got laid off bah

[Rotary8]

Damn recession!

I should've been a firefighter years ago, wouldn't have to worry about job security. Oh well lol.

Funny thing was, when I was getting canned in the boss' office, the IT guys were quickly taking my mac pro away. When I returned to my desk, it was gone. They were like ninjas!

Left me with nothing to bring back home to use in my portfolio.

I'm just glad I'm still shooting children's portraits and weddings on the side. Because that cobra insurance hurts like a mother' for family coverage.

 

[branjosef]

Oh sorry.. I didnt see the "off bah" part.

er.... my condolences. Stay tough. I'm sure you will find something.

 

[Rotary8]

Oh sorry.. I didnt see the "off bah" part.

er.... my condolences. Stay tough. I'm sure you will find something.

Yeah, I'm sure I'll be alright. First time I ever been laid off in my 10 years of being a creative professional.

Knowing and understanding how volatile this economy was, I prepared myself months in advance. So I was able to have my resume ready to send out the second I got home. Now the waiting part...

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

Funny thing was, when I was getting canned in the boss' office, the IT guys were quickly taking my mac pro away. When I returned to my desk, it was gone. They were like ninjas!

Left me with nothing to bring back home to use in my portfolio.

What the hell? Seriously? Why would they do that? What a bunch of roosters.

 

[Rotary8]

What the hell? Seriously? Why would they do that? What a bunch of roosters.

Yes, seriously. Who the hell knew, I was really busy with work up until that point. Got called into the boss' office thinking "oh wow they are going to promote me" Next thing you know I was told to turn in my ID and keycard then go home. Not so bad, figure I got time to grab some work off my computer to put in my portfolio... **** was gone. Wish I'd taken a pic of it. It was kinda funny actually.

But I think people have tried to burn the files in the past after they got canned, so they just made sure it didn't happen again. At least they should've locked the computers and made everything read only. I'm sure there was a way to do that on a mac.

 

[SteveMobs]

But I think people have tried to burn the files in the past after they got canned, so they just made sure it didn't happen again.

hmm, you could just burn the whole office. Kidding!

Maybe pull a little Dick and Jane, get clever.

Hope everything goes alright for you.

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

Yes, seriously. Who the hell knew, I was really busy with work up until that point. Got called into the boss' office thinking "oh wow they are going to promote me" Next thing you know I was told to turn in my ID and keycard then go home. Not so bad, figure I got time to grab some work off my computer to put in my portfolio... **** was gone. Wish I'd taken a pic of it. It was kinda funny actually.

But I think people have tried to burn the files in the past after they got canned, so they just made sure it didn't happen again. At least they should've locked the computers and made everything read only. I'm sure there was a way to do that on a mac.

That's just classless. Sorry to hear about your rotten luck but hopefully you'll end up better off. What a bunch of clowns.

 

[Keebler]

Yes, seriously. Who the hell knew, I was really busy with work up until that point. Got called into the boss' office thinking "oh wow they are going to promote me" Next thing you know I was told to turn in my ID and keycard then go home. Not so bad, figure I got time to grab some work off my computer to put in my portfolio... **** was gone. Wish I'd taken a pic of it. It was kinda funny actually.

But I think people have tried to burn the files in the past after they got canned, so they just made sure it didn't happen again. At least they should've locked the computers and made everything read only. I'm sure there was a way to do that on a mac.

sorry to hear about the job loss.

have you tried asking your ex-boss about maybe taking some files for your portfolio? Just explain that you recognize your work was done through the company and maybe it's copyrighted through them, but it's your creative input and you need that to build your portfolio.

good luck,
keebler

 

[waynesun]

Sounds like a bad deal of affairs. Sorry for the unfortunate circumstance - i'm sure you'll be able to find other jobs (and subsequently, diversify a little bit).

The IT guys were a bit too soon with that one. I would have flipped the sh*t had I seen that happening to me.

 

[Rotary8]

Sounds like a bad deal of affairs. Sorry for the unfortunate circumstance - i'm sure you'll be able to find other jobs (and subsequently, diversify a little bit).

The IT guys were a bit too soon with that one. I would have flipped the sh*t had I seen that happening to me.

it happens. art people always go first in a recession. I'll be freelancing for a while until I get something more permanent. That COBRA insurance for my family is gonna hurt though.

 

[lucidmedia]

The IT guys were a bit too soon with that one. I would have flipped the sh*t had I seen that happening to me.

Interesting that so many people are suprised in the way that the employer acted... this is policy for most corporations.

Usually after you are informed you are quietly escorted outside by security. Security cleans out your desk and hands you everything in a cardboard box. You are not allowed back in the building. There is no way an employer is going to let someone who has been just laid off access to their network / data / files, etc. Its too much of a security risk.

Moral of the story for designers is make sure you bring home copies of work you may someday want to have in your portfolio. Don't wait until you need it as you may no longer have access!

