$^!# I got laid off.

[DiSiLLUSiON]

That sucks Gep Malakai. I honestly hope your path will take a good turn soon. There's always something better; you just have to find it.

What is it that you do, if I may be so bold?

 

[Mistral]

I just saved alot of money by switching to GEICO.


Seriously, telecommute! Lots of companies will work with remote employees these days. Get those resumes and portfolio samples on that interweb thingy!!

Hottest American software companies right now(gaming types): Valve, Cryptic. Valve needs artists as of last week.

 

[Shikarnov]

^Not everyone can afford to move.

Moving is a valid option is you have the money to do it. Not all of us, for whatever reason, just can just pull up and go to a better job market at the drop of the hat.

It's not expensive to move. It's expensive to cart all your shit with you. I've been in the position of having to sell or abandon things I would have preferred to keep, but you do what you gotta do to keep working.

 

[SeerSGB]

Even if you go with the shirt on you back, you don't have the money to get by till you get a job it's 6 of 1 half dozen of another. There's rent/mortage, food, gas, etc, etc. It's fine if you have money to get by, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck it's not that easy.

 

[Finn]

^Not everyone can afford to move.

Moving is a valid option is you have the money to do it. Not all of us, for whatever reason, just can just pull up and go to a better job market at the drop of the hat.

It's not expensive to move. It's expensive to cart all your shit with you. I've been in the position of having to sell or abandon things I would have preferred to keep, but you do what you gotta do to keep working.

Yeah. There are people who move around with very little money. If they get a big job interview, it is practical to try so. Not for an interview for a job scrubbing the toilets at an Arby's 150 miles away.

 

[Shikarnov]

Even if you go with the shirt on you back, you don't have the money to get by till you get a job it's 6 of 1 half dozen of another. There's rent/mortage, food, gas, etc, etc. It's fine if you have money to get by, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck it's not that easy.

Well, in fairness, I wouldn't envision somebody migrating to New York (for example) on a wing and a prayer. But in today's world, it's absolutely possible to search for jobs at great distances -- even internationally. You can interview over the phone or online. Etc.

And when you find something, you don't boo hoo about being unemployable. You don't use up unemployment funds that other people really need. You tearfully say goodbye to your friends and family, promise to call often, and then you go.

 

[SeerSGB]

Even if you go with the shirt on you back, you don't have the money to get by till you get a job it's 6 of 1 half dozen of another. There's rent/mortage, food, gas, etc, etc. It's fine if you have money to get by, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck it's not that easy.

Well, in fairness, I wouldn't envision somebody migrating to New York (for example) on a wing and a prayer. But in today's world, it's absolutely possible to search for jobs at great distances -- even internationally. You can interview over the phone or online. Etc.

And when you find something, you don't boo hoo about being unemployable. You don't use up unemployment funds that other people really need. You tearfully say goodbye to your friends and family, promise to call often, and then you go.

Some people can handle doing that, but not everyone. It's always a wing and prayer when you move for any job.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Sorry to hear this, Gep. That was a dream job, too. Any chance of being called back?

I can only hope that the death of Plecostomus has cheered you up a little.

 

[nevermore]

Even if you go with the shirt on you back, you don't have the money to get by till you get a job it's 6 of 1 half dozen of another. There's rent/mortage, food, gas, etc, etc. It's fine if you have money to get by, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck it's not that easy.

Well, in fairness, I wouldn't envision somebody migrating to New York (for example) on a wing and a prayer. But in today's world, it's absolutely possible to search for jobs at great distances -- even internationally. You can interview over the phone or online. Etc.

And when you find something, you don't boo hoo about being unemployable. You don't use up unemployment funds that other people really need. You tearfully say goodbye to your friends and family, promise to call often, and then you go.

Exactly. After college I moved with $500 in the bank, packed what I could in the car, got a crappy apartment, a crappy job, furnished my apartment for about $100 at Goodwill and scraped by until I found a real job. Now its even easier because you can search for jobs, apartments, co-ops, sublets etc., online and be in a better position when you get there. Unless you have a family that you have to support, "its too expensive" is an excuse, not a reason, to stay where you are. At the very least even if you have to live off ramen and water for a while, if you choose a location wisely, you end up somewhere where your prospects are better in the mid- and long- term.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Sorry to hear that you got laid off, Gep Malakai. What game were you working on (or if it's unannounced what studio were you working at)?

