redundant

[slowmotion]

Smoke, keep "banging on doors" in the jobs market if you are a furniture maker, and you like that kind of work. It may take time , and you must not despair. While "banging on doors", take some kind of course in other skill... something that has really interested you as a hobby or pastime. Even if it comes to nothing as a future career, you will have had fun and been busy.

My pitiful two pennies...

Good luck.

 

[Over The Hill]

I was chucked out 18 months ago (property lawyer) and after a couple of months found a temp job to cover a maternity leave. That finished in Jan and I have been scratching around and set up a handyman business. Not too much work out there but better than dole. I just put well printed cards in local shop windows. OK as a stop gap or may lead to something more.
Lovely week this week digging up a lawn and putting down gravel in the sunshine.
Exciting move afoot is to now take on a conveyancing role working from home (remote working) where I am part of a firm but go and get my own business and am basically self employed with my own business.
So I think my advice is to not wait for a job but to make a job.

 

[swee'pea99]

Sorry to hear it Smoke. There's a lot of it about. The only silver lining is there's so much of it about that everyone knows someone...there's no stigma attached, if ever there was.

As to positive moves, it's hard. Is there any way you might be able to set yourself up doing one-offs for people? There's always alcoves need filling with shelves, there's always people who'd prefer a fitted wardrobe and have the money to pay for it. I guess getting started would be the hardest part...do a few good jobs and word of mouth starts to kick in. Leaflet in neighbourhoods where the accountants and dentists live? Do jobs at cost-ish, get some references? ...I don't know. But good luck.

 

[bauldbairn]

Sorry to hear about your job being made redundant Smoke.

I was in the same boat last May when I took redundancy from a job where I was a Business Development Manager. I'd worked my way up from the workshop floor where I was a Technician(I'm 42).

It's tough out there at the moment but things will improve eventually. Keep all your options open and keep in touch with all your old colleagues and contacts/customers.

When I signed on I took a good look around the job centre and decided I didn't want to be going in there every fortnight(if I could help it). I registered with every agency going - some are good, some are total $hit. After a few weeks I started to get offers some suitable some not. Eventually I got a well paid contracting job as a Maintenance Engineer for several weeks to cover summer holidays - plenty overtime and weekends to build up the funds again. While I was contracting I still acted as though I was unemployed and kept applying for full-time work.

I'm currently doing shift work a in something a million miles from what I'm used to - but it's full-time/reasonable pay and relatively secure. Until the economy picks up it'll do fine.

Keep thinking positive and keep yourself active - I was leisure cycling at least 30 miles a day.

All the best for the future and keep your head up - you are your own best chance of securing a job.

Good luck Smoke.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

Smoke...(it's not your area of expertise but it may tide you over for a bit)... one growth area in the workplace is online shopping delivery, and the turnover of drivers is quite high and they are always recruiting and one particular firm has a base in Leeds. (New starters every week where I am) It's hard manual labour, lots of heavy lifting, lots of mileage, but it'll be an income while you look for a job more suited to your skills. Just an idea for you to consider.

 

[biggs682]

i had the same about 15 yrs ago , i was due to fly out to the states a week later for hols so had to cancell that at short notice and expense .
could you set up making your own furniture etc etc , always a demand for good quality home made stuff

 

[XmisterIS]

OP -

Firstly, my comiserations! Must be awful for you.

Secondly, you gotta think about the future, no use dwelling on the past. I was about to suggest what biggs has just suggested. If you're in your 40's, I'm guessing that you've had a lot of years of experience and you're very skilled at what you do.

If you have or can get access to your own workshop, perhaps you could make pieces to order. I run my own business, if you want any advice, drop me a PM.

There's also plenty of builders that employ carpenters on sub-contracts too.

Alternatively, if you are really good, there's always a calling for master carpenters on restoration projects for stately homes, cathedrals, etc.

There's three ideas off the top of my head, among the others that have been posted.

 

[gbb]

Hope all goes well in the end Smoke...and it can be a good thing if you're lucky.
Made redundant 10 years ago after 23 years in the same job. It seemed disastrous, but i was lucky and met a guy who's company who was looking for a person to train as an engineer. It wasnt what i really did, but not far off....the result, i had a career change at 40 and the positives it's brought, you could never concieve looking back.

Everything in life has a positive and a negative. Keep positive and your chin up. Good luck.

 

[Fnaar]

Happened to me 7yrs ago... led to huge changes, most of which have been for the better. You have my sympathies... it can be a challenging time. I had a cr@p 1st yr (had to take a job a few rungs back down the ladder in my field) then things started looking up after that. Chin up etc.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Sorry to hear about your news, Smoke. It might be worth talking to NightTrain of these boards, he does woodwork type stuff and lectures in it also (IIRC)... he may have some contacts/idea about how you can utilise your experience in the same field (if that's what you want to do).

Good luck!

 

[sheddy]

Networking, networking, don't stay at home, get out to as many gatherings, lunches, seminars, meetings and presentations as you can, consider getting some business cards made up with contact details (some post offices have b/card machines) to better your chances of getting noticed.....

 

[killiekosmos]

Some advice I got when it happened to me:

* get your CV up-to-date
* make a list of all your business contacts and let them have your CV to know you are available
* make a list of all local employers and get in touch
* use on-line job sites but phone and speak to the recruiters - get noticed
* keep positive - you only need one break


Use all the resources you can with your current employer before you leave. Might let you copy CVs, post them etc.

Also - when it happened to me - I got lots more miles in on the bike - so there is a small positive
Good luck

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Just found this job advert.

When I was looking to get some fitted wardrobes built, I found that Sharps and Hammonds appear to be the biggest/best in the country, and the carpenter sent by Hammonds was very skilled indeed. They have a couple of offices/outlets in Doncaster, e.g.

Hammonds:

Ward Brothers. 29-40 Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3EY‎ - 01302 811 911

Sharps:

Stadium Wayhttp://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=ut...roup&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CA4QtQMwAA
Unit, 10A Retail World, Parkgate, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 1TGhttp://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=ut...roup&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CA4QtQMwAA

Get Directions
0114 244 4419

Wheatley Hall Business Centre, Wheatlery Hall Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN2 4LL‎ - 01332 331 655

Good luck!

 

[Bond]

Sorry to hear that smoke. I'm sure somthing will turn up.

 

[PBancroft]

Sorry to bring things down but i,m being made redundant on the 10 of may would really appreciate any advice thnks all in advance.

I was made redundant a couple of years ago, and am at risk again (find out on Tuesday). Here are my thoughts.

I won't beat about the bush - it hurts, and it hurts a lot. But try to keep it in perspective and you will pull through. No one dies, and there will be other jobs. If you can be adaptable and remain optimistic and positive more work will come sooner than you think. It might not be your perfect job, but it will be something and you can move on from there.

Get a good lawyer to check over the paperwork. Make sure that when you talk with your bosses you don't burn your bridges. Offer yourself as a consultant should they require it (I did that - their immediate reaction was "I don't think we'll need that" but phoned me up a week later to take me up on the offer).