I go in to work today like normal. But, it was taking an awful long time to log into the network. I got down on my hands and knees to trace my cable back to the switch. Everything was connected as it should be and I was getting activity lights, but my network connection was still down.

I was on my way to the IT person when a coworker stopped me. He said, "It looks like they let a bunch of people go." Ugh. Working in the window and door industry means that when people stop building or improving homes, our company is directly impacted. I started wondering about which people they let go. I had started to think that I was okay up until I saw my manager's reflection in the windows by my desk. I asked him what I could do for him, but I already knew my job would be greatly impacted (provided I still had a job).

I followed him to his office and quickly learned that they were letting me go. I tried to keep an open mind and a positive spirit. But, it was quite difficult. I headed back to my desk and started to pack. It is amazing the amount of "stuff" that can be accumulated in two short years. It took me about an hour to sort through my belongings and what belonged to the company.

After packing, I went around the building to say my goodbyes. Everyone was nice about it. A few people were completely in shock. Several people said that they would write letters of reference for me. I had a good talk with all of my managers. I said I would be happy to continue to support all my projects. I coded most of my projects by myself. So, the remaining developers are unfamiliar with the code. I am confident that they will be able to pick up my projects eventually. But, sometimes a five-minute call can save a few hours of research.

A few people said that they would hire me back should the industry pick back up. While that is encouraging, I doubt that the industry will turn around in the next month let alone the next year. So, it is time to polish the resume and start the job hunting process.