I feel your pain, I have been on both ends of the spectrum. My last job ended when they decided to relocate and I told them I wouldn't go. It was treated as a personal affront. I had several meetings with VP's and directors, even was given a blank sheet of paper for a relo package. After they finally understood that I wouldn't move or make the 2 hour drive each way, they agree let me go about my job. During the time I found out, to when I left, I was treated as a totally different person. My responsibilities were whittled down to nothing. I was no longer training new people and was left out of staff meetings. Everytime I made a mistake, they looked at me like I was sabotaging the company. I really was tempted to bail on them. To make matters worse, they dangled a nice severance package at me if I stayed for the 2 months until they packed up. Really liking my managers, I agreed and then the slimeball vp started looking for ways to get rid of me right before I left so they wouldn't have to pay the severance. I hated it, felt betrayed, and used. However,I did laugh all the way to the bank after I had left and started cashing the sev checks.

Now I find myself on the other end of the spectrum. The company I just started with in October just laid off 600 people- 200 of them from the IT department. Now they just upped the dress code to "Business Professional." I want to start looking, before the next round of layoffs, but I can't- the wife and I just started to buy a house and I can't hop jobs or else I probably won't qualify for a mortgage. I am also afraid to start looking because it will appear strange that I left a company after only being there 7 months.

When is a good time to start looking for a job? Should I wait for another year and a half, and hope they don't lay me off? I don't want to get branded as a job hopper. What do most people use as a job hop calendar?