So long and thanks for all the fish. Downsizing happens!

Good luck sir.

Out of curiosity, what was your role in the design studio?

Adrian_Thompson said:

Not even sure why I'm sharing TBH.

Dude you need to share some of that kind of stuff. Sharing with others makes it just a little better because we’re all here to give you support.

Oh that just blows Adrian.  Good luck in the hunt and let me know if I can help in any way.  Most of my connections are Tier 1 suppliers.

Got time this Saturday about noon? We’re going to cut up a race car frame in Southfield for Angry.  Whisky_business thread in Car for Sale section.  I can come and get you.  We can both meet Eliot and Patrick and get some frustration out with power tools!

wawazat said:

Oh that just blows Adrian.  Good luck in the hunt and let me know if I can help in any way.  Most of my connections are Tier 1 suppliers.

Got time this Saturday about noon? We’re going to cut up a race car frame in Southfield for Angry.  Whisky_business thread in Car for Sale section.  I can come and get you.  We can both meet Eliot and Patrick and get some frustration out with power tools!

Distinct possibility, but am working to get the Boxster interior back in so I can register and insure it before I turn in the company cars.  Will stay in touch.

Also, tier one is a high likelihood.  thx

I'm sorry to hear it; it sucks to be in what appears to be a solid situation you didn't foresee changing and have it changed out from under you.

Hope the network treats you well and you wind up with an accidental upgrade!

Good luck in the search! Having an agency help you out is going to be big after being out of touch with the process for so long. Even if they can't find you something directly, they should be able to provide some up to date tips about getting a job in today's market.

When I went through my unemployment, I had an offer within 2 weeks and another about a week after that, that resulted in a nice pay increase. May you have the same luck!

Adrian,

Sorry to hear it.  My wife lost her job early last year and was in a similar situation in that she hasn't job hunted in 15 years.  As a result, she was on the backfoot getting into the swing of things and it was a good 4-6 months before she started seeing any traction. 

I've been doing some searching trying to get out of where I am, so maybe I can make some suggestions.  (Free advice, you get what you pay for....  :D )

• LinkedIn
  • You're already updating it, that's a good start
  • Start pinging and connecting with former coworkers.  Don't hesitate to let them know you're situation and ask if they know of anything.  Most jobs are found through networking
  • Along those lines, a little quid pro quo by recommending folks and asking them to recommend you helps.  It's something I struggle with overcoming asking.
  • Stay active on LinkedIn.  Regular job searches, posts about info, etc.  I found that the more "active" I was, the more pings I got about jobs from recruiters and stuff.  Kinda like FB (which is one of the things I don't like about LinkedIn) where the more active you are, the more hits you get.  I mean, comment on posts, like posts, etc.  It helps.
  • I'm back and forth on a headshot.  I finally put one up, but it's not a "professional" one.  Thinking about pulling it.  I go back an forth on their importance (despite what LinkedIn seemed to tell me once a week)
  • List everything.  Unlike a resume, you can't have too much data on your profile.  Especially since it'll show up in searches.
  • Make sure you've checked the box in your profile that you are actively looking.  I didn't realize it existed (it's kinda buried) and it made a difference
  • Join any industry/role groups on LinkedIn just to get your name out there and see where things are going and what's availble.
• General
  • It might take a while to get going, don't get discouraged and just keep plugging at it.
  • Look around for meetups or happy hours and consider attending.  In software, there's all kinds of meetups for development languages, process meetings, etc.  All you're really doing is networking and meeting people
  • Try to use recruiters to your advantage.  They're getting paid by the hiring company, talk to as many as you can.  And, keep pinging them to keep you at the top of your list for any other opportunities
  • However, be prepared for disappointment, too.  I've talked to many recruiters about jobs and they say I'd be perfect or even better than what the company is looking for and hear nothing.  Not just 5 minutes calls, either, but 30 minutes or more talking about what I've done in my career where my strengths are, etc.  A couple have worked with me on tweaking my resume to better match the job.  Not only have none panned out, a good majority of the recruiters seem to drop off the face of the map.  It's depressing.
  • Be prepared for lots of silence.  I love that the internet has made our lives easier, but it's shocking how anonymous it is.  Emails about opportunities that you respond to and never get anything back.  Submitting your resume for a job and never hearing anything.  I've had several times that I've had a phone screen or face to face interviews and they've gone quiet or just come back with, "Thank you, but we've moved to someone else".  It's hard to figure out what you're doing wrong or what you might not have had they were looking for if nobody responds.  Not complaining, I'm guilty of it myself (see below), just prepping you for it.
  • Research ATS (Applicant Tracking System) keywords.  Basically, what keywords do the automated systems look for.  I was surprised that running my resume through a few, it was pretty far off of what I actually do and was looking for
  • I don't have the funds to really do it, but when you research ATS keywords, you'll find lots of places that offer to rewrite your resume to get more hits.  Costs vary.  If you can't get traction on your own, you might consider using one to see if it improves things.
  • It's an obvious statement, but in many ways, the hiring world is very, very different from 10 years ago.  It's easy to submit a resume, but with that, more and more are submitted so it becomes an overflow.  Networking is still a key component on landing a job.
  • LinkedIn isn't the only game in town.  Monster, ZipRecruiter, Hired, etc. are all worth being active on.  Plus, there are more niche job search places specific to industries and skills that might help.  For example, I want to go back into a startup and found a couple of sites that are specific for startups because they get lost in the big sites

