Onward, onward...

...ever onward.

Today I had another meeting regarding this whole redundancy malarky, to look at positions in the group where my skills could be applied.

I've identified 3 areas where there's currently no one doing that job but we need someone to, all in a similar field and using my skill base. They were very well received, and this is going on for a while longer while these are presented to assorted areas of group.

I'm not holding my breath, but these roles certainly need filling (for a sustainable future) despite our hiring freeze etc. We'll have to see.

Next news will be on January 5th (as @DigitalPulse, my 'witness', is away over the festive period). Gonna try and put it out of my head (save preventativly registering with a billion agencies) 'till then.

Saga Continues...

Well, as of 10am today my position at Northcliffe Media has been made redundant. The job though, not me, technically.

Apparently, they do not need a 'New Media Specialist' for the future. Go figure.

And so we come to the next stage. They are now looking around the DMGT to "see if my skills fit in anywhere else" and, in addition to this, I'm to "spec out several potential positions within the wider group that could be created to utilise your talents". All very odd, and insanely convoluted. I'm still not really sure what the fracks going on now. Anyway, I'm to present options on Wednesday next week at our next meeting, and folks are sniffing around the corners of DMGT on my behalf.

So, no big Christmas presents and no days off over the festive period (in case I leave and they are deducted pro-rata), joygasum.

Alas, despite an ingrained fondness for the place, I just can't afford to mess about anymore. I'm a multi-award winning one man online marketing department, officially looking for work and open to offers.

CV here.

Carrying On

With current circumstances as they are, people keep asking me the same question: "But, if newspapers want to grow online, don't they really need people like you?".

By way of explanation, I'm obliged to highlight this very good/comprehensive article that @DigitalPulse slid under my nose, entitled "Why Are Newspapers Dying?". This covers the issue nicely in a couple of lines during the latter half.

The saga continues. Will report back with an update on Friday, after the next meeting. In the meantime, lots of lecturing bits, gym with @SparklyJem, consultancy stuff, Little Big Planet, talking to agencies and curious parties, keeping fingers crossed, and flying the ETC around SL with @TerryLightfoot.

Fingers still crossed, and on the plus side at least I managed to avoid LeWeb (plus Sony Home is finally open for public consumption around 7pm tomorrow).

No Change

Well, no change in the current employment situation as of the meeting today.

Northcliffe have taken my documentation, of which I provided a seriously healthy amount, and are assembling a response. Next meeting is 12th December. I got a feeling it won't end there.

I have another 2 weeks garden leave if I want to take it. This time, unless I'm needed for redesign stuff, I just might. I got mixed feeling this time around, and Emily yesterday hasn't helped.

Twitters will continue.

Crazy Days

Things have been happening in the Hewitt household in the last few weeks that have made me, frankly, reluctant to blog.

As many of my mates and casual readers will know, I work for a large newspaper company (DMGT) and have recently moved to another division within the company (Northcliffe Media Ltd.). I have a new manager, with new priories, and (seemingly over night) Northcliffe Media has now decided to make a number of people redundant, of which I'm one. I'm currently going through the motions of justifying my place in the company and justifying what I do (i.e. New Media Specialist in an ever expanding online market).

Yes, I know, this sounds crazy considering a big chunk of the future for the newspapers is gonna be online/video journalism (just ask the BBC). Add to this the redesigns, plans, scoping, wire-framing, and full-blown ongoing projects that we're thick in the throws of, but it's a crazy time which clearly calls for crazy measures. I'll reserve my opinions here, pending final decisions, as to why I was one of those chosen...

I've stopped counting (at 3480) the number of British jobs lost in the past week, with big companies in print media announcing wave after wave of fresh redundancies just prior to Christmas. I work just a couple of desks from Hold the Front Page, the local journalism news site, so get to hear all the numbers first hand (and they at least seem busy). It's not pretty. The Daily Mail and General Trust says it's gotta cut 300+ positions (6%). Jobs are going all round at Northcliffe, especially in the regionals, and they are closing the Grimsby print works and splitting the load between Derby and elsewhere. It's not a good time to be job hunting either, no matter what ya industry.

I like my job. I like it a lot. It's interesting (for a 'futurist type' like myself) and I get time for research and experimentation. It's a rare thing (outside education) to have a remit that allows you to constantly look at new ways to gather and deliver the news, plus I've worked with an awesome team for nearly 6 years making some top draw Webby and BAFTA winning sites. The 'original 3 of us' still sit together on one desk. Frankly I'd rather not go back to just SEO or video, but might just have to. I've got a lot of strings to my bow and I know this industry (and new media) pretty damn well. If things go badly I'll miss this place, and my mates here, one hell of a lot. I'll also probably miss having a roof over my head and solid food.

So, please excuse the lack of posts (see the constant barrage of Twitters for updates). I'm taking my mind off it by hitting the gym, smiling through, but speculatively cruising the agency sites in the evening and picking up more lecturing. Not much time for virtual worlds, alas, but trying to tidy stuff up there professionally just in case (please don't worry about our ongoing projects, I'll personally make sure everything is properly covered in SL etc. if the shit hits the fan).

@SparklyJem is being a star (as ever), and has a new round of costume and jewelery workshops up if you're interested. Everyone has been very kind around work.

I'll know more next Monday (in a week) when I have my next meeting to discuss all this and 'present my case'. There's a long process to go through here, and I have no intention of "going quietly into the light".

My CV is here, if you're curious. I will work for bandwidth.