Make me an offer

[jeriendhal]

I'm outta here, no earlier than Friday, probably sometime next week. I talked to my boss, and he told me after speaking with our VP that they were willing to give me a three month severance package, allowing me to hunt for a new job without worrying about my old one. If I manage to get a new job quickly, then that also means we'll have a month or two of extra income for the year, which is no small potatoes. If not, well, I wouldn't be any worse of than before. The boss made it fairly clear he wants me gone, but he was willing to be nice about it (hence the severance package, which as an hourly employee I'm technically not qualified for), and he's going to give me a positive letter of recommendation.

Buh-bye job. It's not how I really wanted to leave, but at least I'm getting the fragg out of here.

Comments

[david-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's some good news. How are the prospects in your area?

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Fairly good. I'm in the DC/Baltimore corridor, so it's not like there aren't scads of government contractors around. I'm going to hook up with a job placement agency that specializes in government jobs, so that'll be my first step (after contacting a temp agency to sign up with them in the meantime).

[aria01.livejournal.com]

What do you do, anyways? :3 I'm curious what kind of job you'll be looking for.

That's cool they are willing to give you a severance package and stuff. Most places won't be so decent about it :\

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Y'know those little directories you find in hotel rooms, listing all the hotels the company runs? I made those, updating the info for around 5,000 hotels every year.

It was about as mind-numbing as it sounds. Mind numbing was good, at first, after a while I just became numb.

[grayhawkfh.livejournal.com]

More importantly: What are you doing this weekend? I know what's happening next weekend.

I have to work Saturday from 8-5, but can come up directly from work (College Park) or can come by on Sunday (but I'll have Frankie in tow).

Lemme know.

Oh yeah: Check out this:

http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/jobsearch.asp?jbf574=NQ00&brd=3876&vw=d&ss=0&CustomApplicant=15512,15514,15515,15516,15523,15669&sort=rv&caller=%2Findex.asp

It's a listing of open jobs here at the Archives.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Frank. I'm going to be watching my rugrat Saturday, but if and little Frankie want to be shocked by the state of our house, feel free to come by Sunday. :)

[barbara-the-w.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm jealous.

With the crap going on at *my* workplace, I wish I could get a deal like that...

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Well, I did work there for eighteen bloody years... :0 Though I'll be the first to admit I'm getting a sweet deal.

[barbara-the-w.livejournal.com]

By those counts, my measley 9-3/4 years don't look that good ;)

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

You know what you need?

Same thing I do.

TALISMAN. I played a bit this weekend and it did me no end of good.

Failing that I can hook you up with some other joyful distractions.

At very least, you can tell me the whole thing.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

I'll see you Friday. :)

[sunlizzard.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh, yeah... whatever else, employment of your sheer duration ought to be given every consideration, which it does sound like they're willing to step up to. Good to know you'll have that cushion.

And that long duration has a value as well, in and of itself, in several different ways, when you go to looking for something else.

1.) Almost nothing looks worse to an employer than a "job-hopper," not only because they don't wish to invest in a predictably short-term employee, but also because such hoppers tend to be chronic malcontents, abrasive to co-workers and bad for morale. Think Tien. Ick!

2.) How much more proof could anyone require that you're capable of stability, loyalty, dependability? It also demonstrates that you have deep ties to the community. All extremely positive traits that other companies are begging for!

3.) As to "why you left your previous employment," a question that absolutely will come up, again the length of time with that company is a reason itself: Burnout. Plain and simple, after 18 years, burnout. That neither puts the "fault" entirely on you nor entirely on the company; it's just something that can happen, and recognizing it really does end up being to everyone's advantage. The simple fact that they thought enough of your years of service to offer you a severance package (that is not the norm for your position, as you said) is a clear signal, too, that this long-term, loyal, stable employee was valued. That counts.

Just try to keep seeing this as a fresh start, a positive event. I'll be keeping you in my prayers, old friend.

~ Kay

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear the news, and your mood (as per an earlier post) are better. Both, I'd guess, are still sucky, but no longer rock-bottom. May the trend continue!

[xinef.livejournal.com]

Having been through the "laid-off" wringer, and used the time to find a new job with a much nicer boss. And then a couple of contracts, ending up in a completely different career, working from home for a small company, been there, done that, got a few t-shirts along the way.

I really do sympathize. The thing is to be positive and use the opportunity to find a job that you like better.

You mention what you did, but what sort of skills did you use? Database programming? Lots of phone calls to update the info? I'm not sure where you fit into that process or what sort of work you actually did on a daily basis.

[ndrosen.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I don't think I have any contacts likely to help you, but you're welcome to ask. If you know anything about searching databases for relevant documents, a contractor for the Patent Office just might be hiring. Or if you think of something else, let me know; I'll see what i can do.

[chaypeta.livejournal.com]

Hey if you want to move down under the Lonely Planet head office in Melbourne are hiring.*grin* You would be well qualified for it if you don't mind working in a similar field. I heard working conditions there are pretty cool. They even have a bed set aside that employees can go have a snooze in if they're feeling a bit tired. My hubby is working on a contract with them at present.