Useful Links

Tekward · 10-11-2020, 08:12 AM

Some perspective:

Koolau · 10-17-2020, 03:17 AM

After I made my "announcement" that I was leaving, I felt a couple of pangs of conscience that I was leaving folks (and Megacorp) in the lurch. I sort of wondered who would take my place. How would they treat my j*b? Would they be as dedicated as I had been? Would they appreciate the position I had created? On and on.

I need not have worried. Half my department followed me out the front door over the next two years (some of them lucky enough to take a package with them.) Not one of us was replaced. The company still made money (in fact, my Megacorp stock is STILL helping me pay the bills.)

"Don't let the screen door hit you on the way out" comes to mind but YMMV.

Dtail · 10-17-2020, 03:45 AM

Everyone is replaceable.

frayne · 10-17-2020, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dtail

Everyone is replaceable.

+1

Exactly.

38Chevy454 · 10-17-2020, 09:07 AM

One of my old megacorp jobs we had a saying: Put your hand in a bucket of water and pull it out, the hole that is left is how much you will be missed.

mystang52 · 10-17-2020, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38Chevy454

One of my old megacorp jobs we had a saying: Put your hand in a bucket of water and pull it out, the hole that is left is how much you will be missed.

You beat me to it! I often use this analogy to make the point.

NgineER · 10-20-2020, 07:27 AM

I had the feeling of letting the company and co-workers down when I jumped ship to another company in the middle of a capital project and research. It was short lived... I realize this happens all the time when people are promoted to new roles, someone gets to take over the work that was left, even mid project.

Markola · 10-20-2020, 09:22 AM

+1000 to all of the above. Also, after witnessing the first few rounds of layoffs in a career, one gets a clear understanding that “values”, “loyalty”, “teams” and such are entirely ephemeral, situational, temporary and dependent of the whim of the “at-will” employer. It’s fine to participate soberly in such a situation if it allows one to advance one’s circumstances, but one had better also be building up a large stash of FU Money for when Camelot inevitably changes every 3-5 years or so for some uncontrollable reason or other.

YVRRocketSurgery · 10-23-2020, 04:12 PM

I have less than a year and a half to go before I make my exit from my megacorp and I'd be ok financially if I exit now. But work still stresses me. It's really ridiculous that I can't let issues from work go. To keep my sanity, I have to keep mumbling to myself "Who cares?", "In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter!", etc. I don't think I'm going to get away from this until I give my official notice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dtail

Everyone is replaceable.

+1. The real question is how expensive it is to replace you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NgineER

I had the feeling of letting the company and co-workers down when I jumped ship to another company in the middle of a capital project and research. It was short lived... I realize this happens all the time when people are promoted to new roles, someone gets to take over the work that was left, even mid project.

+1
I still feel bad (mainly for the folks covering for me and picking up the slack) when I go on vacation for 2 weeks during a project so I bring my work laptop just to check emails and answer questions. Realistically, however, things just keep going on around one's absence with work barely missing a beat.

CRLLS · 10-23-2020, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YVRRocketSurgery

"Who cares?", "In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter!", etc. Nobody cares but you, for certain. I don't think I'm going to get away from this until I give my official notice.

+1. The real question is how expensive it is to replace you. A lot less than you think. They will hire a younger person that works for less with less experience. Any mistakes he/she makes will be forgiven faster than if you made them.

+1
I still feel bad (mainly for the folks covering for me and picking up the slack) when I go on vacation for 2 weeks during a project so I bring my work laptop just to check emails and answer questions. Realistically, however, things just keep going on around one's absence with work barely missing a beat.Don;t feel bad for them. They get paid to do their job. That is just part of the job expectations. Just like you covered for others' absences.

My comments are above in RED. The sooner you accept them the easier the next 1-1/2 years will be.

Souschef · 10-23-2020, 07:00 PM

I worked in the contracts department of my Megacorp, which was heavily into aerospace. I am an engineer, and a pilot, so I could handle any inquiries. Everyone else in my department was basically an order taker.
I found out later that they had to hire 3 people to do the work I did. It sort of gave me some satisfaction, as I was passed over for raises my last two years.

ATX78701 · 10-23-2020, 08:47 PM

I am replaceable but I can’t replace the time I spend stressing out about the actions of others that I can’t control...thus no more stressing about them. Instead of feeling the same animosity and frustration with coworkers when they’d slack off and I’d be stuck interfacing with clients to get their answers, I’ve learned to let so much of it go. I still want to and will do the best j*b I can on internal projects and working with clients. I’m planning to be an early member of the Class of 2021. When I look at work days less holidays less PTO time, I only have about 35 days left of actual work days. And no one at megacorp knows about my plans to leave.

brett · 11-22-2020, 12:04 PM

I believe that there are three BIG mistakes that employees can make.

The first is that they are not replaceable or no replacement could ever do as good a job as they do. False. You are fooling yourself. Do not let your ego get in the way of reality.

The second is that the company cares about me, I am a long term employee who will be given special treatment. Wrong again. Worse than wrong. If you are a long service older employee your chances of getting cut are highest. You 'cost' too much in salary and benefits. You will be among the first to go....not the last. There a younger, cheaper folks ready to be hired into your position or promoted into your position.

The third... I am a loyal employee, a company man or woman. The company has the same loyalty towards me as I do to them. NOTHING could be further from the truth.

**braumeister** · 11-22-2020, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brett

I believe that there are three BIG mistakes that employees can make.

Another one that is sometimes mentioned here:

The Human Resources department is there to support the employee.

Actually, they are there to support the company, and in the event of a conflict it's easy to see which side they will be on.

brett · 11-22-2020, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister

Another one that is sometimes mentioned here:

The Human Resources department is there to support the employee.

Actually, they are there to support the company, and in the event of a conflict it's easy to see which side they will be on.

Good catch. That was most certainly true of the 4 multinational firms IT that I worked for. More like a Personnel Dept than H.R.

Koolau · 11-22-2020, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister

Another one that is sometimes mentioned here:

The Human Resources department is there to support the employee.

Actually, they are there to support the company, and in the event of a conflict it's easy to see which side they will be on.

Yep, that one ranks right up there with "I'll still respect you in the morning"... and some others.

Souschef · 11-22-2020, 05:21 PM

There was a scene in an old movie called "Reunion at Fairborough". Robert Mitchum explains why he was let go.
I was a VP earning $100K. They replaced me with 2 young guys making $35 K each. They saved $30 K plus benefits by doing that.