I have a good chunk of my life dedicated to work. In retrospect, I see that I come from families (both side) where your work defines you to a greater degree.
I was reading a post from another area of the Internet and I was stunned by my own feelings towards the matter. He just lost his job (layoff). He was saying that it was finally sinking in that he was leaving and that he wasn't coming back. All the other pressures were there, heavy and getting heavier.
I recall one such moment. It wasn't a layoff per se. I was leaving my job for another. The company wasn't doing well and there were all sorts of warning signs that a massive shakedown was going to occur. I was the last of a dwindling division, mostly due to the fact that I had sold myself to a client so well that they kept me on retainer and onsite for 9 months.
It was my last day at a desk I didn't know, with people I didn't know very well. It was entirely too depressing. I had helped the company kick start a satellite office where I helped bolster from a single man operation to something close to 20 people. This was before the buyout, which led to the slow demise of my “department”. I had had a great 3 years with them. It had been a lot of work, great people and good times.
They had left, one by one. I was the last. There was one or two left that came from other department, but with me being the senior tech, I knew that it wouldn’t survive the quarter under the new regime.
As I was reading his post, it reminded me of my not so great moment leaving a job I had spent a good chunk of my life and knowing there was no going back to it, either way.
Have you had a similar moment?
raft posted on Sep 12, 2006
| views: 212
Comments
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amanhecer said on Sep 12, 2006....
I could recall having the same experience. I had a "good" job in China, worked hard, did everything I could to help the company, made real good friends..but in the end I realized that it's just not for me. One day I came to the office, and some sort of intervention told me, I'm done here. So right away, I talked with the boss, and made my resignation letter. I even had to lie so I'd make the a good reason for leaving. I wanted out. So I did.
It was a painful difficult time dealing with, after I left. I was totally depressed. Then I remembered why I did that. And it's for the better life I "wanted" for me this time. And I swear I'm never coming back.
Good luck on your plans!
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silverwhisper said on Sep 12, 2006....
when leaving both high school and college, yeah. and the first job i left, i had that as well. that was back when i thought i'd stay in that industry. each job i've had since has been in a different industry, oddly enough.
ed
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Alyss said on Sep 12, 2006....
I've had good job experiences and bad ones and have had jobs I was grateful to be free from and ones that I couldn't ever imagine leaving but I've never yet been made redundant.
It must be a horrible feeling.
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mymave2006 said on Sep 12, 2006....
just recently i stop from my work...... i asked and pleaded my husband to give me 1 year to finish the school year but he didnt grant my request. He wants us all to go with him in his school where he pursues his masters degree..... good point because he wants the family to stay together......but i really love my job. Right now im still thinking of the people i worked with, the pupils, and my job......how i love to go back and work. Now, im a full time mother and trying to enjoy .......four years from now, i know i can go back to work.
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raft said on Sep 13, 2006....
amanhecer: Thanks for sharing. Obviously, you felt it was important enough to resign for. I've yet to have to face such a decision. I've always quit with another job lined up.
SW: So having read of your own job hunting post, it's time to change industry? ;)
Alyss: I fear I did not explain myself properly. I hadn't been made redundant. They simply destroyed that line of business. I was the last and with me they didn't have the technical clout to continue business, short of restarting from scratch. I knew that they didn't have any more implementations lined up for me. There weren't any prospects as I hadn't been called into sales pitch for a work survey. I prefer leaving on my own term.
It had just been 3 years of hard work to build something that was essentially destroyed in 6 months by people who weren't listening. It was frustrating at first, but ultimately it was sad. C'est la vie..
mymave2006: Sorry to hear that you had to leave your job. I've yet to have a job that I was completely happy about. I've rarely stayed longer than 3 years.
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JadeLondon said on Sep 13, 2006....
For the first time ever, I quit a book keeping job without notice. I would normally never advocate that sort of behavior, but to put it quite mildly, he was a jerk.
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Alyss said on Sep 13, 2006....
raft; I understood that from your post. I was expressing my general opinion that redundancy sucks. Having the job eroded right in front of you must be pretty soul destroying too.
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silverwhisper said on Sep 13, 2006....
raft: as a matter of fact, yes. :>
ed
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raft said on Sep 13, 2006....
MUST be a slow day. I've made first page?!
Jade: I've come real close once, but I've always opted for the conservative stance of finding something else first. My early job training was doing "sweat shop" work (I use that term loosely. I'm North American, so "sweat shop" has a different connotation in other parts of the world). So I got used to getting yelled at, although I yelled right back. But I know what you mean. Have you found something already? Or are you still looking?
Alyss: My comprehension-fu is light today. I plead lack of sleep and undercaffeination.
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gingersoul said on Oct 01, 2006....
I worked for almost 12 years as reporter in Italy.
The last 4 years has been the most rewarding and challening.
I was put in charge of the local edition of this national newspaper.........i had almost 10 people working under me.........they promised me the moon...i believed them.....they were to honest and reliable people.
The didn't pay me the rigth and i gave my blood for that project even putting a starin on my marraige tahled actually to my husband having anafari ..
i had to quit....and i had to sue them to having back part of they money they owed me......
it was painful and stressful...
but if i want to see the bright side soon after that horrible experience i got pregnant..so i had the chance to live a very peaceful pregnancy not having to work....
i understand how you feel.....:-)
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raft said on Oct 01, 2006....
Having to sue is not cool. I've seen others do it. That in itself is very difficult, especially if they try to do character assasination to get away without paying. It's never a good experience.
I don't know what kind of support structure you have in Italy. Do you get maternity leave? Paid? How long?
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gingersoul said on Oct 02, 2006....
Yes, that is exactly what they were trying to do...it has been a painful and long process ...it put me in a bad position within the journalist association too.....you know, editors are a caste...do not dare to step on their feet...:-)
anyway...since before gettin pregnant i quit i couldn't even enjoy any maternity leave (in Italy we have 6 months all paid).......
And soon after my child was born i left Italy to move here in Usa.
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