Joining John Holton’s Writer’s Workshop again this week.
Thanks for the opportunity, John!
Prompts:
- Write a post based on the word debut.
- Write a post in exactly 11 sentences.
- Something you learned in September.
- Sunday is International Skeptics Day. Tell us something you’re skeptical about.
- List ten things that annoy you more than they should.
- Write an essay entitled “How I Coped With Losing My Job.”
HOW I COPED WITH LOSING MY JOB
In 1976, after being unemployed for 18 months (trying to make it as a writer), I took an entry-level office job. The only attraction at the time was the paycheque. Who knew it would bloom into a bona fide corporate career?
A decade later, I was a department manager, happy with the position, but not the salary. As one of only two women at that level, we were severely underpaid compared to our male counterparts. A client wooed me away with a generous offer.
This was a huge mistake! The job was not as described, and I was miserable. Thankfully, another company recruited me the following year, with a significant raise.
It was exciting at first. Everyone was filled with enthusiasm, and the company’s young president kept us all motivated. When he moved on, things changed drastically!
By 1990, there were serious signs of a recession, and business dropped off. That’s when the layoffs began. I was left running the department single-handedly, working up to 60 hours a week, feeling more and more burnt out.
On July 31, 1992, the proverbial axe fell on me! As a cost-cutting measure, they were eliminating my department and farming it out piecemeal to the other branches. My services would no longer be required, but “thank you for all you’ve done for the company”.
ARE THEY FUCKING KIDDING ME?!
I had given this job my all! Sacrificed countless evenings and weekends, missed out on special events and for what? To be shoved out the door with no advance notice, five months’ severance pay and complimentary employment counselling?!
Numb from shock, I gathered my personal effects, bade everyone a hasty goodbye and drove home, tears of anger streaming down my face.
Or were they?
Could they have been tears of relief instead?
After all, the last two years had been hell. Everyone was overworked, severely stressed, and wondering if they’d have a job next week! I was mentally and physically exhausted; insomnia was worse than ever.
Slowly, after another lengthy bout of unemployment, I realized that my true self had been shrouded in shoulder-padded power suits for too long! Time to get back to the real me – the “hippie/rockchick” animal lover. Thus, my pet care business was born. It thrived for 27 years and I was happy again, despite a much lower income.
There’s a lesson in there somewhere, don’t you think?
To view all participants’ entries, and/or join the workshop, visit John:
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
22 thoughts on “⛈️⛈️ JOB LOSS AND REBIRTH 🌤️⛅ | #WritersWorkshop ✍️”
This was interesting as to your work career Debbie. How awful that you put your whole life into a job and/or a career and you are so unceremoniously kicked out the door with a “don’t let the door hit you on the *ss leaving.” Like your one job you mentioned, I also took a job that was not as advertised and my advice after that debacle is to never take a “created position.” I had worked at an ad agency right out of college as a secretary, hoping to work my way up the ladder. We lost out largest account (Chrysler) and most of the Creative Department (about 45 people) left. My mentor went to another company and could not take me with him. So I took a job wherein I would be writing the company news bulletin – it was a CPA firm, which was not my thing really, but I got there the first day, excited to finally use my degree and I was given a tutorial on using a statistical typewriter – a huge typewriter to type numbers all day to fill in for absentee secretaries – then do the weekly company news bulletins as well. I went to lunch and did not return and got into legal where I stayed 44 years. I was laid off during the recession at around the time my mom had some medical issues – when business picked up, my boss (it was just him/me as we left the Firm in 2003 after a merger) hired me back part-time only and I said “no, not going to go there for four hours and in Winter take two buses each way – I will work from home and will take a cut in pay to do so, or find a new job.” He agreed to me working from home and I never went back on site, retired in March this year, but was paid very poorly, but that was my fault for agreeing to it BUT, had I not done this, I’d not have started a walking regimen, nor a blog, nor a renewed interest in photography, so in many respects it worked out in the long run, but in other respects it may not have been my brightest financial move. But the house/car were paid off, I had no big expenses and I am not frugal, but am not wasteful either.
Thanks, Linda! That’s quite an employment journey you took as well. Working from home would certainly be easier, but it’s too bad about the lousy pay. I did miss the corporate salary, paid vacation time and benefits, but not the stress and exhaustion. Quality of life is more important. 😎
Things happen for a reason, Debbie, though we may not realize it at the time. I had similar circumstances during my career. I was one step ahead of my company’s layoffs until the very end. I was transferred by my employer from Fl to Ga on their dime, which was a godsend. After 2 years in Ga, they closed the office and I was the last one there. I was past retirement age at that time and finally retired. No regrets.
Sounds like everything worked out well for you, Eugi. 🙂 I was only 37, but had no success finding a similar management position and started the pet care business out of desperation! Good thing it worked out.
There is a lesson or two in there Deb. When one door closes, another one opens. It’s the law of the universe. And I also once left a terrific job that could have been my life career in hospitality, but like you, I got lured away by a client. It was a great ride for a few years until his business went bust. Oye! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving. <3
Yes, life can be such a gamble! 😵💫 Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Deb. Thanks for coming by.
It is the reason that I am still a simple teacher and have never gone into admin. Happiness is better than money.
For sure, Patrick! 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
You found your ideal place in the world as a result of losing your job. That had to be a huge ‘WIN’.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete! 🙂 I was pretty happy how it all turned out, but I did miss the paycheques and paid vacation time.
At last you found your true vocation!
I did, Keith! 🙂 “Corporate workaholic” didn’t fit well at all.
A friend of mine, who lost her job at the company where I had worked for 20 years, told me that, when they fired her, she did nothing but sleep. I thought she was kidding me, then I slept for a week after I left. They wear you out…
Oh yes, I slept a lot in the beginning, too! Corporations don’t care about their employees’ welfare anymore, if they ever did.
I have been let go three times, all for elimination of the job. All three of them, I left wishing I had left sooner. God was good to me when he answered my prayers for the job I have now. Although many times I wasn’t as thankful as I should be, because of problems that I learned almost too late were all my own.
At least you knew losing those jobs wasn’t your fault. We live and learn. 🙂
You did great in the business world for so long, and the pay was nice of course, but that was lousy how it ended. I’m glad you finally got to do the kind of work that made you happy. 🙂
Thanks, Barbara. 🙂 I was happier dealing with dogs than corporate types, but I definitely missed the paycheques, as well as the paid vacations.
An insightful post Deb. I love the picture of you and those puppies.
Thanks, Ernie! 🙂 I’m happiest when interacting with dogs
That is a great story. You opened your own business and you did well for 27 years. Congratulations. About the corporate jobs. I think that back in the 1980’s and earlier loyalty had a value. After that companies stopped caring about loyalty and focused more on quarterly shareholder value. The employees who paid attention to the trend stopped trying so hard to be loyal.
Yes, everything turned out for the best, in the end. 🙂 I agree, loyalty means nothing anymore, and the younger generations know this better than anyone.