Finding out you're being shunted sideways to a job you really don't want, whether you like it or not

Seriously, getting made redundant is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Think of it as a way to make a career move laterally instead of being shunted.

Essentially, as of the end of this week, my job is not going to be there any more, and there will be no prospect of me doing what I actually want to do within this company, probably ever again.

Maybe its a good thing, maybe I've been in the comfort zone too long, and that's stopped me moving on earlier, as I should have. Maybe its a kick up the arse - take the job, which I know will be boringly undemanding, sit out the last three weeks of the year and really hammer the jobhunting in the new year (as I was intending to anyway). I'll have to drop them in it just as they've filled what is really a pretty key position, but fuck it. Still, pretty depressing way to end the year.

There is actually another offer in the pipeline, but its dependent on a couple of higher management things happening. If that goes ahead, then everything's fine, but I'm not banking on it.

This happened to me. I was then mostly unemployed for the next 18 months and went through all my savings. Be careful Trayce.

I say take the sideways move and try to get another job ASAP - always better to be job-seeking from a position of employment even if you do have redundancy money.

Him: "Any questions?"
Me: "I notice my job isn't on there"
Him: "Yes, we'll be discussing that within the next few weeks"
Me: *gulp*

Hurrah for management! I find out my job doesn't exist anymore in a room full of my colleagues (all of whose jobs are still there) without anyone having the courtesy to warn me first.

I've been told not to worry, and that something else will be there for me, but my job as it exists at the moment isn't and I'm not very happy about it.

I am also the deputy manager of my office, a role created specially for me, but this new structure doesn't involve that position either. I was off sick when the factfinding stuff was done by the people that make the decisions so don't really know what was said to them about what I do and why they think that it can be done in another office away from my colleagues. Someone will apparently be talking to me and the other admin people in the next few weeks to find out how best to organise it, but I'm not wholly optimistic that the role they envisage is what I want to do.