Just found out I will be losing my job...

[danielrlee]

I have been working as a freelance photographer & digital retoucher for the last six years, solely working for one large fashion retailer (I know, all my eggs in one basket). I have just been informed that they will be taking all work away from me and moving all outsourced roles in-house within the next 3-6 months. I have been told that this decision is not down to anything I have or done, or the quality of my work, but cost-cutting measures by their accountants.

Having built up what I thought was a good relationship with the retailer, and for a while, an exclusively remote working role, I decided to move from London to the West Country to live with my girlfriend about a year ago and we are now expecting our first child any day (full-term on Thursday). To say I'm now feeling absolutely pole-axed is an understatement.

Since leaving school sixteen years ago I have never been out of work, either in employment, or working for myself. I have done a number of jobs including IT administration & management, web-development, photography, digital retouching and even fabricating photographic lighting accessories and selling them on ebay. Effectively building up a new client list in the photographic industry within an acceptable timescale will be next-to-impossible living away from London. Turning my hand to something new isn't a problem, but I feel that the fact that I have no friends, family or contacts local to me, is.

Maybe I should look at my situation as an opportunity to change the direction in which I am heading, but currently I can't look past the fact that there will be both a little baby girl and my girlfriend who will be depending on me to look after them and soon I will be unable to. Looking at the local jobs market has only depressed me more - mainly minimum wage jobs on offer.

I'm not sure what I hope to gain by discussing my problem here, but I need to vent my frustration and I don't want to add to my girlfriend's stress level. Anybody else here currently or previously in a similar situation?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I guess many of us have been through similar life-changing events. Out of every crisis, you can make an opportunity. Sometimes it gives you a push you move on to better things. I wish you luck.

 

[oldtom]

I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune and while there are lots of political opinions I could pass as to why you find yourself where you are, they won't help your situation one bit so I shall desist.

As the previous responder concluded, I too wish you lots of luck.

Tom

 

[D8ve]

Sorry to here you have an unexpected opertunity to develop a new career.
Perhaps you could go in house?
Other than that summer in West Country is employment time as the tourists need servicing.
Good luck

 

[peerjay56]

Gosh Daniel - sorry to hear your news jobwise, but delighted for you becoming a father! There's more to that than providing an income, as you will discover. I hope the disappointment regarding your job doesn't overpower the joy you should feel at the imminent arrival.
This is a good time to see how good a relationship you have developed with that company. Someone there must have contacts to refer you to? Time to be pushy; after all, you've nothing to lose there.
The very best of luck, and do update us when the happy event occurs.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Sorry to hear of your loss of work,you seem to be a positive guy so I think time will help to sort things out. have you looked at benefit support,even a modest job plus housing benefit plus tax credits can bolster income,which almost tax free,to a surprisingly good level.
Try looking at the competitors to your current retailer,with your long record others may find it attractive to outsource at busy times. My own DTP guy has lost customers progressively over the years,it seems a trend with ease of technology that bigger companies wish to do such work in-house so relying on one customer has dangers.
Please send me a contact e-mail I have 4 currently operating websites and some allied e-bay sites,2 more webs in planning,my current DTP and web designer is working well but the future may produce more work,Rally Design is the primary business.
Dave....Kudos Cycles,Rally Design,ZigzagTruss,London Electric Bike.
Good luck.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Looking at the local jobs market has only depressed me more - mainly minimum wage jobs on offer.

I'm not sure what I hope to gain by discussing my problem here, but I need to vent my frustration and I don't want to add to my girlfriend's stress level. Anybody else here currently or previously in a similar situation?

Welcome to the twenty first century! I am a member of your club. I had been building the web since 1994 until the spotty faced CEO of facebook said publicaly that people over 35 were too old to be any use in the web building world. (Insert Jeremy Clarkson vocabulary here)

I'm glad it happened to me when my kids were in intermediate school. Hang in there and yes this is a great community so you did the right thing venting here.

Tony

 

[Nealh]

I,m a firm believer of if you want to work you will find work, its only the work shy who keep coming up with excuses of no work. Something will come along even if its temporary while you find your feet again Daniel and then you won't look back you sound like one of us good guys so chin up and look forward, 3- 6 months gives you a little breathing space.
Wish you well.

