Has your office / company laid people off or are you expecting layoffs? PART 8

[schurchill39]

With all the recent doom and gloom talk for 2019 and possibly repeat of 2015/2016 following a seemingly strong 2017 and decent Q1 2018 I figured we should start part 8 of this thread. I've been hearing through the grape vine a lot of layoffs happening quietly as budgets get cut. Maybe not the 300+ in one swoop we were seeing a few years ago but its definitely still happening.

If any of the pole answers don't apply to you or you have a differing opinion please share.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I wasn't renewed in Oct 2017, was off for 4 months, found project work that lasted 8 months in the same industry. Left that, worked in a completely different industry/job for month, and now I'm back at my original company in a different position.

[lasimmon]

Company shut down just before Christmas 2017. Re-opened as a private company in 2018.. So far so good but who really knows.

[ExtraSlow]

Laid off from my petroleum engineering career fall 2015, collected EI and tried to start an engineering training business, didn't make money doing that. Worked a six month contract Aug 2017-jan 2018 at a car rental shop, then collected EI again. Have had a couple of training gigs pop up, and I'm also trying to start a data-analysis consultancy with some friends. So far haven't made a dime on that.

Have been putting most effort into getting full time petroleum engineering work, but have had zero success. Would take new grad or student wages, employee or consultant. Temp or full time. Prefer full time permanent employee positions, but wouldn't turn anything down.
Good times.

[dirtsniffer]

Fitting that these polls always look like we're being given the middle finger.

[killramos]

Can I vote twice for quit my job and went elsewhere, while doing a masters degree in my “free” time?

As for Slow, i’d hire him if it was up to me...

[dirtsniffer]

one of our sister divisions is looking for a sales / bd manager with engineering background..

[ExtraSlow]

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As for Slow, i’d hire him if it was up to me...

Thanks brother. It's hilarious, but I've been personally recommended for six or seven positions in the last year, and each time, the person recommending me thinks I'm a shoe-in, and a definite top candidate. Only got one interview out of those, and that job got cancelled before it was filled. Actually know of several postings where the job was never filled, or the position was not approved but the HR team posted it anyway. It's sick.

[bjstare]

Got laid off from EPC industry in 2016, had a job in management consulting lined up within a few weeks. Our clients are still O&G companies, but since we're in the business of saving them money, we keep very busy. It's demanding on work/life balance, but I don't see myself going anywhere else in the near future. There's very few sectors where you can gain experience with a broad range of things (and build your network) at a rate even close to what I've experienced in this field.

[killramos]

^ sounds pretty interesting, I love positions where you drink from the firehose haha.

My wife and stress levels on the other hand... takes a toll for sure.

[Disoblige]

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Have been putting most effort into getting full time petroleum engineering work, but have had zero success. Would take new grad or student wages, employee or consultant. Temp or full time. Prefer full time permanent employee positions, but wouldn't turn anything down.
Good times.

But you want to stay in Calgary right? Relocation within Alberta is no go for you?

[ExtraSlow]

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But you want to stay in Calgary right? Relocation within Alberta is no go for you?

Will take this conversation to PM to avoid thread derail.

[sabad66]

My job was eliminated (hired staff in lower cost countries) in summer 2016, but was able to find something else internally. Then it happened again, my "new" internal job was eliminated in Sept 2017. Luckily was able to find yet another internal role and even got a promotion out of it. So overall worked out for the best. But man was it stressful...especially with the second go around where i had a severance package in hand and a baby on the way.

[bjstare]

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^ sounds pretty interesting, I love positions where you drink from the firehose haha.

My wife and stress levels on the other hand... takes a toll for sure.

"Drinking from the firehose" is without a doubt the most commonly used idiom in my life/business haha.

[austic]

Same job, in the same business that we save oil an gas companies money so downturn is busier for us as they tend to layoff too many people then rely on contract services.

Started another company with the same guys as where i work and working with a few new ventures from my MBA program. Too much work too little time is my problem right now.

[tonytiger55]

Got laid off in 2015 but found a job in the same company. There were layoffs in 2016 but survived. Laid off in March this year. Company had mass layoffs (Grocery sector).

Been looking for roles related to my original skillset but getting just nowhere. Ive applied for roles, I have had to do rcorded presentations, recorded virtual interviews, online tests, and x2 interviews and then being asked overly complicated questions to entry level roles (then being rejected).
I have some friends in O&G and its not looking good from what they say.

I applied to jobs at the City that I could do easily as I have strong civil service experience. But every application has got nowhere. I noticed job specs and qualifications listed is blatantly unrealistic or impossible to meet unless one works for the city in the first place. I wrote to my councillor Shane Keating highlighting this. He refused to believe this and said he would look into the process by speaking with HR administrators and how they match the profiles. I emailed back saying I would like to see this and I have not heard anything (& I don't think I will).

