Example of why I want to R(V)E!!

[24601NoMore]

So, at the ripe old age of 54, I CANNOT WAIT to RE. Here's the latest example why..

We've been going through re-orgs at work, starting with a new SVP. SVP guy announces his org a couple weeks back, and says his directs (who I report to) will announce theirs "in the coming weeks".

FF to yesterday, and my Director's announcement of his plan.

We're about 10 minutes into the call, and he says "I'd like to review the changes I'm making..want to spend no more than 5 minutes on the new org" - and then proceeds to put up a Powerpoint slide that many of the people (me included) are totally blindsided by.

For me - I no longer report to him, but one of my former peers who's been elevated to "Team Lead" (whatever that means). My box goes into his box on the chart. I ask (former) Director - "does this mean I report to X?" and get nothing but tap dancing until I push - hard, at which point he admits I do, indeed.

What kind of bad form / disrespect is this? You can't even call people ahead of time to tell them and they find out on a call with 50+ people by seeing a Powerpoint slide?

I challenged him on it on a 1:1 later, and he (unbelievably) claims that he "only decided 10 minutes before the call" who the new leads would be, so "couldn't" call people ahead of time. Riiiiiiiight!

Oh, to add insult to injury - the position was never posted (even though our HR corporate VP gives us all sorts of 'puppies and rainbows' talk about career opportunities, career development, equal opportunity, blah, blah, blah). He handpicked from among his favorites. I wouldn't have wanted the job anyway, but it's still incredibly disrespectful of your people. Fortunately, I'm friends with the guy he picked and we're allies - but still..

At first, I took this personally and as I sign he doesn't care one way or the other whether I stay or go. But, I checked with others, and it truly doesn't appear he told ANYONE ahead of time.

I. CANNOT. WAIT. to RE. Going to pull the trigger soon as I cross max SS earnings for 2018 so that I have another "max" year for the 35 years of SS calculation.

Absolutely unbelievably bad form. And they wonder why people are not motivated. Worse than that, I simply dread going to work every day. Not good.

I'm taking the rest of the day off I'm so tweaked. Might spend some time with my favorite beverages this evening as well.

 

[JDARNELL]

In a few months this will be noise to you. I rem in 2014 when I told my boss I was resigning and she asked why. I laid it out for her and she broke down and started balling. It seems she wanted to leave also but couldn't financially. Do what is best for you.

 

[exnavynuke]

I can't wait to retire either, unfortunately I have years to go; be thankful you're just waiting until later this year....

 

[24601NoMore]

I can't wait to retire either, unfortunately I have years to go; be thankful you're just waiting until later this year....

Well, I intend to RE this year..but am also having a pretty tough time with the psychology of quitting a very good paying (but truly awful) job at 54. Still have some juice left in me and going from very good W-2s to...zero..is going to take some mental getting used to.

At least I have a very good plan in place. But what's the old saying? "The best of plans never survive first contact with the enemy" or some such thing..so, I can't help but think of all the things I have not yet thought about - even though I've spent the better part of the last year plus preparing and planning.

 

[IMATERP]

Thanks for sharing your story. Reminds me of the toxic environment that I left 73 days ago. I don't miss all of that nonsense and my body is slowly recuperating back to a relaxed sense of normalcy.

I

 

[joeea]

You have shared a good story about a bad job. For me, it would be a great reason to find a new job and then quit this one. But deciding to retire is a different thing.

That said, lots of folks choose to retire rather than find a new job. I did.

I had always planned to retire at 66. At the age of 60, it became clear that I would need to leave a deteriorating situation and find a new job after 9 years with the current company. I had been spending some time with my financial adviser. So I went back to her and talked about my job situation. She said "But Joe, you could always retire now if you wanted to!"

We spent a bit more time going over the numbers, and I spent a bit of time going over everything with my wife. Then we made the decision that I didn't want to start anew at a new company. So I retired. My wife continues to work.

I was called back to help out my old company on a part-time basis (16 hours a week - two days). It worked out great. I found that knowing I was financially independent, that the gig would only last as long as I wanted, and that I wasn't in an awful middle-management position made all the difference. I thoroughly enjoyed working 2 days a week for a year.

So before you finally pull the plug for good, take a bit of time to de-stress and at least consider other possibilities. Once you reach financial independence, the possibilities are endless!
- find a new full-time job
- find a job doing something you enjoy, even if it pays a lot less
- consider working part-time there or elsewhere

Good luck!

P.S. One time many years ago, my department was reorged. And my name wasn't in any of the boxes! When I asked the new Director about it, he claimed it was just an oversight. A few months later we had layoffs. Lots of people who had their names in boxes were let go, and I was as well.

