I can’t believe this is happening, i’m still in shock. I get this phone call about 10 min. ago say that the company feels that they don’t want independant contractors running the region and that they should hire company staff to do it. Why? What is difference? I’m already doing the work of at least 2 people and they think they can just replace me.
If I sound a bit more bumed then I should it’s because in SA we have an unemployment rate of about 60% and it took me a year and a half to find this job. Even though 80% of the population is black we still have affirmative action (I’m white).
How am I going to tell my wife? My son is exactly 4 months old today and there’s another one on the way, we found out on monday.
This week I decided to go back to colledge part time and enrolled, I hope they will give me my money back.
I just don’t know what to do! I would kill myselfe but I have a familly.
Kas, hang tough. I went through about a year and a half of what I like to call “underemployment”. It was the toughest period of time I’ve had to face in my life.
Just don’t give up. Maybe they’ll let incumbents apply for the internal positions. If not, maybe there will be something around the corner this time. If not, maybe you can consider moving to a country with reasonable employment rates.
I don’t know. I’m not trying to blow sunshine up your skirt, but I do know what it is like.
The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on,or blame.
The gift of life is yours-it is an amazing journey-and-you alone are responsible for the quality of it.
This is the day your life really begins.
I had a somewhat similar situation except I had two kids under the age of 2 and I got fired, now I own my own business and TAKE HOME 12,000 more then I was GROSSING working for someone else.
Feel free to PM me if you think I can offer any help Kas.
“Lifes Short, Pray Hard”
Thanks Vroom. I did try to get a work permit in New Zealand but was turned down. They said I would just take jobs away from NZers.
I’ve just been told that there’s no chance of me getting a position with the company because i’m white! Just like that, in so many words! Turns out thats why they’re fireing me, they said it’s part of their “black economic empowerment” scheme as laid out by the government! I’ve had it with this bannana republic but I cant get out. I was borne here and my family came over with the first setlers but I can’t take it anymore.
Sorry for the rant but I am 3 months away from living on the street.
Sensei,
Thank, thats pretty much the way I was thinking of going, its going to be tough to survive until the business starts to pay of though.
Thumper,
I was in Texas (San Antonio) a few years back, couldn’t think of a better place to live.
You may be happy to have me, but I don’t know about your government. A bunch of my cousins live in Utah but they’re all very highly educated, my education is not recognised over there.
KAS, hang in there! I too, have been unfairly downsized-twice. My strength has come from Christ, although its not an easy ride, with His grace, you might consider it. I think I was the victim of age discrimination, there’s predjudice against women and in your case, sort of ‘reverse discrimiation’.
Anyway KAS, I feel for you, hang in there!
Scipio
I wish I had some sort of good suggestion to give you, but I have no idea what one should do in the South African economy. I do know that you can’t give up – you have to be strong for your wife and family. Just keep all your options open and your eyes open for opportunities, both within and outside of South Africa, and never give up.
Kas
I know its a tough place to be right now! You have run into an obstacle if you will, on the road of life. Now get tuff and navigate it! You will overcome, you will be alright!
Peace and Strength
I agree that sometimes the worst things turn out to be great things, and often the night is darkest just before the dawn.
Never having been in a sit. as dramatic as yours, the only advice I can presume to give is to a) begin searching right away for new jobs, as in today and b)take whatever job you can get right now, no matter the pay. Waiting tables, restaurant, in a store.
Its better to be out there, doing SOMETHING, moving, then being at home depressed. It will also take your mind off your problems, at least for a little while. Life is movement.
True story: a few years back I was stuck in a shithole of a city called Cincinnati in Ohio. I had just moved there (the reason why isn’t imp’t), gone bankrupt, my car broke down, and i couldn’t find a decent job…so i was waiting tables.
Those jobs sucked. SOme days I would make $25. Maybe $40. But you know what? Every month I would try to get into a “better” restaurant and eventually I was working in the only decent restaurant in the area - even though the money was still absolute shit compared to what a college graduate should make at even the lowest entry-level job.
I was making about $300 less a week than I had been making when I left Boston, BUT I tried my hardest. I was friendly and outgoing and always chitchatted with the customers and you know what happened?
I got an offer to sell cars from a customer! I went from making MAYBE $200 in my best week to making $3,000 my first month selling cars!
So get out there and Best of luck to you and yours!
I hope things get better for you my friend. As an ex-pat living in the States I can only sympathize with you and feel grateful my folks moved us out of the country 5 years ago. I really hope things get better for you back in SA.
Thanks for all the words of support encouregement, it’s made the world of difference to me.
For those who asked, I was working as the manager of the retail devision of a sup. compamy. Not sports sups. unfortunately, some “general health” bullshit.
I’ve decided on what business to go into. I’m going to manufacture weight lifting equipment, power cages, racks, spotter racks etc. It’s almost impossible to get hold of these things in SA, espesially good quality ones. I just hope there is a big enough market, with our economy you never know. I’ll do my research and give it a try.
Ren: I just read that you now live in Ohio and are glad to be there, while I never want to see that place again, including for reasons aside from employment problems.
Funny how the world works, isn’t it?
Regardless, best of luck to you and yours in the States.