 

[Rotary8]

Interesting that so many people are suprised in the way that the employer acted... this is policy for most corporations.

Usually after you are informed you are quietly escorted outside by security. Security cleans out your desk and hands you everything in a cardboard box. You are not allowed back in the building. There is no way an employer is going to let someone who has been just laid off access to their network / data / files, etc. Its too much of a security risk.

Moral of the story for designers is make sure you bring home copies of work you may someday want to have in your portfolio. Don't wait until you need it as you may no longer have access!

It sorta became policy midway through my employment there because one of the senior ADs got let go, he tried to burn his files... luckily he never emptied his trash can lol.

Anyway, I did bring home some of my work while I was there but, there could've been more I could take back. Some of my coworkers have been forwarding me some of the stuff I worked on. It's the more layer heavy photoshop files I missed.

 

[Keebler]

Interesting that so many people are suprised in the way that the employer acted... this is policy for most corporations.

Usually after you are informed you are quietly escorted outside by security. Security cleans out your desk and hands you everything in a cardboard box. You are not allowed back in the building. There is no way an employer is going to let someone who has been just laid off access to their network / data / files, etc. Its too much of a security risk.

Moral of the story for designers is make sure you bring home copies of work you may someday want to have in your portfolio. Don't wait until you need it as you may no longer have access!

i completely agree perhaps in a different setting, but you'd think in a design setting, the company would offer to sit with the ex-employee to burn some files for their portfolio? I'm certainly not saying that the ex-employees are 'owed' anything, but I would think as a common courtesy?

I have no idea as I'm not in that world, but it's not like creating spreadsheets or making sales calls.

 

[lucidmedia]

i completely agree perhaps in a different setting, but you'd think in a design setting, the company would offer to sit with the ex-employee to burn some files for their portfolio? I'm certainly not saying that the ex-employees are 'owed' anything, but I would think as a common courtesy?

I have no idea as I'm not in that world, but it's not like creating spreadsheets or making sales calls.

I agree, and I certainly don't think it is the way to treat people. The OP mentioned that the "IT" guys came and took his stuff, so i figured that whatever company he was working for is large enough to have an IT staff and was more "corporate" than "design studio".

 

[rust.puppet]

ive been laid on and off for a year and a half now... sucks when you dont have a degree, so im going to college in the fall adolescent probation officer / at home executive type

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

While it may be common at some corporations, most places back up their servers regularly (nightly even) and discourage employees from keeping anything terribly sensitive on their local machines, so losing files from a disgruntled employee shouldn't ever really be an issue.

As for security, of course they would want to keep an eye on a fired employee, but I've never heard of not allowing said employee to collect his/her own things (assuming they were fired for reasons other than stealing or misbehavior in the first place) under the watchful eye of supervisors or security.

That's just bush league. I would have lost it.

 

[THX1139]

The OP says he was laid off, but his treatment sounds more like he got fired. Wonder which one it is? Usually when someone is about to get laid off, they can see it coming. Usually everyone knows what is coming in and what projects are wrapping up. The last creative agency I worked at had to lay off a lot of staff when the dot com bubble burst. They didn't treat their people like criminals; they treated them with respect and helped some get new jobs. They certainly didn't lock down the computers and escort them off the property. Most of them knew ahead of time that their days were numbered if new contracts didn't get signed.

 

[Rotary8]

The OP says he was laid off, but his treatment sounds more like he got fired. Wonder which one it is? Usually when someone is about to get laid off, they can see it coming. Usually everyone knows what is coming in and what projects are wrapping up. The last creative agency I worked at had to lay off a lot of staff when the dot com bubble burst. They didn't treat their people like criminals; they treated them with respect and helped some get new jobs. They certainly didn't lock down the computers and escort them off the property. Most of them knew ahead of time that their days were numbered if new contracts didn't get signed.

there was a mass layoff at my old job. I worked in an information sensitive field (pharma advertising) so I could understand why they did it. I don't think they are obligated to let me grab files for my portfolio, but like someone said it should've been a professional common courtesy that at least they allowed me copy work to my usb drive.

Every company is different in their layoff approach. With pharma ad agencies, they KNOW you're going to be applying for jobs at competing agencies... which I'm trying to do now. So one can understand why they did what they did. What sucks for them was over the course of two years I worked there, I had brought most of it home. It's just the layered PSD files and some of my quark layouts stuck on my computer that only IT has access to. Otherwise I'd ask my coworkers to forward me the PDFs at least.

The way I was let go, I'm more motivated than ever to compete against them one day for new business.

edit: in addition a word of advice if you still have jobs: back your stuff up now!! lol.

This is my first time ever getting laid off, and I never saw it coming. Nobody did except upper management. Times are tough and tomorrow at no fault of your own, your company could downsize as well (knock on wood) I learned never to get too comfortable. That's why I was able to have an updated resume ready to to be sent out the second I got home.

