[theolein]

Amazingly, yesterday, almost 1 year after getting the job I got after being unemployed for almost 1 year, I got the sack. I was kind of expecting this to happen as my boss really had it in for me, but I was more than a bit shocked to hear the boss call the other two people that are in charge and level accusations that I broke his privacy and that I was rifling the desk of one of the other employees. Not much I can do. I can't disprove what the cabal claims and they can't prove what they claim. Continuing to work there after this episode or bothering to try and fight some kind of court action seems absolutely pointless.

On the one hand I'm happy that I don't have to set foot in that company again. On the other I'm worried about keeping myself alive. I am thinking about getting out of computers all together.

[engaged]

Best of luck in finding something new (and better).

Guess you won't be asking them for a reference, no matter how unsubstantiated their claims and accusations...

[davesimondotcom]

Sorry to hear about your job situation. I got laid off in June 2001, it's no damn fun.

Don't give up computers if you enjoy the work. Perhaps you could start your own business, or set up something with a friend.

I went from working in a corporate cubicle to working with my two best friends in a small firm and I love it.

Good Luck!

[mrfrost]

Originally posted by theolein:
On the one hand I'm happy that I don't have to set foot in that company again. On the other I'm worried about keeping myself alive. I am thinking about getting out of computers all together.

That is indeed the crappy part about the whole thing. I lost my job last year and had the exact same feeling. the good thing was that they payed me for another three months while I did not have to go to work. It gave me enough time to get my own buisiness started. I'm not saying that I'm earning more at the end of the month but I sure as hell feel a lot better than when I was working overthere. You'll be alright theolein, but I'm sure you knew that already.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[11011001]

Originally posted by theolein:
I am thinking about getting out of computers all together.

As your line of work, or while you are unemployed (they are a great place to waste tons of money)?

[daimoni]

.

[theolein]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it. Who said there was no sense of community on this board? I would love to set up a business with my sister as we have some good ideas about doing some consulting, but there's a small problem of distance: She lives in Australia and I'm in switzerland. This might be an opportunity to finally pull some strings, do some singing and dancing and begging and try and get a residence permit in Australia.

[AKcrab]

Originally posted by theolein:
This might be an opportunity to finally pull some strings, do some singing and dancing and begging and try and get a residence permit in Australia.

Geez, they don't even want the Swiss?

[theolein]

Originally posted by AKcrab:
Geez, they don't even want the Swiss?

Can't say I blame 'em after all I've been through in this country. This country is really strange. On the one hand it's rich and has an incredibly low crime rate. On the other hand it's kind of cold in that people aren't very friendly, and I've met more real hard a$$e$ and extreme wierdos here than in any other country I've ever been.

I won't miss this place.

[Timo]

perhaps a change of scenery would do you good

[theolein]

Originally posted by Timo:
perhaps a change of scenery would do you good

I might very well do that. It will take a while to get everything settled, but it will be better now than if I wait a year or so. I need a little while like a week or so to come back down to normal after the stress of the past few months, but then I think it'll be time to do some hard brainstorming on Ideas on what to do.

The way my life has gone, it'll probably end up as something completely different to what I originally planned to do. What's kind of funny is that when I first came to Europe in 1986 I wanted to go to Iceland of all places. I had some strange ideas about how it could very cool.

[PB2K]

Sad to hear this Theolein, I have been unofficially unemployed last year and I know how difficult it is to survive like that. I never qualified for welfare and now I finally have a job again, I still can't help feeling insecure, because I could lose it at any time again whenever my employer feels like it (I work freelance).Sometimes I felt like quitting the mac-business as well, and considered manual labour, but hey, IT is all I am really good at, IT still pays well and amongst things : I can browse the internet while I am working. While being without an income, I thought my parents would be really disappointed in me, but they weren't. They understood my misfortunes. I was really thankful for that.


I now live in a (nice!) squatted building, and keep an eye on my expenses to make sure I don't spend too much money. I might need it again soon because i have become very aware of today's lousy economy.

at the moment, I don't even have the luxury of electricity. I do have running water. Sunshine is free. I spend lots of my spare time outside with friends. It will be a beautiful summer anyway. with or without this job

[MikeM33]

Yeah I hear ya. Pretty messed-up stuff. I got canned over a month and a half ago. What is it about summertime and employers sh_tcanning people? This happenned to me last summer also. The difference is this time around I seriously injured my knee and couldn't work for a while, but they still gave me the boot. I've only worked about 12 months in the past 24 months.