 

[D8ve]

I,m a firm believer of if you want to work you will find work, its only the work shy who keep coming up with excuses of no work. Something will come along even if its temporary while you find your feet again Daniel and then you won't look back you sound like one of us good guys so chin up and look forward, 3- 6 months gives you a little breathing space.
Wish you well.

If you want to work you can. I have had some real dead enders. Pizza delivery and pound land spring to mind. The pay is crap. The conditions crap too but you can build from a base upwards. It's easier to get a job when you are employed.

 

[danielrlee]

Thank you everyone for your kind words, advice and support. What with the birth being my primary concern and almost upon us (being induced today), it has been impossible to reply or comment on the thread, but I have been keeping an eye on it. Having had a bit of time for things to settle in, I have managed to put everything into perspective - nothing is forever and this is just part of life.

I have had another update from the company on the timescale of changes. 1-2 months is the new estimate (totally unrealistic IMO due to various workflow and logistical reasons), but that's what I have to now go by.

I will respond individually where appropriate once we are home from the hospital, hopefully in a couple of days. Please understand I am not ignoring any of you.

I have had an idea to help supplement my income that may or may not be of interest to some of you, involving modifying watt meters in bulk with an external shunt and a strong bar mount and selling them at a small profit. This is just a temporary measure until I have something more permanent in place, but hopefully I will have more details on this before long.

For now though, my focus is on the birth of my daughter. We're off to the hospital in an hour, so I should probably get off the forum for now

Dan

 

[jonathan75]

Claim every benefit and tax credit available, now. Make sure not paying more than have to for any bills. Get any available ordinary job paying minimum wage or above - don't dismiss anything. Attitude is 100 times more important than experience in many jobs. Above all don't worry and enjoy time with kids.

Play around with business ideas (e.g. wattmeter thing) in spare time outside of ordinary job and don't spend any precious capital on them, treating them instead as an enjoyable hobby. Being sure to get advice on them from people in know. Because right now I think you will feel too under pressure to find returns, to clearly distinguish good and enjoyable business opportunities from time-and-money-expensive duds.

Good luck

 

[EddiePJ]

Strange how certain threads stand out.

I've been self employed 29 years, and made the very tough decision today, and have folded my business.
My on going joint issues has really meant that this has been on the cards for the last two years, which is pretty much how long that I have been personally carrying the business for.
A year ago, I read a book called Maximum Diner, and in it, the author was saying that no one closes their business down soon enough. Pride and fear as being seen as a failure get in the way. This has really been tough on me, and I've stupidly dragged it out for way to long. The hardest part, was today, when I told my landlord that I want to quit the workshop that I have rented for the last seven years. A choice not made easy, as the guy has been a very good friend to me. Obviously he fully understood.

Early last week, when I decided that things just couldn't go on, something very odd happened. The next day and without prompting, my current client offered me a job. Even stranger and again without prompting, last Friday evening, someone else offered me a full time job. Both jobs couldn't be any further away from my current one as an oak framer. The first as an estate maintenance person, the second as a yard manager. Both options certainly helped today, but today has in many respects been one of my saddest, and I almost feel as though I am grieving the loss of someone, where as I guess that it should be one of my best, as it means new begins.

 

[Fordulike]

Both options certainly helped today, but today has in many respects, been one of my saddest, and I almost feel as though I am grieving the loss of someone, where as I guess that it should be one of my best, as it means new begins.

Don't worry Eddie, you've still got us

 

[oldtom]

I've been self employed 29 years, and made a very tough decision today, and have folded my business

That must have been a heart-rending choice to have to make. I wish you all the very best from this point on.

Tom

 

[jdallan]

I wish you all the best Eddie. A difficult decision, but I'm sure it's the right one. More time for the bike (and posting)

Jim

 

[Nealh]

Very sad to hear Eddie but with your knee issues probably the right decision, hard to let go of skilled profession . Although my circumstances were a little different I was made redundant after 34 years of constant employment as a joiner nearly 3 years ago I haven't looked back. After a 3 month break I got a local van driving job and had my bee's to fill my time and that was before I found this amazing forum that has got me well into bikes again and not just bikes but e bikes. Also now do shift work and have days off M - F so today mid/late morning had a very nice 38 mile ride about.
I wish you well.