Thread regarding McKesson Corp. layoffs

Thank you all for being such a great community and a source of support

Team meeting was for the survivors, with the exception of the dev/QA shop shut down effective immediately! A handful remain for knowledge transfer (AKA work themselves out of a job)

I agree with most of this advice. Don't ever depend on an employer like that. This isn't the 50's. You will get the biggest opportunities and salaries by jumping to new companies every few years as well as the most diverse skillset. I'm also HS and certs only, and I have no regrets.

Always keep your resume up to date. Always be on the lookout for something better, even if you never take it. The easiest interview you'll ever have is for a job you don't need. And when you do need it, companies can find a place for you if you if they liked you.

I can't stand some of the whining on here about how the CEO should pay your bills for doing this or he should lose his job. Stop counting other people's money and blaming those at the top and start BEING those people. That means being smarter than thinking that a company gives a damn about you the second things get rough. That means making sure you are marketable and you set yourself at a higher standard. That means treating the company you work for as lucky to have you, and if they don't act like it, you find one that does.

I posted the "We should all follow a basic set of career plans..." thread and thought I should add something.

Due to an illness I barely graduated High School, I have NO college degree, some courses here and there but have 'pulled my self up by the bootstraps' and with training, certifications, and dedication have been working for the last 10+ years making over 100K per, and have never been un-employed for more then 3 months. I constantly receive job offers from others Ive worked with or in my career network, not just those from LinkedIn or other job boards. If you dedicate yourself to being great at what you do and follow some basic approaches to owning your own destiny it not that hard. I work for McK by choice, I picked them, they didn't pick me. And they DO NOT own my destiny, I DO!!!

Very wise, solid advice. I learned this with my first layoff back in 2000. Of course I went through total shock and terror, but what a good way to never depend on a job again.

Always keep your options open

Resume updated

Interview skills polished

Most importantly, know what YOU bring to the table. Love what you do and do what you love.

Take courses, be it free or from your local college.

Complete your degree for goodness sake! It is almost impossible to secure a decent wage without it.

That sucks

We should all follow a basic set of career plans to take more control over these situations.

1. Training: Make sure no matter what your field you take either formal or train yourself in your field and the fields related to yours. I suggest at least 40-80 hours a year minimum. And show your manager that your taking these training.

2. Interview: At least once a year. Take interviews for positions in or like your field, understand your position in today's market. Are you making to little, or to much, are you comfortable that you can meet today's qualifications for a position you may have been doing for the same company for a few years. Know your value outside of the company you work for.

3. Involved: Get involved in groups, community's, meetings, gatherings, etc... Every field or skill has online community's that often extend out to the real world. I have a friend in IT that got involved in a vintage computer club based on this advice, and in February this year was offered a job out of the blue for 30K more then she was making from one of the other members, a SVP of IT for a great company. She had no idea he was a SVP, she just called him "The geek with a nice car"

4. Distance: Don't get attached to the company you work for. Big or small sooner or later a company may need to cut staff or pay, and as the first poster indicated, Family First. Get over it, unless your working for your family business except the fact that you don't control your current positions destiny. As we have seen this week the people terminated were everywhere in the org chart, VPs to Analysts and contractors. You can like the company you work for but never expect them to fall in love with you. That's why we have Family.

Sorry, just noticed my error above...a team meeting may NOT mean doom. Cuts in my office were done individually. Meeting with groups were usually to advise of change in manager and/or duties.

A team meeting may mean doom. In my office they did all the cuts one-on-one.

Thanks it nice to know I'm not the only one.

Stay motivated and level headed. Clean out any personal items in your desk if you have one and your work pc and phone, this will make it easier. Who knows, maybe you are just being briefed with all your new added responsibilities. One door closes another opens. Get out there and network, exchange emails and phone numbers with colleagues =) We had a meeting today which was basically a pep talk to work harder and do more with less people (already doing the work of 3 or more people as it is)

Good Luck