The job before this past one, I admit, I screwed-up myself. It was crappy, I called out sick ALOT, when I really wasn't. I just didn't like the management there at all. I was drinking alot after work there and on weekends because the management there were total pricks. Yelling at people in front of the whole team, and putting people down. Constantly making threats, etc., etc. Real tools.

This past job seemed to be going well, and then I got injured and followed the proper protocols (called them to let them know, faxxed them medical info from the Emergency Room) and they still sh_tcanned me based on a few prior absences over the winter when I was sick. It was a rough winter, and I commute mainly on foot and by bus. Even 1 1/2 months later my knee is still not much better.

I've also thought about the whole notion of just going back to doing manual labor myself. I've been in the computer graphics field for a while, and it's always what I've wanted to do, but it's so cut-throat it's really getting me down.

I could probably go back to running printing presses in a union shop and not have to ever put-up with any of the BS I have in the past 6 yrs in the computer graphics end of the business.

I still have to get all my unemployment and possibly disability stuff sorted out also and my bills are piling-up. My phone doesn't work (for some bizarre reason since my DSL, which is on the same line DOES work). So I have to limp over to a pay phone whenever I need to call anyone. Plus the super of my building informed me this past Friday that he intends on renovating my entire apartment and I'd have to find someplace else to live temporarily.

It's as-if everything that could possibly go wrong, is going wrong. All at once Lot's of people in my situation would have probably slit thier own wrists by now, but it's just not in me to do so. Not an option.

Anyway, sorry for ranting, but I'm ranting with you, not at you. I seriously hope things get better. for both of us.

MikeM

[PB2K]

I had my depressive moments after yet another failed job-interview (some were really rude) but after I abandoned my desire to get employed in a really short time I felt more relaxed. Just take it easy, and enjoy your free time. You will remember these days when you are being overworked and sitting in an office, when the weather outside is great : So make sure you make the most out of it or you'll regret them later.

I am sure there are lots of people to whom being unemployed has worse consequenses than us. imagine the people who took one of those too-easytoget mortgages that are based on impossible rises on shares at the stockmarkets. THEY are ****ed without an income !

[pliny]

Originally posted by theolein:
when I first came to Europe in 1986 I wanted to go to Iceland of all places. I had some strange ideas about how it could very cool.

Talk to Voodoo about iceland; talk about weirdos.

did you find anything good in your boss' desk?

Bunch of dumbasses. If they don't like you they will find a reason to get rid of you, they will make them up. Good luck to you.

[voodoo]

I'd recommend Iceland only if you want the "seperated from the world because we're in the middle of the friggin ATLANTIC" kinda feeling or that "on the edge of the civilized world" look.

Norway must be the nicest place to live if you can get settled in.

I do hope you get over your employment things ASAP Theo. It sucks to be unemployed. (!) Nut you are intelligent and witty so I ain't worried that you'll get something soon enough.

I'd go to Australia, Canada or Norway myself.

[theolein]

Thanks again everyone. It's really comforting to read these words.

To PB2K, I find your ability to live in a squat without electrictiy and not be bitter about it admirable. I've lived in a number of squats in my life as well, some without water and lights, but I don't know if I could do it now.

To MikeM3x, I don't know what advice to offer but it might be a good time to have a good think about your life and move on to something else if you can.

To Pliny, no I didn't actually do anything, but as you say if they want to get rid of you they'll do it.

To Voodoo, I hope you didn't take offence at my Iceland comment. My ideas back in the 80's were very strange and weren't based in reality.

[roger_ramjet]

Sorry you're going through such a rough patch, theolein. Added to the uncertainty of being unemployed, you get the annoyance of being falsely accused. THAT must make for a truly unpleasant stew. It'll be better to have that situation behind you.

[rezzi]

I myself got leveled for not coming in on Sept 11, 2001. Did'nt seem to matter to the boss that I was sick as a dog the night before and virtually slept thru the tragedy the next morning. Yes, it sucks getting canned, but I'm confident you'll bounce back. Best wishes....

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by voodoo:
you are intelligent and witty so I ain't worried that you'll get something soon enough.

I'd go to Australia, Canada or Norway myself.

We don't like intelligent, witty people in Australia.

We deported Clive James.

[theolein]

Originally posted by Face Ache:
We don't like intelligent, witty people in Australia.

We deported Clive James.

I'm actually quite thick. Can I come now?

