What to do now? Lost job. 5

[davidinindy]

I'm a plastic product designer with injection and vacuum-form mold design background. I just got let go today after 8 months... I've never been fired before. I lost my last job after ten years because of the economy. The comapny just closed it's doors. Here, there were dissagreements in management as to whether they needed an onsite engineer, or if they should do the engineering overseas... Anyway... I have a couple of questions.
1.)I am going to meet with the local technical recruiters this week, and in the past, they've said not to worry about dressing up for the meeting. Does it matter? We had no dress code at the office, but I still dressed better than torn jeans and a rock t-shirt. I wore nice jeans, and a nice collared shirt. I often helped on the shop floor so dress pants and shirt weren't practical.
2.) My steps from here are: File for unemployment. Call recruiters. Call contacts. Take part-time job until something is offered in engineering.
I read this site often, and have found it very helpfull.
Thanks for any tips.

 

[IRstuff]

It depends on what kind or recruiters they are.

Are they essentially consignment operators, e.g., they get a finder's fee for finding you? In which case, jeans might be adequate, since they have vested interest in selling you.

Are they working for specific companies? In which case, I would suggest at least slacks and a button-down shirt and a sports coat or similar.

My general preference would be the latter, since interviews can be tinged by visual impressions. No matter who is fronting for you, it'll be easier for them to sell you if they have a good impression of you.

TTFN

 

[MadMango]

I don't think you can go wrong wearing khakis and button-up or polo shirt. I'd leave the jeans at home.

Working in plastics, you must have had some contact with others in your field, I'd give them a call/email and let them know of your "availability."

[green]"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."[/green]
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[GregLocock]

I've had quite a few jobs, the breakdown of how I got them is

1) wrote to every relevant company in the whole country
2) personal contact
3) recruitment agency placed an ad in the technical press
4) advert in general press
5) headhunted by a recruitment agency
6) personal contact
7) personal contact

and there were a couple more where I got to the final interview that I did't take, usually in response to ads in the technical press. I have never had any luck by applying to a recruiter. The one time I did they tried to send me to a whole lot of interviews for jobs that were NOT in my field of expertise.

So just over half of them were one way or the other via people who I knew, and most of the rest, ads in the technical press.

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[DRC1]

1.) Don't dress up means no tie. Does not mean Jeans. I vote with MadMango - Go with Kakis and a good shirt.
2.) look at a technical temp agency. Usually after 6 months, employers can hire you full time directly. It is a good way to try out someone out. No wrongful termination problems. If they don't work out it is easy to replace them and by the time the six months are up you have a pretty good idea if they will work out. The plus for you is that A.) you are working at your trade. B.0 if this gig doesn't work out, you are in the field making contacts. You have no comitments to your temporary job if a good offer does come along. The down side is the pay is generally not great and benifits are minimal, but it beats unemployment.

Good Luck

 

[franzh]

I usually make it a priority to visit technical conferences, often at my own expense. This is where I network with my peers. I also try to avoid afterhours "throat washing" at these events unless I am not imbibing. This is where you may hear some scuttlebutt that may not otherwise come out. Be careful and avoid paying attention to any bravado, the loudest ones are frequently the ones with the least influence or credibility.
Lastly, when at these events, it depends on who you "hang out with". If you gather with the floor sweepers and are noticed by the upper echelon, they will see you as a floor sweeper. If you gather with your equal or superior peer level, your potential future employer may see you as their equal even if you are not.
When you get to the point of them coming to you, when you enter a conference hall and they recognize you by your first name, or they call you to see if you are "interested", you have succeeded and will never have to look for a job again, no matter what the economy is.
Dont expect to reach this recognition overnight, unless you hold million dollar patents, but if you did, you wouldn't have written this post!
Good Luck!
Franz

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[jsummerfield]

As you are now a consultant, print business cards.

John

 

[debodine]

I did contract engineering for eight years (just recently decided to take a direct position again) and I always had good success finding contract work thru C.E. Weekly (

http://www.ceweekly.com).

If you are willing to seek contract work for now, I recommend that site. In fact, even though I am now a direct employee, I intend to always keep my electronic subscription (<$30/year).

 

[ewh]

debodine is giving good advice. I am also in a direct position (two years and counting) after ten years of contract employment, and I too continue my subscription with CE Weekly. I use it more for general agency information than specific jobs, and it is a valuable resource.
You can often command a higher rate, and depending on the agency, the benifits can be quite good. Of course, there is little security in temporary placements, but as was mentioned above, they can often lead to an offer of direct employment.
Good luck and hang in there!

 

[COKA]

Answer to question 1: Always dress-up (tie not necessary)!

Let me explain... You are not sure how to dress? You CAN'T go wrong by NOT wearing jeans! This answer goes to everybody who asks HOW to dress for an interview!!! I am sure that everybody has a nice pair of black pants, and say gray or blue shirt... You CAN'T go wrong with that.

Answer to question 2: File for unemployment!

