Redundant

[bunsen_h]

Because of the economic downturn, my employer has been cutting back on some things.

One of the things they just cut back on was me.

I wasn't expecting it at all; I was expecting them to do wage rollbacks, work-sharing, reduced work weeks, that kind of thing.  Apparently they're going to be doing that stuff as well, but they're also letting people go, a significant fraction of the employees, and evidently not just the newest ones.  I guess they had to find that difficult balance between "the experience to know how the accumulated kludgery works" and "the higher salaries" or something.

So: I'm looking for work.  Ideally computational chemistry, but I have a varied background in lab chemistry and theoretical chem, plus plenty of years of software work.  I'd appreciate any leads.  Networking is not one of my strengths.

Crap.

Comments

[popelaksmi.livejournal.com]

Wow, I would not have expected that for you either - you have been there a fairly long time! Did they give any kind of indication of maybe re-hiring you when the economy is better?

*sigh* I'm sad this happened to you.

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

They said that the people they're letting go would be welcome back if/when things get better.

I'm a clever problem-solver and an okay programmer. One of my greatest assets to the company was that I'd been there so long, and have a good understanding of how many of the systems work. (That's somewhat moderated by the growing number of systems that are so kludgy that *nobody* understands them, and those that are using new platforms that I don't know anything about.)

One big problem is that many of the company's customers are in the U.S., and their economy is in bad shape. I don't think things will get much better for the company until things improve in the U.S.

[radargrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear this, Joel. I suspect a good deal of this has to do with current 'Buy American' policy that goes with the massive bailout package.

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

It's probably a factor, though apparently the company's American competitors are also having similar problems.