[theolein]

Originally posted by rezzi:
I myself got leveled for not coming in on Sept 11, 2001. Did'nt seem to matter to the boss that I was sick as a dog the night before and virtually slept thru the tragedy the next morning. Yes, it sucks getting canned, but I'm confident you'll bounce back. Best wishes....

Jesus, that's a bad one! That was one hell of a day for just about everybody on the planet. I was at work (it was about 3PM our time) but I couldn't do any work for the rest of the day.

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by theolein:
I'm actually quite thick. Can I come now?

Sure. Just don't get any ideas.

Someone point me to a world-famous Australian that hasn't left.

[Face Ache]

I was fired from a Mac tech position for putting the Oscar the Grouch system extension on a machine. According to my boss (who was promoted to head of IT from her former role as head of the typing pool) it was a "virus that could bring down the entire system".

I was happy to get out of there.

[theolein]

Originally posted by roger_ramjet:
Sorry you're going through such a rough patch, theolein. Added to the uncertainty of being unemployed, you get the annoyance of being falsely accused. THAT must make for a truly unpleasant stew. It'll be better to have that situation behind you.

Thanks to you too, Roger. I've been in a bit of a state of shock these last couple of days. I was expecting my boss to look for a reason to fire me as he really didn't like me personally, but I was quite blown out of the water by the fact that they got together and hatched out a kind of plan like this. I've heard of situations like this happening to other people, but couldn't really imagine that people would actually do things like this in order to jostle for jobs. The Arab guy has been petrified of the boss since he got there and he's had a habit of telling stories about other people with whom he's had a tussle. I suppose I should have realised that he would do it to me one day as well. The other guy, a 19 year old wiseguy who's always been the company source of rumours is quite an evil piece of work. It's mainly a pain because I can't use this company as a source of reference anymore, and getting a job will not be easy.

I am seriously thinking of moving into another field.

[Timo]

Originally posted by Face Ache:
Sure. Just don't get any ideas.

Someone point me to a world-famous Australian that hasn't left.

Kevin BLOODY Wilson!

What's my prize?

[theolein]

Originally posted by Face Ache:
I was fired from a Mac tech position for putting the Oscar the Grouch system extension on a machine. According to my boss (who was promoted to head of IT from her former role as head of the typing pool) it was a "virus that could bring down the entire system".

I was happy to get out of there.

I should get you in touch with my sister who lives in Sydney. She left her long time job at the end of last year after suffering years of having to look after the computer systems because the IT guy there was just too plain stupid to do day to day tasks in a windows environment, such as doing virus updates etc. She used to get crapped on for "endangering the system". Your previous boss sounds like many in this world who, by the grace of good looks and pure undilluted evil manage to go over as many bodies as possible in order to achieve fame and power. It truly does give power to the saying that life is like a cesspool i.e. the scum rise to the top.

When I get to Oz, I'm going to visit Perth and buy you a beer.

[theolein]

Originally posted by Face Ache:
Sure. Just don't get any ideas.

Someone point me to a world-famous Australian that hasn't left.

Uhm, Mr Midnight Oil whazzizname...

[Timo]

Originally posted by theolein:
I've been in a bit of a state of shock these last couple of days. I was expecting my boss to look for a reason to fire me as he really didn't like me personally, but I was quite blown out of the water by the fact that they got together and hatched out a kind of plan like this.

Look, tell me if I'm out of line, but perhaps this is a blessing in disguise: your former work environment sounds like the Death Star.

What other fields are of interest? You could always double track your search and see what drops first.

[Face Ache]

Originally posted by Timo:
Kevin BLOODY Wilson!

What's my prize?

Hahaha! That's only because nobody will take him.

You win: Kevin Bloody Wilson! Expect a large wooden crate shortly.

[Timo]

Yeah! We'll sing "I can breathe through me ears" as a duet!

[theolein]

Originally posted by Timo:
Look, tell me if I'm out of line, but perhaps this is a blessing in disguise: your former work environment sounds like the Death Star.

What other fields are of interest? You could always double track your search and see what drops first.

No mistaking that, I'm truly glad that I don't have to go there any more. It had gotten so bad recently that I would have been looking for another job in any case if I had not been so totally overworked by my 14 hour days that I was simply too tired to do my CV etc.

I think that's a good idea of yours though, making a list of things that I want to do and weighing up the pros and cons of them. Thanks.

[pooka]

Man! This bites. You know if things get real bad you can always fly over and crash at my place. You'll have to pose for a few pictures to help cover my expenses and stuff but you'll get used to it.

