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What All The Layoffs Did For Me

(2017-01-06 21:17:14) 下一个

I have worked in the US for 10 years and
experienced four layoffs.

The first didn't directly involve me: I jumped
ship one month before the startup, my first
employer in the US, went belly-up. It would have
been scary had I stayed as my son was six
months old and I just started working.

Two years later, my group in an international
conglomerate was sold to another firm. Many
people were let go with generous severance
packages. Some of the old-timers actually wished
to be laid off. But no. Not the programmers. We
were told that we were "assets" for the new firm.
I felt pity for the technical writers but what did I
know? I was new and young and keeping the job
seemed more important.

Six years passed during which I switched job
twice before being discharged as part of the
"streamlining" effort after the company was taken
private. The terms were generous and I enjoyed
some time off during which I ran the marathon and
discovered Seneca.
 
The next gig lasted 16 months. The pay was good,
I was mercenary, the culture feudal, and the manager
imperious and insecure. I focused on my personal
growth and greatly enjoyed the stint but in the
process became unbearable for the bosses. After
going through a "performance improvement plan,"
I got the sack. This was the first time I knew what I
wanted and followed through. I embraced the storm.

I took some time off to read, write, crab, and cook.
I could feel the progress in everything I pursued
and again discovered a lot before taking on the
next shift. I wished I could loaf longer. There was
so much to know.

In summary, it has been an anti-fragile process.
I was repeatedly tested to the degrees that
wouldn't break me and each time I got stronger
and saw things clearer. I have been lucky and
allowed to gain experience. I am thankful and
the venture goes on.

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7grizzly 回复 悄悄话 My experience was that to get easy money I have to take it easy ;-)
Many people saw the "streamlining" coming, couldn't handle it and jump ship too early.

Thanks for stopping by.
暖冬cool夏 回复 悄悄话 Just as you once said (or the song sings) that what does not kill you makes you stronger, what does not kill you makes you a fighter. True in your case. Though my story is a bit different (I was never laid off, with any severance package. I was not born to have the fate of getting the easy money:-)), it boils down to one thing: 天下乌鸦一般黑。Hope we can amass enough fortune one day to have the freedom of not working for the money. It is not that we are mercenary, but the world is.
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