A Blogger Gets Laid……Off
That’s right, folks; as of Friday afternoon, it’s the unemployment line for mizerle06. No, I haven’t been laid off from Sparty & Friends; instead, I’ve been given the ol’ heave-ho out the door at my Clark-Kent-job…the one that pays the bills (S&F is my Superman-job). Luckily for me and Mrs. Mizerle06, we’ve got this stellar, shiny blogging career of mine to fall back on. So, keep reading so I can continue to have this stellar, shiny blogging career for us to fall back on.
There’s not much that’s more American than blogging. Unfortunately, in the currect national economic situation, it’s also very American to be laid off. So, what could be more American than blogging about being laid off!? That’s what I’m going to be doing for a while – here’s to hoping it’s a short while - until I find a new job. It’ll be a laid-off-live-blog of sorts. I pledge to use this forum to give you a fascinating insight into the events of my involuntary vacation along with some shameless self-promotion to wrap up each post; you know, just in case a prospective future employer is reading my drivel. Oh yeah, since this here site is a sports site first, I’ll tie some sort of sports-related opinion into these posts.
First, in all seriousness, I’m proud to say that the split with my previous employer was professional and amicable, and I hold no lingering bitterness towards them. The job I held was an interesting and compelling one, while the company I performed my duties for was a great company with great people. I understand that it’s hard for most good people in upper-management positions to reach a point where they must determine the professional and financial fates of their staff. I imagine it’s a gutwrenching process for many in that position, as I believe it was for my former employer in determining my fate. I was very fortunate, and am sincerely grateful, that unlike many people in a similar situation, I was given advance warning. I knew for almost three weeks that Friday, Feb. 27 would be my last day to punch the time clock. It was a very discouraging and humbling reality to find out that I would be jobless soon, but I think the stress level that could have been created had I been given no prior notice and coldly told one day that I would be jobless the next would have been about 10x higher than it ultimately was.
With all of that being considered, I can understand Jay Cutler’s frustration with the Denver Broncos, especially his new head coach, Josh McDaniels. What I don’t understand is Cutler’s public reaction:
“They want me to come in and talk to ‘em but I’m not doing it right now; I’m going to lay low,” said Cutler. “The [Broncos] deny everything. That’s a problem. We know for a fact they tried to trade me.”
“I’m upset. I mean, I’m really shocked at this point,” Cutler told The Post. “I could see why they want Cassel. I don’t know if they think I can’t run the system or I don’t have the skills for it. Or if they don’t think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don’t know what it is. I’ve heard I’m still on the trading block.”
When factoring in my own current professional situation, who better to offer an opinion – that no one asked for – about an athlete’s reaction to a potentially forced job change than me!? My view of my understanding of Cutler’s frustration extends to my recent experience of running what is likely a similar gauntlet of emotions that Cutler is likely currently feeling: shock, disappointment, betrayal, anger, fear, humility, helplessness, etc. His public reaction reeks of unprofessionalism and immaturity in his attempt to magnify what he perceives as a slight from the organization considering him as trade bait. In my own situation, my goal was to leave an impression on my former employer as being the most professional layoff they’ve ever experienced. Because, even when dealing with a former or soon-to-be-former employer, I’m still always interviewing for a job. I want my former employers to be able to give me an excellent reference; and, if I had made a big stink about being let go, that would have been the final mark I would have left on them.
For a guy in the public eye such as Cutler, every promotional appearance, charitable act, interview, quote, and soundbite he gives should be considered as part of a future job interview. Now, when his contract is up and he becomes a free agent in 2012, this reaction will stick with him and be remembered and considered by any team looking to acquire his services.
So Jay, here’s some advice from an elder (albeit by only 1.5 years) - when faced with job insecurity due to Broncos business decisions, smile and be professional; handle your business behind closed doors and not in front of the cameras and tape recorders. Oh yeah, and stop being a Vandy douchebag!