Also, if it makes you fell any better I will beat down your boss. Smack that ****er up right!

[theolein]

Originally posted by pooka:
Man! This bites. You know if things get real bad you can always fly over and crash at my place. You'll have to pose for a few pictures to help cover my expenses and stuff but you'll get used to it.

Also, if it makes you fell any better I will beat down your boss. Smack that ****er up right!

Thanks man!

[MikeM33]

Originally posted by pliny:
Bunch of dumbasses. If they don't like you they will find a reason to get rid of you, they will make them up. Good luck to you.

I thought about that myself. In my case I totally didn't expect it. It seemed I was doing well at work, no complaints. They did talk to me about my absences after a time when I was out and brought them a legitimate doctors note, but otherwise everything seemed to be going well.

My only co-worker in the art department there, and I, seemed to communicate pretty well, and it seemed as-if the owner of the company and I were getting along. (It was a small, close-knit office. Probably the smallest company I ever worked for in terms of staff).

I still think it might have been word of mouth between my co-worker (who had been there for 2 yrs) and her boss (the owner of the company). My ex co-worker had been doing the job all by herself for almost a year and when I came along we had a few scuffles, because she simply wasn't used to teaching people how to do the job and she had zero patience.

Over-all, the owner of the company told me in her termination e-mail that I could use them as a reference, so it wasn't as bad as Theoliens situation, but I still can't help but think that somebody there just "didn't like me". I don't think my previous absences were enough to fire me over, especially after suffering a serious injury.

The messed-up part is; if they didn't like me, they sure acted as-if they did like me. I friggin hate phony people. It makes me miss the job I had last year with the prick boss/owner. At least he was straight-forward, none of this "knife in the back while you aren't looking" bullshiAt. In terma of the job I just lost, I definitely could do the job, but I have the feeling they hired me thinking I'd be able to do alot more than I could without any training. When I was hired, I told them specifically I'd need some training to do it. I've yet to work anyplace where a little training isn't required.

After a while I got them way ahead on several projects, perhaps that was my biggest mistake. I did stuff for them which isn't even scheduled to be printed until September. I suppose they just felt it'd be easy to can me after getting them so far ahead.

I feel sorry for them and my ex-co-worker because no she's back to doing it all hersself, and whenever they do get a replacement, they're just going to go through the same situation with training.

I don't think I could switch fields though, because it's what I really want to do, despite all the hypocracy and other "office politics" involved. I think I need to go for a much bigger company, possibly go back to working night shift with a smaller crew, like my first graphics job. Then I can be free to just do my job without any management pricks in my face and people doing crazy shiAt.

Just put me in a cube-farm somewhere and I can hide all day

MikeM

[thePurpleGiant]

Originally posted by theolein:
When I get to Oz, I'm going to visit Perth and buy you a beer.

And then you can come over here and buy me a beer too!

If you do come over here, Sydney and Melbourne have the largest IT demand in Australia...although Perth does have nice weather

[Face Ache]

Yeah Sydney is the place for IT jobs. Especially Mac related ones.

[Spliffdaddy]

Why don't you come to America?

It's only a matter of time before our troops liberate your country, anyway.

I'll let you stay here for free.

You can have your own handgun and there's no reason not to apply for a concealed-carry permit.

I also have a spare P4 thats running RedHat 8, which is way better than Mac OSX.

[deekay1]

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
RedHat 8, which is way better than Mac OSX.

pffft!

[tooki]

Originally posted by theolein:
On the one hand it's rich and has an incredibly low crime rate.

Actually, I've heard that in the past 5 years or so, Switzerland's crime is nipping at the U.S.'s heels.

It's in large part due to the immigrants they've had streaming in over the past 10 years. Most of them have come from war-torn countries, and thus have... incompatible sensibilities.

tooki

[Timo]

Originally posted by tooki:
Actually, I've heard that in the past 5 years or so, Switzerland's crime is nipping at the U.S.'s heels.

It's in large part due to the immigrants they've had streaming in over the past 10 years. Most of them have come from war-torn countries, and thus have... incompatible sensibilities.

tooki

A guy in the office was just talking this line. He lacked your...tact.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
Why don't you come to America?

It's only a matter of time before our troops liberate your country, anyway.

LOL

[swsteckly]

Why don't you come to America?

It's only a matter of time before our troops liberate your country, anyway.

Yeah, they're going to liberate you from that horrible atrocity against humanity known as direct democracy. Better watch out!

Sorry to hear about your job loss man. Best of luck finding a new one.