Job woes at Christmas for the second year in a row

[lilyb84]

DH was told today his contract isn't being extended so is now unemployed again. He lost his previous job just before Christmas last year when I was pregnant with ds and has only had this one for 6 months. Meanwhile my department is facing restructure in the new year. I don't think I can cope with all this uncertainty!!

We're not on the breadline - we don't have savings but if DH becomes a sahp, we take ds out of childcare (£1100 a month) and get rid of the car we'll be able to pay the rent and bills each month if not have anything left over, so I know it's not desperate and we have options.

But aibu to just feel like there's no certainty in employment any more? I've been through so many restructures in this job and my previous one, as has DH. Just feeling a bit sick of it now.

My husband was told last week he was being made redundant. I feel for you. It's shit.

I agree, jobs used to be for life but there are very few like that anymore!

Sorry to hear that Stripeyblanket - I hope he finds something else soon. It's frustrating in particular as older generations (ie our parents) seem to see it as a reflection of our working attitude rather than that of employers!

You're absolutely right. I'm lucky to have worked for the same company for a decade but that same company that used to take on temps who were pretty much guaranteed to become permanent unless they were actually shit, now increasingly makes temps fight for one or two permanent roles between five-ten temps and uses fixed term contracts of 12 months. The temps have also changed from 18-21 year olds just out of college or uni to older, more experienced people, which I think shows how many people have lost previous permanent jobs for whatever reason, being forced to do temp work. And this company is actually a pretty good employer. We've still seen our employee benefits cut massively though. And I know I'm one of the lucky ones, as with my length of service I'm pretty well skilled across different roles, and it's more cost effective for me to be redeployed than made redundant in the event of restructures.

I'll join you. Just been told I'm likely to be made redundant in the new year. Sixth time in 16 years. Sick of it.

YANBU. I work in organisational change. There's no such thing as a permanent job. Management always seem to want to do redundancies just before christmas, so I'm flat out busy at the moment.

Yes, it's pretty awful now. There is no such thing as a permanent job.

Mind you, there is no loyalty from either side. You reap what you sow......

Flopsy "you reap what you sow"?!? The man was only in the job six months, after having been made redundant previously, it's not like he's hopping companies for greener grass!

I'm sure that's true of some people but most I know are loyal and only leave when forced. I was at my previous employer for 9 years, DH at his for 6.

Why would you be loyal to an organisation that could get rid of you at any minute?? Unless you were a total doormat?!?

OP hope something else turns up for your DP soon. Good you have options. Even in these straitened times some indistries are still fairly secure - some parts of civil service, police, army, teaching etc. Downside is you're never going to earn a fortune from them.

lilyb84 I know how you feel regarding job uncertainty. My OH lost his job over four years ago and whilst he has found another position it is through an agency on a zero hours contract - and they are frequently dropped at the last minute. My job is fixed term contracts, I work in a school and it's budget is very tight. Also my hours can vary across the year. The lack of job security terrifies me.

I feel for you OP. My DP was made redundant for the second time in a year last month and it's caused no end of stress.

Luckily he has found a temp job albeit on less pay, so whilst he's relieved he's feeling very downhearted.

We will manage but have to tighten our belts. I earn a decent salary and we have teens so no childcare, but everything is so expensive right now plus Christmas is around the corner.

I hope things improve for you.

You reap what you sow......
How does the OPs DH deserve this?

I'm sorry OP. It is crap.

It took my DH 3.5 years to secure permanent employment after losing a job. And then only got his current job after doing it on a rolling contract for 21 months and a badly managed restructure meant his entire team quit.

I just got a permanent job today (!) after being made redundant over two years ago. It has taken over 4 years for both me and my DH to be in permanent employment. We are both post-grad educated professionals who only graduated in 2009, so this situation has been the majority of our careers.

The long term effect of this isn't really being discussed. It delayed us getting married and has delayed us being able to contemplate having a family.

Obviously I am relieved to have got the job today and not be spending another Christmas with one of us unemployed, but I am terrified. I know a permanent job is like gold dust and I am terrified I am going to cock it up, and I just couldn't take much more of this.

I really do empathise OP, not only with the general stress and awfulness, but also how it changes your perception of employment. I feel like people with jobs have no idea how lucky they are, and are worryingly oblivious to the precariousness of their situation.

Thanks for your responses - it's scary how many people are in precarious employment, and how thos seems to be a long-term situation for lots of you. Congrats on your job ethelb!

I'm sure it'll work out but it's just depressing and endlessly stressful. Sending positive thoughts to all of you in similar boats! It does feel a hundred times worse at this time of year. DH isn't a graduate and not skilled so I'm just dreading the job hunting process again. But trying to be thankful for the work he HAS had this year!

Could he do an evening course of some sort of training to make himself more marketable? He could get skills that would pay - electrician, plumber, etc, and then work a second job evenings if needed.

So sorry OP. Lost my job on Wednesday, so I'm job hunting and finding it terribly depressing. Feel so anxious.

Shurely the problem is if he doesn't earn enough to cover childcare there's no point him working. Vocational training wouldn't pay enough even with a second job on the side.

Sorry to hear that TheWitTank

My workplace is constantly announcing redundancies. To the point that people start to guess which bank holiday they will announce it.

DH company has just been taken over and had said that everyone would get a pay rise. A week later people are being offered contracts for less money!

Job uncertainty is terrible OP, sorry your going through this again.

I got laid off back in 2010 (height of the recession) after 3 months of uncertainty about my job (they said I could be made redundant) that 3 months was awful, it's shouldn't have taken them 3 months to make that decision, in some way it was a relief that I finally got an answer. However my DH was self employed at that time and we relied on my income for stability.

It was also right before Christmas and that Christmas was particular grim, although I was extremely lucky in that I found a job at a company where a former boss worked who also got made redundant.