It actually turned out great. While collecting unemployment I launched a new career that turned out to be far more rewarding. I ended up with the best job I ever had.

 

[big-papa]

I'm 57 and still working and can't believe the number of times I've been through this over multiple companies. Will RE in 3-5 years and hope to put it all behind me. It seems this might be the first time for the OP - wish that had been my case.

 

[24601NoMore]

Y

We spent a bit more time going over the numbers, and I spent a bit of time going over everything with my wife. Then we made the decision that I didn't want to start anew at a new company. So I retired. My wife continues to work.

Same here - we are FI, so "could" retire tomorrow. I've spent the better part of every weekend for the past 2 or so years building the "plan to end all plans" and it's as solid as it could possibly be. Sure, I still wonder about the unknown / unplanned, but guess that is just life, also.

I'm actually already interviewing with another company that reached out to me..have gone through the second round and next (final?) is the dreaded fly out to corporate HQ to go through the gauntlet.

Having a very hard time getting myself motivated to do that. I'm just SO. DONE. with running the gauntlet and the whole process of finding and landing a new gig. If they want me - fine. But I'm not going to go through rounds and rounds of interviews (like literally the 10 people I had to interview with to land THIS gig 3 years ago), compete against others, etc. I'm done with that at this point in my career.

So, I'm basically in the same boat - don't necessarily WANT to start anew at a different company and that's a big part of what's holding me back from just saying screw it - I'm moving on to another company. ER is much more attractive at this point, especially with a wife who's a few years older than I am and who I want to spend time with before one of us kicks the bucket.

 

[24601NoMore]

I'm 57 and still working and can't believe the number of times I've been through this over multiple companies. Will RE in 3-5 years and hope to put it all behind me. It seems this might be the first time for the OP - wish that had been my case.

Oh, how I wish that were the case

I have stories on top of stories. If you could have a bad experience w*rking, I've had it - times ten.

I envy those people (lots in my family like this) who have "normal" careers (like, being an exec at one of the big F500 companies). Mine's been anything but, since I first got laid off in 2007 right at the start of the meltdown. Had a great career to that point. Since then has been total crap, and one nightmare j*b after the other. I unfortunately work in a business that's as political and back-stabbing as they come. Seems like the more $$s there is to make, the worse the gig.

Funny story - I had another offer from a previous employer when I started this job. Previous employer CEO (who I reported to) read the Glassdoor reviews for my current company (pretty much all horrible) and asked if I really wanted to work there. I got pulled in by the big name, the RSUs, the prestige..and he was absolutely right. Have not had the cajones to tell him since..

Just had to vent a bit as it's getting increasingly challenging as I get older to put up with this type of cra#...

On another (related) note..I started watching Joel Osteen on Sunday mornings while exercising..love him or not, he has a lot of great sermons..and the one this week was the story about the seeds and how they only grow in "good soil". I definitely do not have "good soil" at this point, so either need to RE or FIND good soil. Sermon a previous week was about being off-course and finding a new road - he used the example of the iPhone NAV saying "recalculating route" when you are off-course. Trite example but it really resonated with my situation.

I seriously need to "recalculate route" at this point. I know what I need to do - it's just very hard to do so.

 

[24601NoMore]

Thanks for sharing your story. Reminds me of the toxic environment that I left 73 days ago. I don't miss all of that nonsense and my body is slowly recuperating back to a relaxed sense of normalcy.

I

Good for you and congrats!! How old were you when you left?

I also worry about the impact this is having on my health and well-being. I feel 90+ most days and am pretty surprised I'm still above ground at this point.

 

[Dtail]

Oh, how I wish that were the case

I have stories on top of stories. If you could have a bad experience w*rking, I've had it - times ten.

I envy those people (lots in my family like this) who have "normal" careers (like, being an exec at one of the big F500 companies). Mine's been anything but, since I first got laid off in 2007 right at the start of the meltdown. Had a great career to that point. Since then has been total crap, and one nightmare j*b after the other. I unfortunately work in a business that's as political and back-stabbing as they come. Seems like the more $$s there is to make, the worse the gig.

Funny story - I had another offer from a previous employer when I started this job. Previous employer CEO (who I reported to) read the Glassdoor reviews for my current company (pretty much all horrible) and asked if I really wanted to work there. I got pulled in by the big name, the RSUs, the prestige..and he was absolutely right. Have not had the cajones to tell him since..

Just had to vent a bit as it's getting increasingly challenging as I get older to put up with this type of cra#...

On another (related) note..I started watching Joel Osteen on Sunday mornings while exercising..love him or not, he has a lot of great sermons..and the one this week was the story about the seeds and how they only grow in "good soil". I definitely do not have "good soil" at this point, so either need to RE or FIND good soil. Sermon a previous week was about being off-course and finding a new road - he used the example of the iPhone NAV saying "recalculating route" when you are off-course. Trite example but it really resonated with my situation.

