victims of recession

[voh]

Initial 6-month contract runs out in just under a month, and while they're rather happy with me working there, being an IT company geared specifically towards the real estate market turned out to be a bad decision during this economic recession. Yay.

Trying to find a new job the past 2 months has been an absolute hoot. Fruitless, too.

Unemployment, here I come!

[Timosity]

I tried to do something about it before it came, and I don't think we've seen the full effect in Australia yet.

Mid last year I was starting to feel it cause we kept having interest rate rises and I was struggling to pay all my mortgage and bills.

I thought about a new job and living somewhere a bit cheaper but somewhere pretty nice, not a major city but still one big enough to have enough opportunity for work.

Decided to move to the Gold Coast in Queensland, been here since 6thNov 08, and am renting my place out in Sydney for a good price guaranteed for 2 years.

Got a job before I planned to move, and had the flexibility of them giving me a few months to sort myself out and move. The new job pays more (I think I was just getting screwed in my old job) and I pay less rent, and am on the edge of a river, with river and ocean views from the 8th floor.

So far it is working out, the move was based purely on my financial situation, and seemed like a good opportunity to go somewhere different for a while. And it has been a wise move, warm weather everyday, probably too hot a lot of the time, just been getting a bit cooler in the evenings lately which is nice.

I don't know how long term this thing is but with all these stimulus packages, we'll all be paying it off the rest of our lives

[Arboris]

Initial 6-month contract runs out in just under a month, and while they're rather happy with me working there, being an IT company geared specifically towards the real estate market turned out to be a bad decision during this economic recession. Yay.

Same boat as me I see. "Yes, you're doing a good job and fit in the compagny. But you still have to find another job, sorry about that"

[AsimosVagan]

   Well, I think I was really lucky. The company where I am working (for the last 4 years) is in the middle of a huge expansion.

   So, for now, the only change due to recession was to slow down the expansion a bit.

   But they are still hiring, every week I see new faces around.

[Layabout]

Luckily, Australia isn't THAT badly affected by the recession.

In the UK, I worked as a Real Estate salesman in 2007, and pretty much a week after Northern Rock thing happened, about half of us were let go in the company. I went back to work in a pub, and about 9 months later, that place shut down. Bugger.

I'm back in Australia, and have been since November last year. Job hunting was tough, but from what I've seen, this year the job section of the paper has reduced in size by about half. I decided to pass the recession by and study, which is what I'm doing now.

Australia is lucky. The government building projects keep building firms in business. The Australian mindset of having to own property, along with the first home buyers grant, keeps the property market afloat. Our glorious leader gives us free $950, which possibly more to come. Mining is suffering, but they had it lucky for quite a few years. New car sales are suffering, but smart people don't buy new cars.

Tim, the stimulus package is just a clever way of making us feel okay about the increases in tax. The large majority of it will filter straight back into the tax system. You get a nice place on the coast? I know a few areas are a bit iffy.

[SSH]

Just got told that my division is closing all R&D on this site... 

Any indie developers need a programmer?

[Vince Twelve]

Ack, that sucks SSH.  Do you have any plans?

[Ponch]

Ouch, SSH. You have a wife and kids, right? I hope you land on your feet.

On the other hand, this might be the perfect time to go commercial with the Princess Marian games!

[bicilotti]

Just got told that my division is closing all R&D on this site... 

Any indie developers need a programmer?

F**k, that's bad to hear.

[Nacho]

I am sorry SSH... But... But... You are a Super Scottish Hero!!! A HERO!!! You' ll manage!

Good luck.

[Stee]

I know my mates dad got laid off from a high paid job last year. I didn't know things were getting this bad though.

I guess like everything I've timed it wrong. Im taking a break from studies to work this year, I guess its not looking good.

Best of luck to all of you. Its not nice having to try and look for work in the middle of university exams. I can't imagine how stressful it is trying to get work to pay bills, food etc. I know for a fact I don't want to go back home to my folks. Theyre doing my head in at the moment and I've only been on my hols for 2 weeks.

[SSH]

It looks like I may be able to avoid the chop as there are some positions available in either Beijing or Colorado Springs. The question is: east or west? 

[Stee]

Personally, I'd go east, only because I hear China has a very interesting culture and is a beautiful place to visit. Its more likely you'd take a pay cut going east though right?

It all depends on your preference. I say I'd go east but im sure i'd get sick of it very quickly. Also I don't know how to put this right, but a lot of people I've met from China, Vietnam, Thailand and others I've had great difficulty trying to understand what they say. I live with 2 vietnamese people this year, and it was a nightmare trying to hold a conversation.

Of course I've always wanted to go to America too. I dont know if your a local scot or whether you're in US, but the advantage being moving west would be that at least everyone is fluent in English. Whats the whether like in Colorado?

[SpacePirateCaine]

If you're looking to come all the way East, I know for a fact that the gaming industry here in Japan is surprisingly short on decent programmers. I just recently landed a job as a producer after months of searching, but nearly every company I applied for was searching for someone with a background in programming. If you wanna take a few months crash course on Japanese and can convince your family to come all the way over here, I'm still sore at Vince XII and Kinoko for never doing Japanettens, and want more AGS buddies on this side of the lake.

But seriously. I don't know what the deal is with the big discrepancy between the east and west, but in gaming, there's at least plenty of room for talented programmers here. No openings near your abode in the industry?

[SSH]

I already speak with a lot of the people in my company's Chinese team and a lot of them speak English fine. They certainly type it very well on emails, etc.! I hear that rents in Beijing are very high, though...

[bicilotti]

I already speak with a lot of the people in my company's Chinese team and a lot of them speak English fine. They certainly type it very well on emails, etc.! I hear that rents in Beijing are very high, though...

...and that's what Mah Jong is for! Gamble & enjoy the thrill (& pay the rent; alternatively, have a finger of yours chopped)

Glad to know SSH won't  be unemployed!

[zabnat]

Yay, I get to join this club. I was just informed that in two week I'm going to be laid-off (temporarily). I think I'll look for another job since I've been meaning to do that anyway (for three years now:)).  Maybe I'll try to get a job from game industry, that would be cool.

[Stupot]

Another one bites the dust. Unlucky Zabnat.
Anyone else find it convenient that while this swine flu "pandemic" has been sweeping across the globe we have heard very little about the recession?
Or am I just being conspiranoid again

[Andail]

I find it hilarious that this "pandemic" is called "pandemic" and that it has reached level 5 out of 6 on the pandemic scale.
So far, it has killed fewer people than what a typical winter flu results in. Actually, I think more people die from falling through open manholes every month.

[Arboris]

Recessions are soooo last week. Swine flu is where its at. Media just loves a good scaremonger campaign