The Quest

[glatt]

Good point. I assumed it was local, but if it was really local, he wouldn't be moving, would he? So it has to be far enough to make moving worth it. For me, that would be an hour or more.

[Undertoad]

Yah, assuming this is good times!

[xoxoxoBruce]

I'm just thankful he didn't ask me to help.

[BigV]

Remember this?

Originally Posted by BigV

I'm scheduled for a 30 minute phone interview this morning.

It's with a privately held networking business, installing and maintaining computers, networks, services, etc. I'm excited and nervous, as usual. I've thought about telling you guys about this ahead of time, or after the fact... there's a thought that telling after lets only congratulations or sympathies follow on, rather than the (unavoidable) setup of telling in advance and then ... and then.... and then!!!

Yeah. I'm overthinking it.

This position is for a technical support specialist. I can do that, I've done it professionally for years, I've done it as an avocation for even longer. I've done it for some of my friends here on the cellar. The actual things they've listed in the rather extensive job description are aaaaalmost (only two of them are meh, not much experience on my part) all things I've got on lockdown. The actual work (I believe) is right in my wheelhouse. They've described the job and I think I can do it. Now, I need to convince them of the complement, that this job they know about, well, I can do that. And I'm confident they are open to being persuaded, since they've read my resume and have invited me to an interview.

What comes next is the personal connection. (I realize this works both ways, I have to decide I like them as a company, too). I have to convince them I'd be a good fit in their workplace.

**deep breath**

Here goes!

Then this:

Originally Posted by BigV

I got the job.

Now this:

I was fired from this job yesterday afternoon with about ten minutes notice.

I got paid for Thursday (which is today) and for tomorrow and he paid me for my 15 hours of accrued PTO. He let me clean out my drawer and copy some personal files from the computer. My login and email access was terminated in the middle of the process. He said, "No animosity with this, I like you. We're going forward with the team without you." A very close repetition of his words. I was too stunned to remember it verbatim. He had shooed the other people out of the office so it was just him and me... what, in case I made a scene? He permitted me to offload some files and get a box for my stuff. I gave him back the key to the door and the 2FA usb key for online access to most every other thing.

He said I'm available in the future... For what I asked, for more talk, y'know. He asked if there was anything I wanted to say. I thought and said I like to think before I speak, so nothing at this time. I asked him if there was anything else he'd like to say and he said no. I shook his hand and said I like you, too. Then I left.

It's been almost 22 hours now and I'm a little less stunned, ... still pretty stunned.

I've setup a little office on a card table here that will be my new workspace. I have a computer and internet access, food, shelter, etc. No income, still have bills. Twil assures me she isn't going to fire me. My kids, all the kids have been sympathetic.

It bugs me that no reason was given. Ha! Worse than that, "I like you" was what he said, then he fired me was what he did. The aphorism "Words speak louder than actions" comes to mind when there's such a dramatic mismatch.

Anyhow. I'm still processing it. I have a list, an actual list of stuff to do. Getting my new office up and running was important to get done early, as it enables several other important better sooner than later steps. Steps like applying for unemployment, applying for jobs, etc. But checking in with my good friends here is also important.

I read through this thread... man. I must be doing something wrong but *fuck* if I know what it is. I wish I did, I'd stop doing it.

[Luce]

He fired you after 4 years by saying he likes you?

That's the most messed up thing I've heard in months, and I've been paying attention.

Anyway, I feel for you. I got shitcanned at my last job with no warning whatsoever, for things that had nothing to do with my performance, or even to do with me at all. On the plus side, I never had to go back to that dysfunctional clown show ever again.

[Undertoad]

Biggie, that is B.S. and I'm sorry this has happened. It sounds like this person wasn't the decision maker. Is it possible he was saying "for more talk" because there was something he couldn't say on the premises, where people might hear?

Might be worth a more private call just to ask, was it something I did or said? It's possible that someone another level up just wants their cousin in that job, or there was something else personal involved somewhere else.