Ive applied for government roles as I thought my skillset would be super relevant. My application has been rejected as I have been asked to provide high school education within three days or get my international degrees and college certificates verified to be the equivalent. Its deeply frustrating, I had to prove my University and college certificates when applying for immigration at provincial level and again at the federal level. Then again at getting my Citizenship. Now im being asked to prove it again.

I looked at studying at SAIT a couple of years back and admissions refused my international certifications for high school matching. Because there is no evidence my university certificate from a UK University states it was done in english (im not making this up). I could pay to have my qualifications assessed or take the entry test. The immigrant part of me says yes do it, bow to them and nuzzle on the bosom ignorance and stupidity. Then Furyan Londoner inside of me me says go to hell and burn.

I went to see my local Conservative MP in my constituency highlighting my skillset, the Federal NOC codes and his connections to businesses. He was rather nice. On one hand industry is crying for skills through immigration. But on the flip side it refuses to recognise them when we apply for roles.
I helped him out with door knocking later.

I also made a appointment to see my local MLA. I highlighted the issues im having and the unrealistic job specs vs how the UK civil service does it as a possible solution. Its not the best use if we(skilled immigrants) keep getting pushed into roles like Tim Hortons and not share out skils to innovate and bring new ideas of working. I highlighted the challenges that Im continuously having to prove my University education is high school equivalent and job specs from industry are unrealistic (especially government roles). I also highlighted the SAIT issue rejecting my UK qualifications because of them not recognising a degree from a University in Leicester England. Its not as if Mark Carney was asked to prove his English when he became the Governor of the Bank of England?

I gave examples to my MP and MLA of how its done in the UK where job spec and application it is competency based (ie civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk site). I highlighted they can look at equivalent jobs specs and there was more chance of getting the right people employed (I gave specific examples). Considering our ultra small population base, its set up to ignore the diverse skills of people we do have (Born Canadians too). I explained that I find that a lot of the HR and business leaders don't focus on recognising talent and the artificial barriers that are unnecessary. As a immigrant I can compare duel perspectives.
I also highlighted a few of my UK friends have returned back to the UK, these are the type if skilled immigrants Canada needs to keep. The MLA was concerned at people moving back. He was aware of the low birth rate, low taxation base etc. He also asked for my resume and he would raise this issue in the provincial parliament and one of the NDP minsters.
I have not heard anything back from my MLA.

Since May I have used the government career connection sessions with resume help etc. I found those places suited to people who have just a high school education (no offence to anyone). Some of those people have been helpful and honest and others are just lazy fuckwits. I even used a private company. Ive gone to networking sessions/presentations, virtual career fairs and the new stack developer program thingy. Ive gotten nowhere.

I looked at immigration services, again, these are more suited if English is your second language, have no interpersonal skills or experience. To be fair I also don't qualify now as im a Citizen.

A couple of months back I seriously looked at packing it all in, returning back to the UK for good. Someone people on here even reached out to help.

But now there is a potential job opportunity that has arisen, bizarrely they are recognising my background and experience. So Im studying to change industries (again) and ive got the books out and taking exams.

(Just to point out, Im not bitching about Alberta/Canada, not at all. Its pretty SHIT out there. Im just sharing another angle/perspectve.)

[Swank]

It's been about 5 years to the day that I got laid off after my 15 year career with one employer in O&G. Fortunately I picked up a job in education before the job market was flooded with applicants. Most of my former co-workers are out of O&G too, the few that remain are worked pretty hard to make up for all the missing bodies, they don't get OT as they're on salary and bonuses are next to nothing if they even get one. It is shit out there from everything I hear from them and a lot of you guys. I fell like I'm in a different world no longer working downtown, it was the right move for me at the right time though not by choice.

[bourge73]

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Laid off from my petroleum engineering career fall 2015, collected EI and tried to start an engineering training business, didn't make money doing that. Worked a six month contract Aug 2017-jan 2018 at a car rental shop, then collected EI again. Have had a couple of training gigs pop up, and I'm also trying to start a data-analysis consultancy with some friends. So far haven't made a dime on that.

Have been putting most effort into getting full time petroleum engineering work, but have had zero success. Would take new grad or student wages, employee or consultant. Temp or full time. Prefer full time permanent employee positions, but wouldn't turn anything down.
Good times.

If you need decent well paid work with a full pension apply at CP Rail tons of jobs available at all levels. Yeah lots will say look at the reviews etc but they have been good to me for the last 13 years.

[phreezee]

Anyone have the final numbers from the Cenovus lay offs yesterday?

Heard something about CNRL as well, but couldn't confirm.

[ExtraSlow]

We have several CNRL people on here, I'm sure they'll chime in eventually. I know someone at Cenovus who got a promotion yesterday, not sure if that's coincidence . . . .