You are not sure how long this job hunt may take, or if you'll like the potential new employer, or whatever else the reason may be. At least you will have some kind of income.

Good luck!

Coka

 

[eric1037]

1) Like Coka said, file for unemployment.

2) Take a long vacation if you can afford it. You won't have many opportunities to do this.

 

[EngJW]

In addition to your job search:

1. File for the unemployment.

2. Cut your expenses as much as you possibly can.

3. Get up the same time every morning and get dressed as if you are going to work- you don't want to fall into a rut.

4. Find something to keep you busy all day, whether it is computer projects, working around the house, reading some new books (especially in your field) and so on, just to keep your mind sharp.

5. If you have to take a part time job you might want to wait until your unemployment runs out. In my case the part time job paid less than the unemployment.

Good luck. I know how you feel.

 

[MintJulep]

Recruiters are generally useless, but since they don't cost you anything you have nothing to lose. Even if they say "don't dress up" I would still consider well pressed khaki's, shirt and tie and sport coat as the minimum. Their job is to sell you to their clients. Your job is to sell yourself to them as someone worth selling. First impressions count.

Call the job-shop agencies.

Call the vendors that you dealt with in your last job. They know which companies are busy and which are not.

 

[jsummerfield]

I see some good advice. Wear a tie for an interview.
Contact the job shops (contract agencies). CE Weekly is not what it once was but it may help you to find the agencies. Try the Yellow Pages and want adds too. Do not limit your search to local opportunities. There are always some international assignments if you can be away from home for 12-weeks at a time. If single, consider taking an international deal, sell everything and get clear of your home expenses. Consider starting a temporary career now selling insurance on a commission only basis. You can get a license with a couple of weeks study. You have no income until you sell something; thus unemployement insurance payments continue.

John

 

[tygerdawg]

Hear hear! ALL of this advice is excellent, looks like it came from a bunch of seasoned pro's.

My $0.02 worth:
(1) delete any negative feelings about getting laid off and move on...it just serves no purpose whatsoever in the long run
(2) attend professional engineering society meetings like ASME, SME, IEEE, IIE, SPE, whatever you can find in your area. It's a great networking opportunity, especially if you volunteer to be on a committee or something. Besides contacts, it looks good on your resume.
(3) Don't discount the possibility of "DaveInIndy, Inc." as a valid source of income. When I was laid off and couldn't even BUY a job during the depths of the recession, I made a living freelancing. It took darn hard work beating the bushes, getting through the rejection of the 30 or 40 calls in order to get the one call that paid the bills, and cutting my expenses to the bone...just in case. But it worked.
(4) For my current salaried position, I arrived at the interview on a hot, sultry, sweaty Southern day wearing a suit & tie. The boss apologized and said he should have told me a suit wasn't required. I replied "One can't go wrong with a suit." He agreed and I got the job. The moral: being overdressed can be forgiven, but not being underdressed.

TygerDawg

 

[rhodie]

<SARCASM> 1. Learn Mandarin, study Han culture. 2. Apply as field liaison in China for any number of Sino-based manufacturers officed in the USA. 3. Make big $$$ based on scaricty of skillset. </SARCASM>

 

[MintJulep]

Actually, I was going to suggest rhodie's course of action,but without the sarcasim.

 

[MadMango]

Being laid off or fired may seem a bit overwhelming at times, but it can also prove to be the sort of action someone needs to jump start their career. People tend to become complacent in their jobs, becoming confortable concerning what is expected of them, and having a nice comfort zone around them for what they know.

A lay-off can force one to reconsider their careers, maybe even their field. Down play the negatives and look at all the positives.

- You have time to prioritize your life and career, seeing what truely matters and what makes you truely happy.
- You have the opprtunity to apply your knowledge and skills in new directions, if you desire.

[green]"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."[/green]
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[sms]

1) Wear the tie, it won't kill you, might help you. Wear the tie!

2) I am suprised that given this is a internet news group no one mentioned, Surf the net! Start with Monster.com and move on from there. The ways I have received job offers include: One from an ad in a trade mag, two or three from internet ads at places like monster.com, a couple from internet ads at engineering newsgroups like this, one from the newspaper, three from head hunters, and one from referals from friends in industry. I have only held three jobs in my career, but I have had lots of offers....

3)As was mentioned before, your new job is looking for a job. Don't come in late, and don't slack at your new job or you will be fired.

 

[davidinindy]

I had a long response typed up, but when I submited it, I got the ol' "page can not be displayed"... and lost it.
Anyway,
I'm wearing dress pants and shirt and tie to any interview
I'm making business cards
Have wife and daughter, and like it here. Would prefer local job.
I'm treating job-hunting as full-time job.
Have called a couple of our vendors, and they "are putting the feelers out"
Getting ready to make a few more calls.
Thanks for all the advice, and keep it coming. I'm sure others can use it!
Maybe we should make a FAQ on steps to take when looking for work.
Also, a tip... right click, select all, copy, before hitting submit post...