do look for another job.

One bridge at a time, eh?

[piskieinboots]

I just wish I could work from home, to my mind it makes no difference where I am sitting, the job still gets done.

Can you put a case forward for this?

I used to work in the Aircraft industry as a (full-time) PA, I wanted to move to part-time, I wanted to work from home - my boss of the time couldn't see how it could work, I put a case forward showing him how it could.

The role worked fine until the company was taken over by a US company and they closed down in the UK - so I went self-employed and continued to work from home, have been doing so since 2000.

Give it a go, it may be received

[weekendwellies]

I have done Piskie. They arent interested.
They want a bum on a seat in manchester and that is all they care about.

[organic]

Well... it sounds like their loss!
Good on you for making the trip just to see. The slightly annoying bit is, I think, that if you lived over here and needed to commute to Liverpool the traffic would probably be a lot lighter. I'm sure my Dad used to make the Westbound run in about 45 minutes door to door and I'm pretty sure he left around the same time, if not slightly later.

I hope you did something over here other than just turn around and go back. I've had to do an almost instant return journey back from Liverpool once and it was sould-destroying to have to do the drive again with nothing to show for it.

[weekendwellies]

Yes I spent the morning in the office there, doing a few bits and bobs.
There wasnt much I could do in the afternoon though, as it is not yet geared up for the 'newbie' and all my stuff is still over here in Liverpool. I had to borrow a laptop and get IT to talk me through setting up my emails and database to work from there. But it didnt take too long.

[organic]

Not an entirely wasted journey then. That's good.

I'm glad you've got to make the decision with a bit more thought and info on your side though... I have to say, I'm insanely jealous about getting to spend all summer gardening. I'd love the chance to do that but the work's going nowhere for me at the minute!

Good luck!

[Liza]

I know absolutely nothing about admin jobs, but have you considered being a virtual assistant either employed or self employed ?

Feel free to slap me if this is a silly idea, just trying to help.

Great your so positive, like you said its not the end of the world and could be a new beginning.

All the best whatever you do

[Patchninja]

Just a thought. Take the job in Manchester and look for another one at the same time. Then you won't burn your bridges.

[weekendwellies]

Liza - virtual assistant sounds like something I could do, but I havent heard of it before, can you point me in the right direction to find out more about it.

Patchninja - (great name!) - I considered doing that, but I would not have the time or energy to look for something else! 11-12 hours out of the house, and the workload is such that I never got time for doing any of my own stuff anyway. I always had to fit personal stuff in in the evenings/weekends and took days leave for anything that was more substantial. I have more time now during the day (which is why I have been posting on FB and here during working hours), but that is only because they are feeling bad and not asking me to do so much as I did before.