Today, another engineering colleague of mine was fired, or as the company HR person insisted in calling the procedure, "just a minimal workforce reduction." Call it either, the results had my friend cleaning out his desk, and feeling a bit dejected. He was escorted out swiftly, closing a 3 year section of his life. Now his life is in a sudden shock and turmoil, as he faces one of the toughest engineering job markets on the planet.
I truly felt he was an asset to the company, and I never thought he would leave the position. With his dismissal, I wonder if job security in engineering doesn't actually exist anymore. I see the same people working at coffee shops and restaurants far longer than any position at engineering firms. I once witnessed a workforce reduction where people with 10, 15, 25, and 30 years at the same company were downsized in roughly a 35 second after a short speech. I was able to see how they were chosen for dismissal. A name of every employee of the company were put into a spreadsheet with 6 columns following their names. The 6 columns were highlighted, more highlights means you're fired. It's sad when mathematical formulas are used to determine employability.
Have you been swept up in a workforce reduction? How has the job hunt gone for you?
Cabe