I have had it with these small companies that can pull this kind of thing at any time. Big cos have policies and stuff, they have a system of warnings and stuff...

[Luce]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Biggie, that is B.S. and I'm sorry this has happened. It sounds like this person wasn't the decision maker. Is it possible he was saying "for more talk" because there was something he couldn't say on the premises, where people might hear?

Might be worth a more private call just to ask, was it something I did or said? It's possible that someone another level up just wants their cousin in that job, or there was something else personal involved somewhere else.

I have had it with these small companies that can pull this kind of thing at any time. Big cos have policies and stuff, they have a system of warnings and stuff...

You're not wrong. I always felt most secure working for a giant company.

[BigV]

Hi UT

The person in question is the sole owner, the guy who hired me. There were no people to hear, the office had been evacuated. Well, that's a little dramatic. I leave at 4 pm, at 3:53 I got a slack message to come see him "after I've buttoned up" everything. The office manager also leaves at 4 pm, she left a couple minutes early, not uncommon. The new guy whose schedule is until 5 pm *did* leave a little before 4 pm, undoubtedly at the request by the owner.

So it was just him and me, I came towards his office and he said, no, I'll just pull up a chair out here. Then boom goes the dynamite.

Thanks for your support, I do appreciate the sympathy. Big companies have endemic problems, small companies, like this six-person operation have their own idiosyncrasies too. *My* problem is that the balance of power, economic power I mean, not personal autonomy or agency, is never in my favor. I don't have anything "they" would be willing to negotiate to keep or avoid.


Luce--thanks man. I appreciate the sanity check. I pay attention too. When I took this job and one of the most exciting prospects was working with a team minus drama and politics. Which had been true, riiiight up to the last moment when it wasn't. So.


I'm gathering my required info for my unemployment application ---> over there and occasionally clicking back to this tab for the fellowship of my friends. There are some cool things out there I can do. Twil's told me of some that are listed in a Federal Hiring Event at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, which is just down the street from me. On the way to dinner I saw "Accepting Resumes" on the marquee of an insurance business. Something will turn up. I do have skills and it turns out my availability just opened wide.

[Clodfobble]

I know it's hard, but I definitely wouldn't overthink the reasons behind it. If you'd been fired within a few months of starting, then sure, I'd say you probably were not living up to some expectation they had (realistic or not). But after four years? That's not a personal failing, that's something out of their control. Maybe it's finances, maybe it's just greed ("I can force Employee X to also take on BigV's responsibilities and pay for just one person instead of two,") or maybe it's something even stupider, like his wife found big gay bear porn on his computer at home and she wants you gone.

You've gotten through crap like this before, and you'll get through this crap, too. Just keep yourself focused and refuse to wallow in it, right?

[BigV]

Right.

[Undertoad]

The main thing is to wait and not give the company 1s on Glassdoor and Indeed until you have found your next gig.

It's the best recourse we have, because fuck them

[BigV]

<pink elephant>

definitely not thinking about recourse

</pink elephant>

[Luce]

$10 says he asks you for either free work or help "lining a few things out" within 14 days.

Send him a rate card if he does.

[Luce]

Also, google Jacobs Engineering. They're always looking for competent networking folks. They used to be CH2M.

The good news, they're a giant company, and have people in damn near every county in the USA, as well as Europe, etc.

The bad news, they're a giant company, and the right tentacle never knows what the left tentacle is doing. They have all the hidebound tropes covered.

Also, they'll low-ball an offer, but if you ask for more, they'll usually cough it up.

I would not suggest them as a career, but if you need income right now, take a look at them.

[monster]

Initial reaction -he/company's in the shit financially and cutting you makes the books look instantly better.

My company is going through that right now (making finances look better artificially ...for prospective buyers in our case, regardless of effects on operations). December, they stopped giving hours to any sub-part-timers, week before Christmas they were all informed they had "involuntarily resigned". As people jump ship, they are not replaced, regardless of how essential they are to the team.......

Head up, keep treading water, something useful to grab will float by soon, and even if it's just a large turd, it can help you reach something else.