I seriously need to "recalculate route" at this point. I know what I need to do - it's just very hard to do so.

Had a great paying j*b myself, but then it evolved to constantly offshoring j*bs to save money. Got extremely frustrating, so took the 1 year package and have not looked back. I don't keep in contact with any former colleagues to further separate myself from any possible guilt, etc.
You are FI - but your time left decreases each year.

 

[CaptTom]

If you really are FI, then this new j*b thing would be just a hobby.

It might be kinda fun to start a new gig. But from what you write, it doesn't sound like your heart is in it.

I suspect you'll feel pretty much the same at the new company as you did at the old. It's not just one boss' rudeness that made you want to vent here. I'm guessing it's years of soul-crushing corporate BS, from the top down. Yeah. Many of us have been there.

If that's really where you are, and the idea of another year or more of w*rk isn't doing anything for you, then consider this: Nobody ever lay on their death bed saying "I wish I'd spent more time at the office."

 

[38Chevy454]

Assuming you are FI, I recommend to take the leap into retirement. I did it at 53.5, although I was leaving a decent megacorp job (even better I was part-time with still full benefits), the freedom of not working is so far great for me. I do have lots of outside work activities so never had the need to replace working with something else. But it was still dealing with corporate BS, overseen by gov't BS. Just getting out of that environment was a goal.

I won't say going to a new job will make things better. Short term it might, but if you have the goal of early retirement, then all you are doing is delaying the day. Using your example, time to make your own good soil.

 

[RAE]

I retired at age 54.5. Similar to your situation, our agency was going through a reorganization then (it started about 10 months before I left), and that is what really pushed me to get out. They were changing my job duties, who I reported to, wanting me to travel more, etc.........none of which made me happy (to say the least). And it wasn't just me that they were picking on......about half of our employees were being put through similar turmoil, so everyone was upset. I had actually been planning to retire when I turned 55 anyway, but all of the nonsense caused me to pull the plug 6 months early. After 8 years in retirement, it's all just a distant (if unpleasant) memory now. The financial part has worked out fine for me, and I have zero regrets about leaving when I did.

Only you can decide what is the best thing to do in your situation. The added stress of either hanging on at your current job, or taking a new job (that almost certainly will be stressful as well) might not be worth it, especially if you can afford to retire financially now.

 

[travelover]

Well, I intend to RE this year..but am also having a pretty tough time with the psychology of quitting a very good paying (but truly awful) job at 54. Still have some juice left in me and going from very good W-2s to...zero..is going to take some mental getting used to.
..............

I retired at 54 because I could, not because I didn't have any juice left in in me. I decided that I wanted to expend that juice on me, not on some asshats that only really cared about themselves. And guess what? It has been a great 11 years of enjoyment that I'd never have had if I'd stuck it out for a few more fat W-2s.

Ya gotta know when you've won the game and when you are just trying to run up the score to impress someone else.

 

[brucethebroker]

I was called back to help out my old company on a part-time basis (16 hours a week - two days). It worked out great. I found that knowing I was financially independent, that the gig would only last as long as I wanted, and that I wasn't in an awful middle-management position made all the difference. I thoroughly enjoyed working 2 days a week for a year.

So before you finally pull the plug for good, take a bit of time to de-stress and at least consider other possibilities. Once you reach financial independence, the possibilities are endless!
- find a new full-time job
- find a job doing something you enjoy, even if it pays a lot less
- consider working part-time there or elsewhere

Yep. Amazing the change in attitude when you no longer HAVE to w*ork, but do it because you want to. Good advice in that reply, above.

 

[ocean view]

Going to pull the trigger soon as I cross max SS earnings for 2018 so that I have another "max" year for the 35 years of SS calculation.

Have you run the SS projection calculator to see how much impact 1 more year will add to your benefit? I ask because I was also worried about my SS benefit due to ER, except I wasn’t at 34 years, I was at 26 yrs. Using the calculator I could see that if I had maxed my contributions up until 35 years it added an immaterial amount, something like <$50 per month, to my current projected benefit. Not worth it for me. No regrets for leaving the workforce early.

YMMV

 

[sweetana3]

Sounds exactly like my husband's former company when he was retired 10 years ago. Just gotten worse. It has been a great 10 years.

 

[bingybear]

R(V)E!!
What does this mean?

 

[exnavynuke]

R(V)E!!
What does this mean?

Retire (very) Early would be my assumption.

 

[24601NoMore]

Hey, everyone. Thanks for all the great replies. Very good and helpful feedback.

