h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, that was certainly a fast 3 months...

I would have done differently if I'd known that they never intended to keep me. Like not take the job in the first place!

Well, life goes on. I'm going to look until I find the RIGHT job this time! I live in a city which has enough high rise office buildings that I don't get any sun in the afternoon (BAD Feng Shui!), but I figure there just has to be a job for me in one of them. And I WILL find it!

I will become a Possibility thinker, even if it kills me!

as someone who quit gleefully 4 years ago, and then quit quite forcefully working freelance for the same company, i don't know what to say... except good luck of course.

Thanks, nim! I will take any encouragement I can get.

I don't know, but feel fairly sure, that you don't get unemployment benefits in Iran. Here they take money from each paycheck you get to fund the benefits you receive if you lose your job, and don't find another right away.

I got the word that I will receive $179 a week for 13 weeks. This works out to about $770 a month. Which seems like a lot -- except that my rent comes to $750 a month.

It took me 10 months to find the job I just lost, so am understandably feeling a bit panicked. But, as mentioned above, I will be a Possiblities thinker!

SC

there are some benefits in the employment package here, including that the employer has to prove to the ministry why they are letting people go.

I do have independent income, as some of my father's friends made investions for their kids and forced my father (honestly!) to participate, but I had so much problems with the (my Dad's...) company that I would have resigned even without this - and it was much less then than it is today. To make a long story short, I was doing the foreign correspondence/translations for three different offices while being paid the lowest salary among the "office-pool", and wasn't even insured! Now they have 4(!) people doing my job, and they still would call me in for oral interpretations, and NOT pay me because "it's your own company!"

(pulls out the and tries to calm down)

nim, that's dreadful! I hope you at least feel better at how much they needed you! Small comfort, I know, but it can help. Is it difficult to be viewed as the owner of the company, when you don't feel in charge?

I'm glad that there is some compensation for job loss there. It's so scary to lose your only means of support and nothing to fall back on (particularly since I had to cash in my pension to have something to live on, when I lost my job last time!). I WILL find something, it just may not be as much salary as I made last year.

SC

I actually almost closed a contract with them to work in their office in the Emirates last year (I wanted to be away when my brother moved back), but then I realized that they already had broken *every* verbal agreement we had, and I hadn't even signed a contract yet! And they kept telling me to sell my appartment here (which isn't mine, the whole building is in my Mom's name) and buy one there, because its "such a good investment" so that they wouldn't have to pay rent for me! One time might be funny, but after the fourth time, it was insulting. Especially as I know how much money they pay to non essential people.

I speak, read and write 3 languages, have 7 years of experience in their own company, have no bad habits like alcohol or clubbing, and can be trusted NOT to use the office to start my own business - they should have been running after me and accomodating my needs, not the other way around!

They even had the ticket and travel money ready (one entry visa, no guarantees to help me get resident visa) and I told them what they could do with it - and not to call me when they need a technical translator/interpreter again!

(breaks out more which, being virtuall, has not side-eefcts and can be consumed with untainted pleasure)

Wow, nim, I'm impressed! I speak English (better than most native speakers in terms of vocabulary, and comprehension) but I only speak about 250-300 words of Spanish, not enough to qualify me for a bi-lingual position.

I'm also inspired by your example! You did the right thing -- people who don't keep verbal contracts, can't be trusted not to lose the paper the written one is on!

I'bve decided this time around, I'm going to hold out as long as possible for the RIGHT job. And no maniac bosses this time.

! what a lovely idea!

SC

Note to self -- never brag about english skills then forget to preview post!!

SC