Shameless self-promotion:
I’m now a free agent structural engineer in the Jacksonville, FL-area and willing to commute as far away as the Gainesville and Daytona areas. I have 2 years and 10 months of experience and a MS; and, provided I can find work in a relatively quick time period, I will be eligible this May to apply for, and sit for, the October PE licensing exam. Also, I’m actively searching for any civil engineering position that my degrees will qualify me for: structural (buildings, bridges, etc.), civil, geotechnical, transportation, etc. So, if you’ve got a contact or would like to legitimately take a gander at my incredibly awesome resume, give me a shout at mizerle06(at)gmail(dot)com.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Wow Miz, sorry to hear about this. I know Vegas still (surprisingly) has a need for Civil Engineers. Especially ones who are smart enough to not make mistakes like this…
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again, there is this Freedom Tower thing they are trying to build in NYC….
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Sorry to hear it Miz.
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thanks for the condolences, Big D and cbh, but no worries though. I’ve got a BUNCH of resumes floating around here and gotten a few nibbles so far. hopefully, these nibbles will turn into bites soon.
/made fishing-relative
//miz is a redneck’d
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keep pumping these out…your misfortune should make me rich….
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trickle down effect, maybe?
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if sparty didn’t fly the s&f corporate jet to washington when he asked for a handout, he might’ve had some money available for you
good luck with the job search, miz
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thanks, sae.
by the way, sparty blows all the petty cash on pixie stix.
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there’s no sugar in pixie stix
/simpsons’d
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Don’t worry Miz, Obama’s
spendingstimulus package is going to cure all. You will have a new job before you know it.(Quote)
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Maybe Miz can be the STD instructor?
/Because that’s where a lot of the money is going, not because Miz has personal experiences with STDs.
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I’ve already applied for a piece of the stimulus, john. I’m supposed to get a billion or two direct-deposited in 8-10 business days.
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Miz is open to doing odd-jobs. BTW, my toenails need a trim…
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OMG! TMI! LOL!
Sorry. S&F is on Facebook now. I thought I’d try to post a relevant comment.
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+1, Big D.
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I forgot to mention that I’m taking suggestions on alternate career paths for tomorrow’s post. I’ve already got a few ideas, but I’m open to more.
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Cutler is coming across as a major douche in all of this. McDaniels should get rid of him and bring back Elway.
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I’m overqualified to trim toenails…for at least the next 4 or 5 months.
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he’s from Vandy, john. it’s an epidemic there.
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Geez, Miz – I didn’t know you had MS. I almost feel bad for making fun of you all the time.
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Don’t bother with a real job Miz. Just get Mrs. Miz knocked up with 14 babies and it’s all smooth sailing on the job front from there.
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no need to almost feel bad, clown. don’t hold back.
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Ask Shanoff how he survives. He manages to have a blogging career without a paying job.
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ironically, Big D, that’s a similar idea to one of my new career paths for tomorrow…
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good luck in the search miz
they found the boat in the gulf btw…one person clinging to it
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Good luck Miz
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thanks, mikey. I just heard that about the boat too (I’ve had the Sportscenter loop running in the backgroud all morning).
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miz,
arod needs a new cousin to hang out with, maybe he’s taking applications
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theres a bunch of jobs out here miz….you need to get into transportation sector right now…get yourself some obama money
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good thinking, sae. I guess I’m as qualified as ARod’s cousin to inject MLB’ers with PED’s
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that’s awful. will ferrell (old school): keep on.. keepin on…
seriously, good luck with everything
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That sucks. Atleast you knew yours was coming. I got sent home in a cab.
/
Best of Luck
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thanks Johnny, obsessed, Rick, and everybody else for the well wishes.
Rick – good luck to you too, man. I’m very grateful that I got a couple weeks to prepare…I would have probably had a much harder time with it without that warning.
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Dang miz…that sucks. My day may be soon approaching as well. Mikey is right about the transportation sector. They are always building/fixing a 10 lane road or 2 in or around Jax. And I mean always. Good luck dude…you’ll be back in the game in no time. I can feel it!
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sorry to hear about this Miz. that really sucks…
does this mean we can have the bass fishing post (I think you were the one to mention this a LONG time ago)
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Haha…the I-95 bridge has been under construction for the better part of my life.