Guess much of this comes down to fear. I've planned till the cows come home but can't help but think I'm missing things. Also have some big expenses coming up that I had hoped to fund with paychecks vs piggy-bank and 2 upcoming RSU vests - one in May and one in August. But just the thought of w*rking even to May at this point to get the first upcoming RSU vest is severely depressing..to the point I don't even want to go in. Fortunately, I w*rk at home most days, so going "in" consists of getting on email and IM in my library, but you know what I mean..

Good catch on the "soul crushing" comment above - that nails it. 30+ years of soul crushing BS and I have JUST. HAD. ENOUGH. to last me 10 lifetimes. So, going to a new gig where the soul crushing bullshit is very likely to be there - just in a different flavor, with different people..very hard to get excited about that prospect, although I do also realize/HOPE that "this time will be different". But, then I think about Charlie Brown, Lucy and the football also and realize in my gut that it most likely will NOT be any different - just new people at a new company and the same old BS.

I've changed jobs more times than most..and every single time, I've learned..THE GRASS IS NOT ANY GREENER in the new gig. So am somewhat gunshy about changing - yet again..

On the other hand, I never planned to stop working at 54, either.

Very challenging times..I can't continue, and I'm having a very hard time quitting outright.

I did think about branching out on my own..believe it or not, I have this crazy idea I can become a CFP (Certified Financial Professional). I have zero career experience in that area, but have informally been doing it 30+ years - and have a ton of "non-professional" experience in ER planning. It's also become very obvious that very few (like, 5%) of people outside this and other forums have next to no plan for retirement, healthcare, SS, etc and with the rapidly aging population - it seems like there's a huge market opportunity out there. (For example - my BIL was a CFO of a fairly large company, and even though he ER'd did not even know about 4X FPL income limiting to take advantage of ACA subsidies. Another very good friend is a very well educated professional and doesn't even know how their FA charges them for her help, or how much - he seriously thought she "only gets paid when we make money" (um, no..) and has zero idea what she even has them invested in, how much $$ they need to retire, IF they can retire, WHEN they can retire, etc. (And he pays her for this?) Lots of competition, I'm sure, but I'd be a "fee only" CFP as it seems 99% of the industry is AUM-based. AUM is of course much more lucrative, but fee-only is a much more "honest" and straightforward business model in my thinking and I could never gouge clients via an AUM model..I just think fee only is much more credible and eliminates any potential perception of conflict of interest..crazy idea, I know..and the study and work periods mean 3 or so years before I could probably ever make penny one doing this..but at least it's something I love, vs something I outright despise and hate with the fire of a thousand suns (gee..did I say that?) Plus, the BEST benefit of all - when you work for yourself, you have ZERO of the soul crushing corporate bullshit to put up with.

Thanks for listening and all the helpful feedback..tough times for sure.

 

[bingybear]

would be mine too. But we did at 53.. I thought we were late

 

[24601NoMore]

Two other quick things..

Just happened to look up some old college friends the other day that I haven't talked with in 20+ years - and found out one of them is literally going to die any day now from pancreatic cancer. 57 years old. He won't see 58. I had no real reason to look them up, so thinking this was God's way of saying "hey, dummy - pay attention, would you?"

Second sign - randomly got talking with a local mom & pop shop owner (who roasts coffee in a ramshackle, run down building in the lowest rent part of our otherwise very nice town - I went over there a couple of weeks ago to pickup this awesome but insanely overpriced coffee that wife tasted at his booth at the local farmer's market and now can't get enough of). Not sure how it even came up, but he RE'd at 47 which was apparently 7 years ago. Had worked for GM for 20+ years and got to the same "just can't do it anymore" moment and bailed. From General Motors in an apparently very good paying gig with all the nice corporate benefits. And went out to setup shop roasting coffee. Turns out he has a sister who worked in tech and burned out in her 50s - and also bailed. Really good and interesting conversation that went on quite a while about appreciating and living life, prioritizing what's important, etc. He can't be making much in his little coffee roasting business, but he was able to find a way to focus on what's important and to take control back. Another "hey, dummy - are you listening yet?" message from God once again, apparently.

Hmmmm. Maybe I should start listening. Between these things and the recent very relevant Joel Osteen homilies, it's like God is using a very loud megaphone at this point.

 

[24601NoMore]

Retire (very) Early would be my assumption.

Yes - sorry I wasn't more clear..VERY early.

 

[Carpediem]

Same here - we are FI, so "could" retire tomorrow. ...... I'm actually already interviewing with another company that reached out to me..have gone through the second round and next (final?) is the dreaded fly out to corporate HQ to go through the gauntlet.

Since you're already FI, you could take the same approach as Peter did when he was interviewed by "the Bobs".