job loss

[shredmaster]

the day finally came. we waited 10 months for it. everyone waited by their phones today to find out who had jobs, who would be transitional till end of year, or who was sent packing today. my entire dept., except for 2 people, are out end of year. that is enough time to look for something else. most of the co. is going away end of year. we get a severance package based on how many years you worked...for me, it ain't much...but it's something....few grand or so. everyone will be put in front of HR this week. as you may remember, i had another new job but decided not to take it to ride this out. i don't think i chose poorly. everything happens for a reason.

[chromeboy]

Sorry to hear this. I work for a non-profit organization and went through a very difficult restructuring about a year ago. I survived the cuts, but my friends that were let go were able to move on and find jobs that they liked. In alot of ways, I felt that they were better off than I was.

Hang in there, like the saying goes "when one door closes, another opens".

[Salamander In The Sun]

Sorry to hear bout this, bro. Hope everything works out for the best.

[jemsite]

that's a bummer steve. sorry to hear. hopefully you can do more photograph/studio work in the meantime... glen

[shredmaster]

thanks guys. it's really purgatory here at work. not sure when i will start looking. maybe in a week or so, for kicks. if it gets to the end of december and i have nothing, i figure i can have about 4 months to live on with the severence that i can stay afloat. what a great time to move into a brand new home! NOT.

Glen, i'm going to try promoting my biz as much as i can. if i can get 2 weddings a month i can float the mortgage and utils, making close to what i'm making now. doesn't sound too hard, but with all the people with digital cameras who think they can shoot weddings...well, it's hard. it's overly-saturated.

good news (i hope)...regarding a wedding this weekend. the reception hall we shot at was your typical boring room. the room next door, however, was really maxed out in design! i will post some pics for you guys. it looked like 18th century gothic. all candle-lit with candleabras (sp?), 80 red roses per table! and all blue - lit walls with silk sheets. all weird and very dracula-like. in fact, the groom's name is Draculich. kinda weird.

anyway, the room was so cool i had to take shots of it. the owner of the place saw me and said many photographers tried to get the room but couldn't. i saw some of their shots...garbage. they used flash for some reason, ruining that room. he saw the ones my cousin and i took before he walked in and was amazed. he said if i get him a few 8X10's of this to promote his place, he will guarantee me at least one wedding this year and will continue to get me clients. i have heard this before but he sounded promising. that would be very cool to have a lead like that.

steve

[ScottB]

Steve, you're a jemsiter fer cripesakes! This automatically proves to any prospective employer that your personality, intelligence, trust, reliability and general knowledge are 110% above any other candidate. Don't forget to put "jemsiter" on your resume and job applications.

Good luck in the job hunt.

~Scott

[FloridaNative]

Sorry to hear about your job loss, but now that you have to move on I'm sure it will be much less stressful for you. I wish you all the best and that you find a job that you really love.

[supermau]

I quit my job to become a stay at home dad which was a pretty scary thing at the time. I started a part time video production business my first year home. Lo and behold I'm making as much money working a couple days a week as I made working full time for the man.

It'll work out. Believe it.

Cheers,

BB

[FloridaNative]

Originally Posted by supermau

I quit my job to become a stay at home dad which was a pretty scary thing at the time. I started a part time video production business my first year home. Lo and behold I'm making as much money working a couple days a week as I made working full time for the man.

It'll work out. Believe it.

Cheers,

BB

What does the man really look like?? I'm just curious because I've never actually seen him. Does he have a big white beard and wear all red and say ho ho ho by any chance?

[supermau]

Originally Posted by FloridaNative

What does the man really look like?? I'm just curious because I've never actually seen him. Does he have a big white beard and wear all red and say ho ho ho by any chance?

The Man looks like everybody else only he's got your nuts in a vice.

[FloridaNative]

Originally Posted by supermau

The Man looks like everybody else only he's got your nuts in a vice.

Is THAT what happened to my nuts??

[IbanezPrestigeBoy]

I work in title (the Mortgage/Lending/Real estate industry). As some of you may know, it's a terrible time for us. I was let go by my company in April and thought I was screwed. I got a measley severance pack and didn't know what was going to happen.

Lo and behold, June rolls around and I get a call form an attorney who used to do business with my firm. He found out my company let me (and several other employees, almost 80% if I remember correctly) and requested my number from a friend of mine who still worked at the company. He gave me a call and made me a very lucrative offer.

Now, I'm working at a better place, making more money and enjoying my job a HELLUVA lot more b/c I work in a real cool environment. Moral of the story is, keep your head up and things will work out.

Good luck.

[shredmaster]

Originally Posted by supermau

I quit my job to become a stay at home dad which was a pretty scary thing at the time. I started a part time video production business my first year home. Lo and behold I'm making as much money working a couple days a week as I made working full time for the man.

It'll work out. Believe it.

Cheers,

BB

that's awesome! congrats! very cool. on a side note, what do you shoot and edit and what did you do to advertise? that's amazing. after 4 years i'm not getting that many video gigs at all. maybe 5 a year. i always loved photography more and i'm getting many more photo gigs, which is cool with me. i was curious what you did. i had 1000 post cards made up. i'm going to hop on the mountain bike and toss them in 1000 mailboxes in the area. that has to work somewhat. i tried all the online advertising, etc etc etc.
steve

[jemsite]

Originally Posted by shredmaster

that's awesome! congrats! very cool. on a side note, what do you shoot and edit and what did you do to advertise? that's amazing. after 4 years i'm not getting that many video gigs at all. maybe 5 a year. i always loved photography more and i'm getting many more photo gigs, which is cool with me. i was curious what you did. i had 1000 post cards made up. i'm going to hop on the mountain bike and toss them in 1000 mailboxes in the area. that has to work somewhat. i tried all the online advertising, etc etc etc.
steve

i was under the impression most startups bid out a wedding reception hall to be "the official photographer" and pay a kickback or advertising to get jobs. cheaper than advertisign with better results... that is a referral business for the most part and alot of startup referrals come from the places these people are booking the reception.

speaking of guys w/ digital cameras you can't really talk until you get those whi-bal cards LOL. even w/ a good eye you need the right equipment especially at weddings

i have a friend who wanted for years to start a photograpy biz (and quit the diamond industry) but the little stuff was just overbearing where it took a hobby and made it into a chore/work. that said you just need to get your foot in the door doing studio work baby pics (at home type stuff... easy referrals) or little league stuff that can lead to larger referrals... glen

[shredmaster]

Glen, you're right. i have $1800 lenses....and yet.....no WB cards! i need to get on that. i am going to do that this week. the last few weeks have been crazy. been shooting 6 weeks in a row...finally a month off before it starts again in september. this next 4 weeks will be spent editing. i'm going to hit a few reception halls. i have tried a dozen halls and they are already bid out by the huge studios with money. there is that one lead i mentioned in this post, which, sounds good. if i can just get in at one or two places, that would be great.....great feeds. you know what....i'm going to order those cards right now. i don't think i would ever shoot baby photos......i have sunken to wedding photography. but you know what, it's not bad. it's still photography and i love photography. i can be creative and do whatever i want. the hard part was finding a great lab for online proofing and finding the right products such as albums and proof books, etc. just like music, it's mostly business.

steve