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thanks, jb. no biggie though; I really think I’ll be in a better position on the other side of all this. and, if you guys are lucky, I’ll get around to the bass fishing post sometime during my free agency period.
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Miz~ Are you going to hire Borass as your agent to get you a sweet deal?
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I’ve put a call in to him, Jen. I’m probably gonna have to settle for Rosenhaus, though.
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Whatever you do miz, don’t worry if they defer some of your salary…just take it…hope you find a job soon enough…try getting a govt job…it’s job security at it’s finest.
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go work at a bank…it will be a gov’t job soon enough.
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Miz I have no doubt you will find something soon.
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Damn, Mizer, that ain’t right. Good luck in your job search.
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Bo and KC – thanks, fellas. keep checking back…this laid-off-live-blog is going to be ther best laid-off-live-blog ever!
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Miz – Sorry to see a fellow civil engineer fall by the wayside. If you get REAL desperate and want to move to PA, let me know. We just hired a structural engineer with a similar resume and may be looking to add more real soon.
Good luck!
P.S. – Take a look at your local US Army Corps offices. They’ve been hiring like gangbusters lately.
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Roeth – thanks, man. I’m talking with the chief engineer at the Army Corps here and am in the process of applying for two Navy jobs. there’s several advertised gov’t jobs so hopefully, one will want me.
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BTW Miz, might wanna listen to Big D. My brother is a construction consultant in Vegas. I cant go there for personal reasons, but could put you in contact (he has an arch degree from Boulder).
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First of all, WTF happened to this site? This format is crazy. Second of all, welcome to the ranks of the unemployed, Miz! I was laid off in December (but not off the company payroll until the end of January), and so far job hunting has sucked. But I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding a job. I’ve seen a TON of engineering jobs out there during my job searching.
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Rick, I really appreciate the contact offering. at this point, I have to stay in the general Jacksonville, FL-area (within 90 miles, at most). however, if it really gets tight in a few months and nothing’s happening, I’ll have to consider places that have direct flights to-and-from Jax…and that includes Vagas, I think.
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Oh, and if you’re thinking Army Corps of Engineers, you need to go to http://www.USAJobs.gov. There are a ton of jobs with the government listed on that site.
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thanks for the encouragement, sportsgal. I just counted and have 31 resumes floating around town so hopefully I’ll catch someone’s eye. good luck with your search too; keep chugging and something will bite for you as well!
by the way, we cranked up the awesomeness meter on our site…isn’t it even awesomer now!?
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yeah, I’ve found several positions there between the Army Corps, Navy, and Federal Highway. they’ll all be receiving an application from me if they haven’t already! thanks again, sportsgal.
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Make sure when you view the jobs on the USAJobs site, you double check the requirements they need for your application. Many times they want you to submit college transcripts as well as your resume and the application questionnaire.
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Sorry to hear this, Miz. Best of luck to you.
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Miz,
Sorry, just getting on late and was blown away by this news. As of about 2 months ago, the CEO of our company said that we need to do something differently to compete in the 3G modem business. We either needed to scale up to compete with other companies which was option 1. Well the board rejected our partnership with another company that we had all been anticipating.
Option 2 was to sell a big part of the company off. Apparently in his letter today to the company that said that the board of directors didn’t want to partner at this point with that other company has some serious offers. We have no clue what that means. We don’t know who gets sold, to whom or what the fate of the employees would be.
Option 3 was just to lay off a large part of the company if they can’t sell it.
The weird part is the company had a banner year last year, paid out great bonuses and has no debt and a ton of money in the bank they don’t know how to spend. Just weird times.
One thing I know, it will be devastating for my family and me if I get laid off.
It was good to go out and go cross country skiing to take my mind off of things. Your post brought reality home to me. My wife doesn’t realize how serious this is because I have always survived layoffs before except when a startup that employed me shut their doors.
Best of luck Miz. Unfortunately I don’t know of any civil engineering jobs nor am I in a position to help you. I just hope that I won’t have more time to read this blog in the next few weeks if you know what I mean.
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