Where do you live? Long Beach, Wash.
What was your job title? Program director
In what industry? Non-profit artist and writers residency
How old are/were most of your coworkers? When I first started working with the organization I had three co-workers, 20, 39, 55 and 80. At the end my sole coworker was 81.
How did you find out you were losing your job? Board members.
Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? I knew it was probably going to happen for about a month, but the Founder and Board President didn't want to give up on the possibility that she would find someway to keep me on.
Tell us a little about what you did: It was a very small non-profit--so everything from answering phones and driving residents to the grocery store to program administration, organizing fundraisers, writing/designing newsletters, etc.
What was your favorite part of the job? Meeting the writers and artists, seeing/reading their work, conversations about life.
What was the worst part? Isolation, too much time at the computer.
Did you like going to work? No.
Did you feel like you were making a difference? Occasionally.
What have you done since you've been laid off? Taught Yoga, applied to film school, visited my grandfather for a week.
How do you spend your days? It has varied. Sometimes I am very aimless and overwhelmed by the lack of imposed structure. Lately I get up early, find a place to work (usually a coffee shop), look for jobs online, look at grad schools, run and do yoga, talk to friends on the phone, feel discouraged about my lack of direction. Mostly I feel like I'm doing a lot of searching online.
Have your spending habits changed since you've been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) I'm living with a friend to reduce rent, driving less.
Do you have big financial worries -- kids in college, etc.? No, still have some student loans to pay off, but nothing huge.
How many jobs have you applied for since you've been laid off? 65
Are they in the same part of the country or a different part? Same part.
What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I've been looking a social work jobs, but most of my experience in the field is from about 7 years ago, so that's made it hard. I'd like to do something with more direct contact with people, and something that requires a lot of creativity and innovative problem solving.
