Got downsized on Thursday

[Fast One]

Well...

Medtronic went through another fucking downsizing. They had layoffs six of the seven years I was there, but I managed to escape the axe. Not this time. They shitcanned a number of us RF guys. Guess they don't need us anymore, now that we've perfected the test setups & made the job easy.

So - after buying a house less than two years ago, I am now unemployed. Fucking great. They do provide a decent severance package, but there aren't many jobs out there - at least not for what I do.

Guess the GN won't be getting freshened-up this year...

Joel

[98 cobra s/c]

I am really sorry to hear this.I hope something good happens soon.

[Z28SSMAN]

That's too bad Joel. In my opinion, the economy is still wounded pretty badly. I've never seen so many people laid off or positions eliminated. They can doctor the figures all they want, but the true unemployment rate is probably at least double what they want us to believe.

[Jumpercables]

Sorry to hear that.

As far as the economy goes it will be a few years before things get noticeably better imo.

[MR.hp]

Well...

Medtronic went through another fucking downsizing. They had layoffs six of the seven years I was there, but I managed to escape the axe. Not this time. They shitcanned a number of us RF guys. Guess they don't need us anymore, now that we've perfected the test setups & made the job easy.

So - after buying a house less than two years ago, I am now unemployed. Fucking great. They do provide a decent severance package, but there aren't many jobs out there - at least not for what I do.

Guess the GN won't be getting freshened-up this year...

Joel

Sorry to hear that Joel, But look at it this way, As one door closes another will open. Try to figure out what skills you have and maybe start you're own buisness or maybe you could be an independent contractor. If all else fails I could make you a mod here and you can spend some time sleeping while you watch all the stuff that goes on here.:rotfl:

It will get better I have been unemployed several time and have always found something. What did you do at work?

[Fast One]

Guys,

Thanks for your concern. Could be worse. At least the company gave us a decent severance package.

Regarding the economy - I agree. We've got quite a ways to go. 'They' say that the unemployment numbers in MN are back to normal. But what 'they' don't say is that those numbers don't account for people who have been unemployed so long that they quit looking and/or are no longer registered with the employment office. The biggest problem is that the majority of new jobs pay considerably less than the jobs they replaced.

Bob,

I was a member of the MRI research team. We designed the world's first MRI-safe pacemaker. We also designed the world's second & third MRI-safe pacemakers. By trade, I'm an RF tech (radio-frequency & electronics stuff). My specialties are RF test & measurement, radio propagation, antennas, battery technology, and electronic/mechanical troubleshooting. I wore multiple hats at Medtronic. I designed RF test systems & debugged existing setups. I wrote test procedures, took measurements & performed many experiments. I thought of ways to improve the speed & accuracy of our measurements, while also making them less tedious & boring. I did a fair amount of mechanical design. I envisioned & designed nearly all of our test fixtures. I worked on improving the ergonomics & user-friendliness of our measurement systems. I did a bit of materials research, as most of our test fixtures had to survive long-term submersion in saltwater. Most of the fixtures also had to work in an MRI machine, so everything needed to be non-magnetic. I also sourced & ordered the majority of the materials & parts to support the special requirements of our scientific research.

Problem was - the research part all but dried up about a year ago. Once we got everything pretty much figured out, we became more of an engineering team. I essentially 'worked myself out of a job'.

Joel

[98 cobra s/c]

Wow, thats alot of stuff. There has got to be a job somewhere. 3m comes to mind of the bat.

[fast toys]

Sorry to hear you got laid off dude.

[tcat55371]

Well

I have never met you but it looks like from what you listed that you should be able to find something that probably pays pretty good. I went thru the same crap at Carlson Companies a few years ago after being with them for 16yrs. It was pretty tough for me at 50+ yrs old, still paying child support and job hunting with all the younger folks. I'm working now but it got pretty tough being out of work 5 months and it was just me in the house. Did some cash jobs and just kept looking. Big thing is dont get depressed, as hard as it seems it will work out for you.

john