Not strictly debt-free wannabe but please help!

skintchick

Hi peeps

This is off topic really but I trust you guys on here and I don;t know where else to turn.

My boss has just called me and my department (three of us and him) into a meeting and said that the big boss has said that unless we start making much more money, they will consider getting rid of one of us in the New Year.

I am convinced it will be me.

Without going into too much details, we sell stuff basically, and make on average £12,000 a month between us, although it varies a lot and sometimes we only make 5k and sometimes 20k.

THey have said we have to make 15k a month, every month, from now on. THis means that if we factor in lean months, we have ot make lots more in other months.

There are only four of us, we work as hard as we can already - I have ten years' experience in this field and I don;t believe it's possible (also, if I were able to make £3,750 a month, I'd do it as a freelance, you hear what I'm saying? That's £45,000 a year!)

I earn 20k, I think my two colleagues get 18k, and my boss - who knows? more than me anyway.

It has really scared me, and I'm sitting here at work typing this trying SOOO hard not to cry even though my eyes are full of tears.

I was sacked from my last job (not my fault) in April and I can;t face going through it again. I don;t have savings, I am in debt, and I am so frightened.

Please help.

bluezone

Skintchick,

Chin up I'm sure everything will be fine. I have had a similar thing happen here. I work for a government based funded unit but our dept is self funding and they have just asked the self funding areas to come up with floor rent! So we have to make and extra £80,000 a year to keep up with staff overheads etc.

You may be lucky and it could just be an empty threat to kick one of your colleagues up the butt as it were!

Lets hope eh?

bluezone

Northernbird_2

Oh you. I don't what help I can really offer but you have big hugs from me.

I don't what area you work in, but is it worth you looking around for another job right now. I'm not saying I think you'll lose yours, but perhaps doing something positive will make you feel better. You never know, you may get a better job for more money!

It's difficult without knowing what you do, but go to Recruitment Agencies, register on websites such as Planet Recruitment etc.

Do you best at the job you do now (no-one can ask more than that), and fight like hell at finding another one.

Don't if that's of any help, but good luck chuck.

black-saturn

I hope it isn't you but if I was you I would save as much money as I could between now and the New Year so I had something to fall back on. Good luck.

skintchick

Thanks people - I just think it will be me cos I am more expensive than the other two! I'm also newer, although I have worked here twice before (long story). My only option really would be to work for myself, and that's scary!

It's so good to know you are out there to talk to - I feel so alone about this I am not good at this kind of stress! Especially after being sacked earlier this year!

Bargain_Rzl

((HUG))

I know this sort of thing is really stressful, but do you think you might be being unnecessarily paranoid about the "I am convinced it will be me" thing?

Do the two people who earn less than you have the same value in terms of skills and experience? (Presumably not, or they probably wouldn't be earning less.)

Anyway, let's think proactively.

Is your job very specialised or do others like it exist in your area? Why not start job hunting now, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and it's a lot harder to be depressed about a situation when you're proactively doing something about it. After all, you sound fairly certain that there's little to be done proactively in terms of bringing in extra work, so you have to focus on number one. I know it can be hard to motivate yourself to think about applying for new jobs when you work full time and are already a bit depressed about it... (speaking from CURRENT experience - I'm not about to be made redundant but I do hate my job!)

((HUG)) again!

tattooed_lady

Hiya Skintchick,

:grouphug: Big hug to you.

It's not absolutely definate is it?? Hopefully it won't happen?

Why not try making enquiries about other job interviews just in case the worst does happen?

What is it that makes you think it will be you?

Take care xx

se999

You are currently in work, so that's the best time to job hunt. You are lucky they told you they're thinking of losing someone, rather than finding out when someone gets given their notice. It could be that they're hoping someone will start looking and leave anyway, it will save them paying redundancy etc... I hate company politics :mad:

If they are doing this, you probably wouldn't be that keen on staying long term anyway?

So I know it's an initial shock, but you have time to shop around and not necessarily grab the first job available. Black Saturn's idea on saving money is a good idea too.

Hope things work out well.

skintchick

What I do is specialised - I either have to work in London (done that, hated the commute, don't want to move) or work for myself. Or do something else, of course, but I like what I do (most of the time).

Probably am being paranoid, yes, but I can't help it! I don't like threats - make more money or one of you will be sacked was the basic message, veiled as we want 15k a month and we'll review everyone's position in January. Merry cHristmas to you, too, Mr Scrooge!

Sorry, am really upset about this. Just when I thought I'd got myself sorted and on the way to being debt-free...

Mango

Oh Skintchick - I'll be thinking of you! Having been made redundant last year I know how horrid it is to lose a job when you can't afford to, and when you work in a specialised area. I would say to try and stay as positive and proactive as possible - look around for other work (even if in London - it wouldn't have to be forever??). If it ends up being a false threat/you keep your job you might have made some new contacts which might be useful in the future - I guess no effort is wasted IFYKWIM. Try and save some money if you can. Also, I know it is hard, but try not to let the stress show at work. You can always come on here and vent if it gets too much. Keep us updated if you hear any more news.

((((((((hugs)))))))

skintchick

Right. Have got a grip on myself and done some sums. If I had to, I could live on £900 a month I think, although I'm sure there's something I have probably forgotten.

I get £350 a month from my lodger, so I would only have to earn another £550, which is nothing. I am sure I could find a job paying that.

So I would be OK. I will now stop panicking. But thanks so much for listening. xxx