How I Handled Hearing "You're Being Downsized"
(or how I handled the emotional stuff)

by Kenneth Sonnie

The mounting tension at work was the first sign of the impending layoffs. After 22 years with my employer, I was unceremoniously and hurriedly released — downsized, laid off, fired, whatever you want to call it. It was one of those shocking is this really happening? moments in life. Most of the people who were downsized along with me were very angry. Previous rounds of downsizing had added so much to my plate that I was burned out by the sheer size of the job, so when the end came, I was somewhat relieved. Besides, I thought, it was better to be let go than to deal with the threat of it hanging over my head all of the time. So, I went on a men’s retreat through my church, and then went back to work every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., until the 60-day layoff transition period was up. Then I returned my laptop, ID card, cell phone and all passwords, and I negotiated a health care deal for my family.

I also had my exit interview where I energetically voiced my feelings. I told them how confusing it was to receive a great performance appraisal only to be fired a short time later. I asked them for their rationalization and got a non-response response — company blah blah. I also learned that my boss and 20 other co-workers got the axe at the same time. But I did come back for a day to transition the job to the new guy and then wished him luck — he would certainly need it.

After my last day in the office, I had a few days of reflection asking why me? questions and evaluating my work ethic and level of involvement. Then I got over it, and did the following:

• I bought a family season pass to King’s Dominion Amusement Park — it was my gift to my family and it provided me with wonderful days off from job hunting.
• I talked to family and church members when the weeks dragged on.
• I explored different avenues and areas of employment, not just the field I knew.
• As a family, we adjusted our lifestyle to fit the current budget.
• I identified which bills I needed to deal with immediately and which bills I could call and set up payment arrangements.

Laid-off employees could use the company's Human Resource Center for one year after their dismissal. If they were unable to find employment after the first year, they would have an additional year to use services. Some of the services available included:

• Help with any school loans, with payout packet reimbursement up to $5,000.
• Help with starting a small business of up to $10,000 — you paid out the money first, then they would reimburse you.
• Help Lines — laid-off employees were assigned an outplacement. specialist to review their resumes, and offered special classes in resume writing, job search skills, how to apply for government jobs, etc. These classes were required as part of the Forced Management Program and the terms of the layoff.
• Career-related classes were available, but you had to attend a minimum of four for the Forced Management Program per the terms of my layoff.

Some company-provided resources proved more helpful than others. Following are some of the ones I found most beneficial:

• Drop-in Resource Center with face-to-face and online resources.
• Computers with access to job search Web sites.
• Access to Hoovers.com.
• Monthly newsletter with job search resources.
• Use of the services for one year; if no job after the first year, you would have an additional year to use services.
• Classes were available in person, online or by teleconference.
• One-on-one job counseling.
• Financial planning — how to deal with lump-sum buyouts.

On the flip side, the company-offered resources I found least helpful were:

• No re-employment opportunities within my department
• Only 60 days to try and find employment within the company

Best outside resource:

• State of Virginia Resource Center — provided job listings, 10 desktops with excellent career resources, and employers regularly visit the center with job opportunities

My active job search took place Mondays through Thursdays, and then I took off Fridays through Sundays. During the 60-day company transition period, I searched for an internal position. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., I went to the State of Virginia Resource Center. After the 60-day transition, I accessed the company’s Human Resource Center from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. from home. I went to every interview I qualified to attend — I had not interviewed in 20 years, so I used every available opportunity to polish my skills presentation. Ninety percent of the job fairs I attended weren’t worth the time spent. Most employers were simply there to hand out literature, collect resumes and ask job seekers to check their web sites. The one thing they were not doing was hiring. In my experience, job fairs turned out to be a waste of time, energy and emotion.

How I found my new job

Word of mouth — what a wonderful thing! A former colleague, Lisa, heard about my layoff and called around to get my home phone number. She knew about available contract work positions and recommended me to a hiring manager who gave me a call. After the phone call, I spoke to Lisa and she advised me on how much to request for a salary, what the work expectations entailed, pros and cons associated with the work, and on how they would set up my office. Within three business days, I was working for the contractor at the salary I requested. The irony is that I’m contracted to work with the very company that fired me!

This experience has taught me to always have faith in myself and my skills, to seek out and take advantage of all available job-search resources, and to continue to network with colleagues and friends, even when employed. It took me seven and a half months (my 30 weeks of unemployment) to find my new job and I feel lucky. I know plenty of others whose job searches have taken much longer.

Despite the initial shock, I’d have to say that this was one of the best learning and personal growth periods of my life. Incidentally, the flexibility of working at home is wonderful for me and my family. I can’t imagine going back to a traditional nine-to-five job.

Kenneth Sonnie is a project manager for Global Consultants, Inc. (GCI). Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org. Opinions expressed are the author's.