 

[Lindley]

Some companies will include relocation money in their job offers.

 

[Gepard]

Not to sound callous about your situation, but why don't you move if there aren't any jobs in your area? A cursory glance at Monster yielded over 400 graphic design positions. Get that resume moving. Good luck to you.

This is what I always wonder when people say there are "no jobs here". Jobs don't come to you, especially in this economy; those who do well will be flexible and willing to make sacrifices and changes to get what they want. Those who aren't end up in crappy retail jobs if that's all there is.

^Not everyone can afford to move.

Oh, I'm thinking about moving. I'm in the middle of a year-long lease for my apartment, though, so I'd have to find a way out of the lease or sub-let were I to take off for parts unknown. Personal and professional advice has me thinking this is a good time in my life to go to LA, since there's more options for the kind of work I do there.

Have you thought of doing graphic design for businesses?

I'm actually not a graphic designer...

That sucks Gep Malakai. I honestly hope your path will take a good turn soon. There's always something better; you just have to find it.

What is it that you do, if I may be so bold?

...I do 3D models and textures, of the sort of games and VFX applications. Sort of like this, only not a half million polygons.

Sorry to hear this, Gep. That was a dream job, too. Any chance of being called back?

Thanks. My boss made it clear that he only laid off the folks he did out of financial need, and if they can ever work with me again or at least toss some contract work my way, they will. Plus he's willing to write me a glowing letter of recommendation if need be, so the bases are covered there.

I can only hope that the death of Plecostomus has cheered you up a little.

Yeah. I always hated that $%@#er.

Sorry to hear that you got laid off, Gep Malakai. What game were you working on (or if it's unannounced what studio were you working at)?

Eh. Nobody I imagine you'd ever have heard of; it was the Christmas release (plus Expansion Pack 6) to the RealFlight flight simulator by Knife Edge Software. There were only three artists there, so I am wondering how they're going to keep functioning in the long term with 1/3 of their workforce gone.

To everybody else who replied, thanks for the sympathies and encouragement. I'm working on plying my social networks already, so hopefully something good will turn up soon.

 

[TheGodBen]

Apparently psychologists encourage you to call it "funemployment" and view it as an opportunity to relax and do things you couldn't do while working.

I imagine this idea would only work if a) you had lots of money saved up or b) you live in a country with a generous social welfare system.

 

[Mallory]

I'm sorry to hear this Gep. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best.

 

[Starbreaker]

This will make you feel better:

 

[Gepard]

Apparently psychologists encourage you to call it "funemployment" and view it as an opportunity to relax and do things you couldn't do while working.

I imagine this idea would only work if a) you had lots of money saved up or b) you live in a country with a generous social welfare system.

Those are the worst psychologists in the world. Let's fire them.

I'm sorry to hear thisGep. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best.

Thanks.

This will make you feel better:

Awwww.

 

[Aragorn]

Sorry to hear.

It's my birthday today and we had a huge party all weekend. Everyone got extremely drunk and ate an improbable amount of barbecued animals. Does that help?

I really hope blablover5 doesn't give you any of those newborn puppies.

 

[Michael Chris]

Eh. Nobody I imagine you'd ever have heard of; it was the Christmas release (plus Expansion Pack 6) to the RealFlight flight simulator by Knife Edge Software. There were only three artists there, so I am wondering how they're going to keep functioning in the long term with 1/3 of their workforce gone.

Off topic:

My grandfather loves RealFlight! One of my fondest memories as a child would be to go to my grandparent's house and play one of his rc simulators. We actually just upgraded his computer because his old one couldn't play G4.5. Anyhow, I hope that you find a wonderful job!

 

[Mike Farley]

That sucks! I pray that you find a good job soon.

I'm sure you probably have, but regarding your health insurance, have you looked at COBRA?

Ruthless Terrorist Organizations have good insurance?

 

[sojourner]

Hey Gep, 2 things.

1) if that medical appointment was made using the companies health plan they may still have to cover it considering it was made before notifying you of the layoff. They might also be legally in trouble because it could be viewed that you are being let go due to the medical expense.

2) Most apartment complexes have clauses in the lease that let you out of the contract if you have to move more than 150 miles for a job.