First, please accept my apology for falling off the grid and leaving you hanging.Despite my grandiose announcement on the last post, with 41 days left until my retirement, all 2800 employees in my company including myself were terminated on March 20. We have lost our medical benefits, insurance and as I write this our pensions are very under-funded and the result is that I will have to work until I’m as old as dirt. I am now on the freedom 85 plan.
To say that this is a devastating event in my life is an understatement. My retirement was perfectly planned, perfectly executed and now perfectly fucked up! I keep thinking I’m going to wake up. All of my stuff from my office is still in the back of my car, it still feels like a nightmare and that I’ll wake up and take all the stuff back and everything will be as it was. Today my friend saw all the stuff and asked if I was living out of my car. I responded “not yet”.
Despite this I have been working hard to help my fellow employees and am part of a small team of ex-employees who are putting on two job fairs, one on April 2 and another on April 12th. This positive pursuit has allowed me to focus on other people’s needs. They are an amazing team of generous, bright and determined employees and human resources professionals who reached out to us. I’m also recommending, writing CV’s and providing free coaching sessions. Some of our employees have been impacted so severely because their whole families worked for the company. We aren’t even going to get our severance or vacation pay and so far have not received the money for days already worked. This will be the first time I have been on unemployment in my life, which I will only be entitled to for one month because I may receive some pension monies.
The bottom line is I’m back on the hunt for a job. I sincerely want to work in a positive environment and be able to use all of my 23 plus years of business experience along with my new coaching skills to contribute to an organization’s success.
To my fellow employees, I will continue to provide support to you to the best of my ability. Please send me your positive energy as I navigate these unknown and frightening waters. I’m sure I will learn a great deal through this experience but what exactly that will be remains to be seen. My emotions are up and down from day to day and sometimes hour to hour. I am blessed to have an incredibly supportive husband who fortunately continues to be employed.
I know I will come through this experience because of all the people who support me and love me and to them I owe a huge debt of gratitude.
Stay tuned…
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Bless your heart! Hoping you find what makes you happy, whatever that may be. Keep your chin up and remember everything happens for a reason.
My thoughts go out to you and all my friends caught in the same surreal craziness that this has turned out to be. Just coming back from a Tradeshow you know and so many people there are trying to connect so many folks to industry opps, and glad to see of course some have already landed. You did all the right stuff for your next stage of life - don’t lose sight of what you’ve done and where you want to be. It has not been for naught, and you are more - much more - than just a survivor. This too shall pass, solutions will appear as long as you stay open and aware and active in their pursuit, and you will be back on the path you set out for yourself.
Sending you squeezy virtual hugs,
K.
Its an emotional roller coaster ride for everyone at this time, we gave so much of ourselves because that is who we are. You will come through it, we all will - we are survivors! Elements out of our control have thrown up this next challenge in our life. Do I wish it wasn’t like this for us…Absolutely. But I am also choosing to think of this as a new adventure, a time to try something new and experiment! I was very proud of the employees I worked with, they are talented and creative! I have no doubt you will land on your feet quickly - things have a way of working themselves out.
Thanks Sandy for all your encouragement and your belief in my abilities. Yes this is our challenge to do what we are capable of if we have the courage. I am still processing all that has happened but I am definitely on the mend as they say. Another great job fair this week helped me to fill up my gas tank.
Kelly, working with you was an important step in my evolution and I enjoyed it immensely. You’re absolutely right I did do everything right and things have taken a turn but I will overcome the obstacles. Lots of different thoughts go through my mind, one of which was is this a test to see how committed I am to being a professional coach. It was going to be relatively easy to set up a small practice and now I need it to be more. As I see it I have three choices, go back to the rat race, find a job I can use my new skills or throw caution to the wind and go for it full throttle. I’ll let you know which road I take, I’m pretty sure which one you would counsel me to choose. Thanks again or your support.