Only thing that's missing is a print portfolio book (which I'm working on now using iPhoto books)

 

[eRondeau]

That absolutely sucks, I'm sorry this happened. But it is a cautionary tale for the rest of us. Because jobs can end just this quickly, don't expect that you'll have a couple of weeks to get your next resume or portfolio together. Same with your work email account. Assume that all of a sudden your entire work email account will be accessible by your boss and not by you anymore. Anything in there that might cause him/her to not provide a glowing letter of recommendation for your next job?

 

[Rotary8]

That absolutely sucks, I'm sorry this happened. But it is a cautionary tale for the rest of us. Because jobs can end just this quickly, don't expect that you'll have a couple of weeks to get your next resume or portfolio together. Same with your work email account. Assume that all of a sudden your entire work email account will be accessible by your boss and not by you anymore. Anything in there that might cause him/her to not provide a glowing letter of recommendation for your next job?

Exactly. I keep all personal communications on my personal webmail. Clear your history, chat logs, etc.

 

[Sesshi]

That's just classless. Sorry to hear about your rotten luck but hopefully you'll end up better off. What a bunch of clowns.

Why is not allowing theft of data classless?

When I let anyone go and certainly in my office where there is access control, the moment they leave their room to come and talk to me the control is reprogrammed so they can only exit the building. We collect personal belongings and send them immediately afterwards by taxi. Give the choice of potential damage my business or hurting someone's feelings, I'll pick the latter every time - even if it's someone I know very well.

The problem is not just security, it's that as we work more and more with data, most staff - especially ego-driven creatives and programming types - feel entitled to what's not theirs.

 

[brad.c]

Similar experience for me at my last job. Surprise call to the office, escort back to the computerless desk to pick up personal effects, and then out the door. Part of my job was maintaining the corporate data, sites, servers and network infrastructure, so they were very sensitive to the fact that I could do a lot of damage if so inclined.

Really, the look of joy on my face would have been a good indicator that I was not in a very vindictive mood.

Since they had supplied me with a laptop, there was a good deal of personal (but not private) data on the drive. The remaining IT manager was kind enough to burn a complete back-up of the user folder for me, but I already had collected my portfolio related files beforehand.

What I hadn't done was take extensive screen snapshots of the web sites I had created for their ad distribution portals. Now the company has gone out of business, and the site is no longer in operation, and all I have is small gif thumbnails to demonstrate two years of development work.

 

[fluidedge]

Don't you have the "right" to use work you created in your portfolios? I'm surprised they'd prevent you getting those files for your folder.

Is there anyone at the office you can contact to get a copy of the files? There must be company backups - talk directly to IT!

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

Why is not allowing theft of data classless?

When I let anyone go and certainly in my office where there is access control, the moment they leave their room to come and talk to me the control is reprogrammed so they can only exit the building. We collect personal belongings and send them immediately afterwards by taxi. Give the choice of potential damage my business or hurting someone's feelings, I'll pick the latter every time - even if it's someone I know very well.

The problem is not just security, it's that as we work more and more with data, most staff - especially ego-driven creatives and programming types - feel entitled to what's not theirs.

There is a difference between "hurting someone's feelings" and "treating them like garbage." If someone is being let go for something other than misconduct, I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to leave with a touch of dignity. If that means allowing them (under supervision, of course) to collect their personal effects and a few examples of their work to help them find a new job, what is the harm?

Is everyone at your company so clueless that they couldn't watch someone copy a few AI or PSD files onto a disc and still manage to stop them from destroying everything in their wake? Is your business so important to the fabric of society that you have to humiliate and degrade people who have literally changed their lives to work for you (potentially for years)?

Sad.

 

[coyote23]

Don't you have the "right" to use work you created in your portfolios? I'm surprised they'd prevent you getting those files for your folder.

Is there anyone at the office you can contact to get a copy of the files? There must be company backups - talk directly to IT!

No such thing as what you are describing.

First, most U.S. states are "right to work" states (meaning they can fire you for any old reason they want like, "I don't like your shoes." -Any- reason is legal for firing, as long as it's not gender, race, religion, creed, etc.)

Second, most every corporation I've heard of/worked for states in the employment agreement anything & everything I/one creates is the intellectual property of the company I work(ed) for.

If this wasn't the case, who wouldn't lift any & all data they could from their old job...and just trot off to their new job with said data in hand?

For me, it would be reasonable to allow an employee hard copies (print outs) of their design work. Even the major metro newspaper I last worked for (which was extremely rigid & paranoid about this sort of thing) would allow me/anyone to print hard copies of the ads we designed/photos we enhanced/what-have-you...But source files? Yeah, right! If I could have taken source files, with custom artwork/fonts/copy...I could have left my newspaper....data in hand, called up every single one of those clients & offered them to do the same work for 1/2 the price my job would have charged...See the point?