I was terminated: This is what I’m doing now!
I was recently ‘let go’ in the fourth series of terminations at my employer. To say that I was ‘gutted’ is an understatement! I had put my heart and soul into this company, spent all my waking ours on it, woke up at insane hours to collaborate with opposite time zones, spent an hour a day beautifying myself for video meetings, prepared agendas and tasks every night before bedtime (sometimes in morning hours) and stayed engaged with the company and their prospective employees around the clock.
Sure, I was emotional about it but I understand the economics and logistics of it all. I knew it was going to happen because my boss had only a 30 minute calendar block with me and he would usually have an hour. I checked his calendar and he had 30 minute meetings all day and although I could not see who they were with, I had a gnawing feeling in my stomach that overwhelmed me.
It was a Wednesday afternoon and I was in the middle of creating the best Management Consultant Profile I’ve ever done. This particular employee had the most boring resume and a stock standard LinkedIn profile that tells you nothing, but after a conversation with him, he was actually a brilliant person with advanced thinking beyond what the company I was working for could foresee.
I digress.
I received a meeting invite for Friday afternoon from HR (Human Resources) for 30 minutes. No explanation, just the invite and the other attendee was my boss.
I stopped writing the most magnificent profile of all time and checked my boss’s calendar. He had 30 minute meetings all day, and so did the HR Business Partner who invited me — at the exact same times, all day long!
It just so happened that I had put in leave for that Friday to fly down to Phoenix for the Javelina Jundred 100km race for a start time at 6pm that night. Before I could decline the meeting invite, I received another rescheduled invite for Monday morning at 11am.
I responded with a ‘Yes’… I can attend. I immediately checked both their calendars again and both were moved to Monday. Interestingly, an hour later, (because I had checked) all the 30 minute meetings on Friday for both HR and my boss were scheduled for Monday, except one (who I never got to find out who it was with).
My mind was out of control! Working in HR and Recruitment for 15 years certainly gives you insight to behaviors of those around you and what to expect. Yes, I’ve been in these meetings and I’ve had to instigate them. I once had to ‘walk’ a contractor out of a building due to harassment. I know what’s coming.
This changes things… Sure the company hasn’t needed my services for months because of Covid-19 halting their client’s decisions, but does that mean that I’m replaceable? Surely the newbie we just hired isn’t ready for the monstrous work ahead of him? I’m just about to run 100 km! How is that going to work with my psyche?
The newbie had been doing my job for about 2 weeks by then and I wish him well. He’s younger and cheaper — isn’t that every company’s goal?
I’ve been well and working hard with job applications and developing my writing skills. I start a free dog training course in 3 weeks (I’m the trainer) and I’m still the Captain of the leading relay team in our virtual running group worldwide!
I learned how to sprout, make better raw dog food and ran a whole lot! So, yeah, I’ve been a busy bee. A whole lot has happened since my departure from my last employer. I had a great holiday in Rhode Island, Newport and Martha’s Vineyard, an offer that went sour, my Dad is planning to go to Hospice for palliative care, my Mom is going great guns with her embroidery business, hubby was crowned the 3rd highest biller for 2020, one of my dogs has a limp leg and we’re now dealing with the Vets, got a new laptop and in love with it, did a raw vegan course for a month, drank more wine that I care to count and ran more miles than any sane person would!
It’s been fun and scary and euphoric and tough all at once. At least I have my health, savings to last until April, a new laptop, a place to run and interact with fellow runners, the opportunity to explore new avenues, not having to spend an hour a day with my beautifying ritual and not needing to work 12+ hours a day! It’s been a blessing and I’m grateful that my former employer kept me for as long as they did. I shouldn’t have lasted more than a month when all the furloughs started. I’ve truly been lucky. Onward and upwards!