View from the other side, as a manager, on the very few occasions I can hire, I often get inundated with resumes.  It's somewhat abated because we have recruiters on staff, but that's not common.  When I have a stack of 100 resumes to go through, I can only dedicate so much time to each for a quick scan (under 30 seconds) as I still have a full time job and fires that I'm putting out.  However, if a friend or co-worker gives me a resume, I'll take more than a glance and actually spend a few minutes looking at it.  Not because I feel obligated to, just because it's coming from a different source and usually from someone I trust.  Hence the focus on networking with any and everyone you've ever worked with.

Good luck.  I'm sure all of the above is totally obvious, but maybe there's a few nuggets that can help.

-Rob

In reply to mtn :

Thumbs up to that.!!!

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

That sucks, my friend.

We need to find your daughter a nice Camaro.

So, several people have asked what I do (did!) in Ford Design.  I actually consider myself  very lucky.  I am not a Designer, I'm a mechanical Engineer.  I would have been in Design 6 years later this year.  My title is Business Manager which encompass a number of things.  Super high level it broke down as:

Auto Show planning - What we would reveal, how, where and when

Concept car planning - Hand in hand with above, again what, where and when

Strategic planning - Working on future white space possible programs

Internal show co-ordinator - There are a lot of internal and some external shows at Ford.  Every single program world wide has been reviewed for final sign off on the classic Ford showroom for over 50 years now.  There's a variety of types of show. Internal management review, supplier tech days, program reviews, press events, dealer events, all hands meetings, employee shows, all sorts of things.  Along with show room we have several other spaces as well.  It's a tremendous about of work, but very satisfying.

Secret Image release.  Any Secret (basically prior to public launch) images that leave Design, even for other regions and departments, have to be reviewed and approved before being released for obvious security reasons.  That fell under me.

That's the 10,000 foot look at a 10,000 foot job, don't take that as any kind of resume summary.

Highpoints over the years?  working with some cool people, so many passionate 'car guy's'n'gals' compared to anywhere I've ever worked before.  Favorite programs.  Watching the Lincoln Continental come together and doing the concept car for that.  That is still the most elegant car in it's class.  The Lincoln Navigator concept.  That was fun as we did the huge gullwing doors and stairs so everyone thought it was a pure vanity exercise, but we did a bait and switch as the body surfacing was surprisingly close to production but no one thought it would be with the over the top doors.  You will not believe the passion behind the Bronco.  It's going to be mega.  Other things, working on photo shoots, seeing some cool cars in private collections over the years.  Watching the Ford GT from the very first sketches in late 2013.  I wouldn't and wont give away any confidential information though.

