I'm Glad I'd Already Taken Most Of My Shoes Home

I was jolted out of bed at 6.30am last Tuesday morning and, feeling exhausted, pondered going back to bed for an hour or so. I checked my work email to see if I had any morning meetings scheduled, but an email from my manager, sent at 10.20pm last night, inviting me to a meeting with him at 3pm did more than enough to wake me up. I knew the meeting could not be good news given I already had a catch up meeting scheduled with him at 9am on Thursday and he was supposed to be heading to Chicago on business on Wednesday. I was also well aware that the layoffs I'd heard about before Christmas were expected to happen that day!!

Crap!!

It was definitely looking like I was for the chopping block!!

This was a real test of my 2012 'f**k it' mantra, but it is what it is and I'm in a much better place than I was 11 years ago when I was let go from my first job in New York after 6 months in the country. When you're on a visa you typically get 2 weeks after the end of your notice period to find another job or leave the country. It's pretty stressful, although I got lucky. I interviewed at two places and both of them wanted to offer me the position. It just so happens that my current company was quicker off the mark with sending out the offer and putting the visa wheels in motion. I've been there ever since and 5years ago they sponsored me for my Green Card, so I had the legal flexibility to look for something new, plus I've been busy building a savings cushion, so outside of the 10 weeks severance I'd be entitled to I had enough saved to last me 6months while living in the manner to which I'd become accustomed, 8 months if I tightened my belt.

I threw a couple of those reusable Envirosax shopping bags in my handbag just in case and when I arrived at the office I packed up the last 3 pairs of shoes I had in my drawer and a few other personal bits and waited for the axe to fall.

When I got into the office I saw an invite to meet with not only my boss, but also my boss's boss - who I've worked with for about a decade.

Uh-oh!!

Anyway it's taking me FOREVER to write this post, so long story short, I was laid off....

...well kind of

What's actually happened is that one of my clients asked someone else to run his business because I am 'not strategic enough.' This is the same person that was my account director for 3 and a bit years up until July 2011 and only became my client in October 2011. The same client I have met exactly TWICE since he started the role just over 3-months ago. The same client that has never had anything but good feedback about my work when we worked together at the agency.

What the &*%$ is THAT about?

Seriously!! Wouldn't you think that you would give someone feedback and allow them to change if you had an issue with their performance? He's not stupid, he knew what asking me off the business would do.

Anyway my boss's boss then proceeded to tell me that they didn't want to lose me, but my client asking me off the business has essentially put my billability in the crapper and so they've given me 4 weeks to find something else, which is 4 weeks longer than they gave the 42 other people they laid off.

I updated my resume and sent it out into the world on Thursday afternoon and since then...well I've been inundated. Obviously this is not a bad problem to have. There seems to be a lot out there in my field, so I am keen to take the time to find the right opportunity, but I have two interviews scheduled for this week.

In addition to the contact from external recruiters an opportunity came up to work on a 3 month project with the team from Chicago. This position would see me based in NY and would give me additional time to find a new position, although if I wanted to keep my separation pay I'm entitled to, then I'll have to see the project through for the full 3 months and the money is enough for me to not want to lose it. It may actually turn into a long term position, but to be honest I'm over it. It's just a case of whether I'll take the money and run now or in 3 months.

Soooooo, I'll try and keep you posted, but job hunting is sucking up all my time at the moment.

Onwards and upwards. To be honest I am feeling really good and I'm looking forward to doing something new. Perhaps this was the kick up the arse I needed to make a change. Besides, there's no eye candy since the Creative Cutie was laid off in December*

*Another thing I've been meaning to post about, but when I found out he'd left the agency I realized I had nothing to lose and asked him out....via Facebook. I'm not THAT brave that I could do it face to face, besides I don't really know.

"I'll never see him again" I said to Deesha

"I'm so proud of you for doing this," she said

Of course this was before I realized that I'd be traipsing around the ad agencies with my resume under my arm within a few short months. He never responded, but at the end of the day I had the balls to ask, which is more than I can say for him. In the words of my mantra...f*** it!!!