Today my team was shown the proposal for its forthcoming restructuring and, to no surprise, my post was not included, and my functions distributed among other posts, both in my team and elsewhere. So, after 13 and a half years in the organisation, I shall (following a 2-week consultation process and a few weeks for things like appeals, meetings, and stuff), in about 6 weeks, be given my 8 weeks notice of redundancy.

I've been thinking about a change for some time (the job's been getting sterile and unchallenging, and the organisation has moved - in my opinion - to being more concerned about brand and image than its core mandate of alleviating poverty and suffering), so I'm definitely regarding this as an opportunity rather than a threat, although it's slightly scary too. The good news is that the redundancy terms are considerably better than the statutory minimum, so I should get a healthy pay-off, providing they don't do something nasty like find me another job in the organisation.

I am therefore now considering my options, which fall, I think, into three categories: find another job (probably the most sensible, even if many of my skills may not be too transferable); go self-employed (freelance editing is probably the favourite, although I kind of fancy running a vegetarian cafe or something similar, but that might be a bit too high-risk); or retire into the poverty into which I fully anticipate becoming accustomed.

This is the second time in my life I've been made redundant (although I accept that, until I actually leave, there is still a chance that they might redeploy me). The first time was when I was a trucky and came after doing the job for 11 months, so I had no entitlements to any compo, and that also proved to be an opportunity, as it gave me the opportunity to become a dossy student for three years. Now, who knows?

Blimey, boris, sounds like you've pulled yourself together far faster than I would have done, in the circumstances.

Don't forget to shit into a tupperware tray and leave it tucked right under the desk of the boss who's made this decision.

Or perhaps raw shrimp tossed far back into his heating duct.

Heh. I was made redundant along with 50 other people in a company of 200 for the sole reason that the new CEO wanted to impress the shareholders by cutting costs. (They had to start re-hiring 3 months later as they were understaffed.)

On my last day I went to the pub, had a couple of cold lagers then Nitromoors'd the cunt's Porsche.

Good luck Boris. Take a bit of time for yourself and then do whatever feels right.

Boris is the kind of guy who rolls with the punches, so it doesn't surprise me that he's already looking at the up side.

Good luck, MB. If you're looking for interim work, I'll pay you to clean my flat. Shouldn't take longer than a month.

We're currently looking for a butler, two gardeners, a nanny and a masseuse. Feel to drop me a PM with your application.

Why do you need two gardeners, for heaven's sake?

Front and back.

The topic list reads

"I've not got a job" by Boris

For a moment there I forgot I was reading OTF and was instead reading headlines on the BBC News site. My heart leapt.



Oh, and bonne chance, OTF Boris.

There's a football club just around the corner who desperately need somebody skilled at alleviating poverty and suffering, Boris. And it could do with a decent vegetarian (or other) cafe, too.

A vegetarian cafe, eh, boris? I'd have thought Oxford was a suitably bohemian place. Would it be somewhere like Cowley Road? Are there many about in the city now?

I've always wanted to run a cafe (or a caff, if you know what I mean). There's a part of me that envies this development the the chances it presents you with.

La Bomba Nera's latest idea for career development (while the commie publishers wrangle over her translating the excellent 'myth of the liberal media' book) is a vegetarian cafe. There are veggie places here, but they're all utter crud. I'm guessing the competition would be a bit stiffer in Oxford, but having thought aout it for the last few days, I really really like the idea. Although that might be because it's her in danger of bankruptcy, not me.

Good luck, boris.

The fucking NGO industry makes me sick sometimes. Branding is great and necessary for funding, of course, but leads to the organisation putting itself ahead of its mandate.

The Nelson Mandela Children's Foundation is just a brand. They may disperse money to valuable projects and all, but it is a good example of empire building. The fucking egos in that outfit; power-tripping cunts everywhere. And, of course, they're not the only ones.

I think congratulations are in order, boris. Sounds like you've been given the opportunity and the motivation to turn a bad situation into a good one and to think about what you'd really like to do - I really could use a similar kick. Good luck in whatever you decide is right for you.

On my last day I went to the pub, had a couple of cold lagers then Nitromoors'd the cunt's Porsche.

Alternatively, remove one of his hubcaps, put a pebble in it and put the hubcap back on again. It takes them ages to suss out what's rattling.

Boris, just a quick note to say that the sheer quality and clear-headedness of your opening post makes me absolutely certain that a) they made a very large mistake, and b) you will make a success of whatever it is you choose to do next.

A word of caution, however. Running an eating establishment of any sort can be a never-ending pain in the ass, though keeping it small and working with reasonable purveyors helps a lot.

Approach with caution and your eyes wide open.