Saturday, January 28, 2012

Signs point to...

It's not personal... it's business.

When a business is bought by a competing business, it is often not good news for the employees.  Redundancies aside, it also mean squashing competing products and processes. It means elimination of the weaker, the role played by the overtaken.

Many of my friends have already exited.  I may soon join them.

I was fortunate to have been given generous notice, more then some.  And I hold out hope that my usefulness could still be recognized, but that is looking less likely everyday.

Finding new employment is difficult these days, especially for someone who desires a fulfilling job, but is in his sixth decade. But it is often said things happen for a reason, and often lead to new and better experiences.

After all, exits are also entrances... to what is beyond.

8 comments:

  1. John, I keep my fingers crossed. As you said, to come to an entrance you must get through an exit first. Good Luck!

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    1. Thanks Markus.

      I have found it difficult to type with my fingers crossed, but I am still trying!

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  2. I know exactly how you feel. I've been there, having been "laid off" after 29 years, of what I considered to be a pretty good career. I was lucky to find some employment, but now I have just a job, and not a real career, and feel my talents are being wasted. I can do this for a couple of more years, until retirement. Good luck to you. I've been enjoying your photos.

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    1. Hi Ed. Thanks for taking a look at my blog. I just visited your Connecticut Diaries and plan to add it to my reading list.

      This is the second time I have gone thought this. Ten years ago I was laid off from my earlier employer of 29 years. Sound familiar? At any rate, I guess this is the way of the world these days.

      Thanks again for your comment.

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  3. John: I'm sorry to hear of your problem. It's a very stressful situation. As I'm sure you will recall, I put myself through something similar at the end of last year. I wasn't pushed but I lost faith with my employer and I was the Managing Director of the company! After 27 years of implementing changes and growing the business I didn't want to move jobs but today I'm very pleased I did. For the last couple of months I've been sleeping well for the first time in about 5 years. My new job has different responsibilities but I believe in what I'm professionally doing. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done but it's settling down now and I'm making my mark. You are quite right when you talk about exits and entrances and that was something I kept at the forefront of my mind. It's very hard to let go of something that is a bit like a comfortable pair of shoes - or so you think! Today, I realise that those comfortable shoes were actually rather shoddy and past their best. I'm still in manufacturing, but in a totally different industry, size of company, type of product and sort of culture. We've had to make some adjustments in our lives as a result of my change of job, but our household is better for it. Fortunately I've got a very supportive partner. Take care, Colin

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    1. Colin, thanks for the words of encouragement. I am very pleased to hear your new work situation is going well.

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  4. In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
    Eleanor Roosevelt

    Exits can be as empowering as entrances, and sometimes you end up feeling a whole lot better.

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    1. Thanks Denise... we are both looking for an entrance. Best of luck and thanks for the friendship.

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