Oryx ([info]horny_oryx) wrote,
@ 2009-04-16 13:35:00
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Current location:UMBC Campus
Entry tags:career, job stability, work

Job unstability...
I keep being told by my current boss and my former boss that my job is secure. Yesterday, many more people in our company were let go. Currently there are only 3 people left in the company that give a damn about compliance, privacy, and security. I'm one of them.

I don't feel very secure at the moment and I'm wondering if my days are numbered. I continue to perform, but I now have no budget left for projects which means about 80% of my goals are gone for 2009. I dread having to start a job search again, I haven't had to search for a job since 2003 and right now I don't feel I'm as qualified as I once was for any job.

What do I do next? I certainly can't afford my lifestyle or even my place without a job, but I keep thinking about going back to school and working on a degree. Does anyone think I could get a student loan at 28 years old? Maybe I should use this time to really consider my future and where this life of mine is, or should be going..


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[info]mooglepower
2009-04-16 05:49 pm UTC (link)
Honestly, working on a degree is never a bad idea. I know that often it seems like degrees are just proving the obvious (many people study things which they are already an expert at), but they can often give you the upper edge in a job search. I doubt that you'd have trouble obtaining a student loan as long as your credit is good.

Do you already have a degree or is this a new thing for you? That would probably affect your ability to obtain a loan.

(Reply to this)


[info]toraneko
2009-04-16 05:51 pm UTC (link)
one thing seems to be common. The more the chant goes on about how secure your job is, the faster it goes away. It's crap.

Yes, you can get student loans at 28, 38 or 88. I got mine at 35. If you do get laid off and go on unemployment you can't go to school and still get your benefits. That's crap too.

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[info]wolffit
2009-04-16 05:54 pm UTC (link)
It (probably) doesn't hurt to look for a new job, unless your current employer is one of those companies that would fire you just for having your resume 'out there'.

If you have the savings to take a few years off and go back to school, by all means - and age is (in theory) not a factor in determining eligibility for a student loan.

If you're interested, I've got a couple of (C#/ASP.Net) developer positions and a DBA position potentially open, in the NoVA area.

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[info]murakozi
2009-04-16 06:37 pm UTC (link)
Age shouldn't be much of a factor in getting a student loan. Can you afford to not be working for the amount of time it would take you to earn a degree? Assuming you can, you have to ask yourself whether you really think you could handle the more limited lifestyle it would likely entail due to finances. It'd also be good to look at whether the degree would really make you more marketable to employers and, thus, whether it's worth the time it would take to get. Examining the potential tradeoffs is important.

Would your current employer react badly to you floating your resume around? While I acknowledge that it could be an excuse for them to get rid of you if they were actually looking for a reason to do so, odds are it wouldn't really hurt anything.

Checking into some openings and or at least putting out some feelers would probably be a good idea, just in case your boss isn't being completely honest with you. I know folks who were told in November years ago that their jobs were safe 'through the next year' only to be laid off at the end of the following January.

What kind of work do do nowadays? There are still openings in the Suburban MD/NoVa area if inquiries from friends/colleages that start with "Do you know anyone with experience?" are any indication.

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[info]firedhusky
2009-04-16 08:18 pm UTC (link)
If you where to start school again, I would secure a job first and then get a new loan to go to college...

Spending your savings in college or suporting yourlsef while non working, would had been ok a few years ago.

Personal opinion is now time to save and wait.

If you feel insecure in your job, and have reasons to think that might end soon, is not a bad idea to look for something new.

Most managers will never tell you the truth, is in the best intrest to keep you working till the last day they can hold you.

supergoodlucks !

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[info]jet_der_hund
2009-04-16 09:07 pm UTC (link)
Well keep doing that job, thats all you can right now. Get your resume updated and ready that way worst case you can hit the ground running, save up some $ (less gear shopping :P ) As for your feeling about qualified i have the same feeling now, as for student loan, as long as you are in school and have a good credit rating sure that will not be an issue. I will be dong the school thing shortly myself... MS here i come... *gulp*

Reevaluating where you stand and where you want to go is not a bad thing to do anyway.

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[info]taurusberesford
2009-04-16 09:29 pm UTC (link)
That's sucks, Things are hard where I am too, glad that we got several jobs to work on for a year or two.

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[info]hockeyfag
2009-04-16 10:20 pm UTC (link)
awww :( If you are looking at going back to school, I do have room here if you want to go to a MN school..

I did my degree online. I got alot of credit for my years of working, so it helped. yahoo me sometime if you want to chat about it

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[info]loranskunky
2009-04-17 12:21 am UTC (link)
Nope, there was a guy in my graduate school that was 54 when I was there. It's never too late to get back into school and get a degree. It's just a lot more work when you have to work full time while going to school. I know people doing it now and I admire them for doing so.

Plus, you're over 25, they love throwing money at people that old going back to college.

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[info]invncble
2009-04-17 01:16 am UTC (link)
Yeah, the loan won't be an issue but what school and what degree.

Good luck. Hope you the job stays secure.

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[info]bootspup
2009-04-17 08:54 am UTC (link)
I'm going back to school too, sometimes it's good to have that kick to start something new, I know my time ahead will be tough financially and I won't get as much time to spend socialising, but eventually it will mean more freedom and security...it's times like these that seems to be the most important factor, we all want to be in control, so be ready for worst case scenario...just in case.

Good luck whichever way you turn! :)

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[info]lurene
2009-04-17 12:04 pm UTC (link)
I don't has head count... but I can get some. ;)

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[info]farraptor
2009-04-20 03:04 am UTC (link)
It is never too late to go back to school. With the way the economy is now, being a student is actually not all that bad of a prospect. By the time this economic mess is over with, you'll be out with a degree and able to make the big-bucks. :)

Best of luck!

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