I think it's time (Milwaukee, Oregon: home, job market, buy)

[Turpentine]

Hi AGAIN ALL- I was the one that last spring complained about the crummy weather and poor social climate in suburban milwaukee. I received a lot of well written and well thought out responses, and I took them to heart and ended up havign a super summer and biking season! However, this latest episode finally convinced even by hard sell fiance that maybe it's time to move on.

Friday I was told that do to "restructuring" of the purchasing dept, that it was my last day. I rec'd a modest severance due to being there only 2 years, plus on off of a Letter of Recommedation from the president.
This is now the 5th time something like this has happened to me over the past 12 years. I understand it's happned to better people than me, but c'mon 5 times in 12 years! At each job I had received glowing performance reviews, plus i also seemed to have done "all the right " things, such as being there every day, a team player, flexible, easy to get alnog with, learned quickly, in short becoming as "indispensable" as possible, esp in this last job, where I kept the whole dept afloat after 2 defections, and we still had a recod quarter!! What more do I have to do????

I've done very well at each place, but at tis rate I'll never get any "time" bulit up, not to mention retirement (im 39) At first I thought it was all me, but after such good reviews and still more bad luck, I think it's that the WI job market & I do not mesh, apparently all the companies I've been at don;t really value good employees (although all you read about in the paper is that there is a "labor shortage" around here) I know layoff happen all over, but maybe the WI mentality is one of "good people are a dime a dozen"

Maybe i've just had a string of bad breaks, nothing more, but I'm beginning to
think this is a "sign from above" to get out of here. Any thoughts??

[Empidonax]

Well, I dunno--What industry are you in? Perhaps you've been working in an industry or for industries whose fortunes rise and fall a bit too much? And who makes the decisions to lay people off? Do they go by numbers--performance stats, profit stats, etc.--or do you think that they act arbitrarily? Are there any credentials or experiences that you don't have (such as an advanced degree or certain kinds of training) that may be keeping you from keeping jobs? Is the kind of position you apply for considered a key feature of a company, or is it considered nice but dispensable? Perhaps you could go into business for yourself instead of working at the mercy of people more powerful than you? Or is that not at all an option?

[LexusNexus]

Originally Posted by Turpentine

Hi AGAIN ALL- I was the one that last spring complained about the crummy weather and poor social climate in suburban milwaukee. I received a lot of well written and well thought out responses, and I took them to heart and ended up havign a super summer and biking season! However, this latest episode finally convinced even by hard sell fiance that maybe it's time to move on.

Friday I was told that do to "restructuring" of the purchasing dept, that it was my last day. I rec'd a modest severance due to being there only 2 years, plus on off of a Letter of Recommedation from the president.
This is now the 5th time something like this has happened to me over the past 12 years. I understand it's happned to better people than me, but c'mon 5 times in 12 years! At each job I had received glowing performance reviews, plus i also seemed to have done "all the right " things, such as being there every day, a team player, flexible, easy to get alnog with, learned quickly, in short becoming as "indispensable" as possible, esp in this last job, where I kept the whole dept afloat after 2 defections, and we still had a recod quarter!! What more do I have to do????

I've done very well at each place, but at tis rate I'll never get any "time" bulit up, not to mention retirement (im 39) At first I thought it was all me, but after such good reviews and still more bad luck, I think it's that the WI job market & I do not mesh, apparently all the companies I've been at don;t really value good employees (although all you read about in the paper is that there is a "labor shortage" around here) I know layoff happen all over, but maybe the WI mentality is one of "good people are a dime a dozen"

Maybe i've just had a string of bad breaks, nothing more, but I'm beginning to
think this is a "sign from above" to get out of here. Any thoughts??

Why would moving to a different location, make any difference? You still have the same education, same skill set. Sounds like you may have to find a way to elevate your skills, even go back to school, change careers. What area are you considering moving to?

[Turpentine]

The only reason I would think of moving would be to find an area, where my skills, and experience would be a little more "appreciated" I guess. Plus I feel that the SE WI employers tend to want the most overqualified people possible for any job. I'm hoping maybe another area's employers would look at employees as actual people, not disposable commodities. Wishful thinking I suppose

[FreeSpirited1]

You have my understanding and sympathies...and you are correct - WI/Mil. job market is among the worst!

I've exceeded in L.A. and thought the move back home would relieve the traffic/cost agitation...well, not so quick. Employers ask that you do 15 things for 10/hr, puh-leeze! I'm your age, so I know how you feel, I've paid my dues, I'm experienced and employers here treat you like garbage.

I may indeed pack up again myself, so if you are looking for more employee-rewarding places, I suggest you go West. Maybe not L.A. but the sunbelt is far more laid back and they make 100 times what WI companies ever will - because 1) lower health ins. and property tax costs (WI is one of the highest in nation) and more importantly, 2) biz'nesses there, they get it - treat employees well, reward them and you will have a successful business. Plus, CA mandates two 10 min breaks + lunch, so you're already ahead there, compared to here, where you are lucky if employers even allow breaks. As an added bonus, the dress codes there are way, way more relaxed - clue to midwest employers/employees; get with the times already!

I haven't read other replies to your post yet, but I wanted to jump in and let you know that you are not alone, by any means, and please, don't wait - you will be highly valued in the CA/AZ/NV market...they *love* midwest workers, by my experience and others I know who have moved there. I hear Oregon is very progressive too.

I am of the opinion now, that Milwaukee will never, ever be "progressive". Employers here act as if they are a big deal, want you to dress professionally - even when no one comes into the office! And, while not paying you enough to even buy 'professional clothes'...so out of touch! This would be unheard of anywhere in Cali, trust me - my friends out there think this is the Third Reich and, they are correct. Business casual is here to stay, but the midwest has not quite figured that out yet.

Anyway, my apologies for the long post - but you must *save yourself*, go somewhere where employers aren't so frickin' cheap. When the CEO's are rolling in dough and not paying so much into the state, they have more to share with YOU! Not the case in WI, but that's politics for you...

Best of luck to you!

[roam512]

Well, I'm from Milwaukee and have lived in Florida since '92 and have the same hard working attitude that you have. I once recieved employee of the month 3 times within a year and a half, and all of that. But recently, ( I live in Jacksonville now, but plan on moving) at my current place of employment, for the past year or so, we have NO raises, NO hiring, NO overtime, CONSTANT changing and downsizing, layoffs about once a month, employee morale is down to nothing, and everyone who has been there for 20 or so years and used to love their job wants to get the hell out of dodge. Let the revolving door begin. I've been there for 6 years and I'll tell you when I first got there I thought for sure I'd retire there.....nowadays....I'm leaving at the beginning of the year. I think this type of corporate downsizing thing is happening everywhere though. Of course I can only say from what I know (unsure of the West Coast). There were people at my job who put in all of their time and heart and soul into their work for the company only to have the company screw them and send 'em packing. In the meantime while this is happening we got word of the nice $200,000 raise that the "big guy" got. Thanks for nothing.

Good luck Turpentine...I hope you find that one job where they actually care about people..oh and when you do, let me know. I'll be looking pretty soon.