Woody said:

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

That sucks, my friend.

We need to find your daughter a Camaro.

YOu will be pleased to know her first words on being told we'd have to hand back her car were 'well at least I can get a manual now' !

Very cool.  I do something similar, but in aircraft seating.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Cool background! I really like what has recently happened with Lincoln . 

Neat stories. Maybe a book or some writing in your future  

ProDarwin said:

Very cool.  I do something similar, but in aircraft seating.

Yeah, the buzz around new developments in aircraft seating are hard to overlook. The internet is a flutter with questions like, "have you seen the new bolsters for 2019?"

Oh, have read the recent article in Aviation Seating Weekly?!  The article Jump Seats, Myth and Reality really has some juicy stuff on prototype seatbelts that are coming down the line!  Good stuff!  

Yes, not nearly as exciting to the average person (esp. on GRM), but there are a lot more similarities than you would expect.

Aviation industry makes the automotive look like jobs for life still on stability or I’d be looking at that too.  And I need to stay in the area for the next few years 

I don't get that comment.  This industry is very stable, but I'll leave it there as I don't want to derail the thread.

I wish you luck.  A Tier 1 or similar is a pretty logical move and with your experience you will be more than qualified.  Hopefully you can find something in the area and not need to move.  

Type Q said:

If it makes you feel any better I am looking for my next gig after almost 3 years. Here in in Silicon Valley moving jobs every few years is the norm. Everyone gets let go several times over the course of a career.

I went through 3 companies in...4 years? when I was in tech. None of my jobs then or since were ever posted, and on paper I've never been qualified for any job I've held since I was a military musician (and even then my band director might argue). It's all been networking and I never really worked hard at it, just knew people. In one case, I walked into a company and said "You need to hire me, and here's why". They agreed and created a position.

Adrian, with your background, I'll bet you'll find something via word of mouth without too much trouble. 

Thank you for sharing. I think we all benefit in different ways.

 I worked for the same company for 28 years, then the aging owner decided to sell the client list. Bottom line is after a lot of worrying, eventually things worked out financially for me. Thinks work out.  

Dropped you a LinkedIn connection.  Happy to share headhunter connections.  Keep the faith, I’m guessing you land on your feet in something that makes you happier.

I’m so sorry to hear this Adrian!

Since I’m a very small gear in a big machine work-wise, I’m probably not of much value in your job search.  But a commute to Ann Arbor for you would not be much fun anyway...

As others have offered, I’m always up for new automotive adventures if you need a distraction.  There is a rallycross in South Lyon in May, I may have a Saab there you can drive if you want.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Past a certain age,  look at contract working.   It is easier to get hired, They have a long time relationship with the person who you will be working for, and know the exact way to get you hired. The pay tends to be better.  You actually have benefits such as medical/ dental.  sick days,  etc from the agency that actually hires you rather than the company you work for.  As long as you aren’t paid via 1099 you collect unemployment benefits should the contract end and the agency that gets you the job hasn’t found you your next one yet.

Contract working can lead to full time hiring, best of all a lot of it is work from home.  My wife’s commute is walking up the stairs to her office.  If an office visit is ever required it’s usually scheduled around non- rush hours.  

Contract work demands your full time participation. If you have children do not think just because your are home you can keep an eye on them. Hire a nanny or get other help.  But attire quickly become extremely casual.  So you save on that and the cost of commuting.  In addition, your lunch break- coffee breaks save a lot of money too!   

Your time is tracked completely through keystroke tracking, productivity results, logging in, etc.  Problems, issues, etc are handled through your hiring agency, with regular reports, critism, comments etc.  handled by them and passed to you.   They try to keep you happy and the company you work for happy at the same time.  

I'm really going to miss you not being able to tell us all the cool things you know. 

Best of luck and crossing my fingers for a high bounce for you.