Torn - a tale of leaving a job

"Enginerrrrrrrrr" (Enginerrrrrrrrr) 02/06/2014 at 14:47 • Filed to: None

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Warning: Tale/rant ahead, not car related

So about a month ago I let my bosses know that this would be my last hitch in the land of shit.... er the oilfield of Iraq. I am quitting, and going back to school in the fall for my masters. Luckily I have done a good enough job that they were not happy with me that I would be cutting it so short before grad school. They were almost begging me to stay at least another hitch after this one.

Well today we had a meeting with headquarters and we had quite a shitty month, we were negative (we have almost no contracts at the moment, mainly because corruption, but hey, what're you gonna do). Well headquarters gave a lot of shit and now they are cutting down everything.

Turns out that once you give your letter of resignation, they can cut you loose whenever they like, no questions asked. Now I have to leave ASAP just to save basically a month of my salary. They would like me gone by Monday after I hand over a shit-load of stuff to some local trainees that won't be able to comprehend it.

The problem is now I am torn. I am happy to be going home, but it feels shitty to be treated like a piece of equipment, cutting out every little piece of anything, like I am not a human. So that was a nice send-off after all of the shit I have done for this place.

Anyways, needed to vent to the Oppo-world. Enjoy the SLR going into the sunset.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 14:54

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Oil field? Just wondering what job do you do?

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna 02/06/2014 at 14:56

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Engineer for an oil-services company.

timateo81 > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 14:58

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Feels.

This is the challenge in giving notice to your employer. A "gentleman's handshake" apparently is less important to your company than the bottom line, so it's immediately clear to us, as outsiders, why you are so compelled to leave.

For reasons that I'm sure you're beginning to understand, next time give 2 weeks notice. I did the 'ole 2-month notice one time thinking it would actually help my employer find my replacement quicker. well it didn't, and it was awkward.

best luck in grad school

Gamecat235 > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 14:59

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Be loyal to those who are loyal to you. But only burn bridges when necessary. It's a crappy situation you've found yourself in, but that day or two of handing off duties could be the difference between being rehire-able or not.

magman007 > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 14:59

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Sorry man, thats the problem with corporations. While you are a person, to the corporation you're a fleshy piece of equipment which they invest operating costs, maintenance (health care if you get it) and if you have tendered your resignation, there is no reason to upkeep a no longer needed piece of equipment if the operating costs can be redistributed elsewhere.

It sucks. Just remember how you felt when you start your own business with your masters.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > timateo81 02/06/2014 at 15:00

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Yup, definitely figured that one out now. And with my location, they definitely need more time to find replacements, it's not exactly easy to get people into Iraq. Guess they just only give a shit about the bottom line instead of the future... woot.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Gamecat235 02/06/2014 at 15:03

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Yeah this is an upper-upper management decision. Luckily I know that everyone near to me (even immediate bosses) would take me back. My boss is even doing some letters of recommendation for grad school. The funny thing is if I was staying until fall they would have kept me.

jariten1781 > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:04

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Been there. It'll work out for you.

When I was in the Navy I had a medical condition which was diqualifying but I had a waiver for it. Right when I was about to go on shore duty the policy was changed to make it a 'non-waiverable' condition. I was told that I could fight for a exemption to the new policy (6 month process) and that I would still be allowed to do the shore duty (2 years) either way. I was planning on getting out anyway at the end of the shore duty, but when my final appeal for an exemption was denied they gave me 7 days to separate. Didn't have a resume, hadn't been looking for jobs, nothing.

I flipped out a little and it took me a bit to get the ball rolling, but I was able to find a job that I was much more happy doing (plus it has much better hours and pay). Just head home and put the shit behind you. You'll be a'ight.

BeaterGT > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:06

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Doesn't sound like you burned any bridges and were a well-liked employee. Sounds like you're making the right step towards something better to me.

Tom McParland > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:06

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Engineer?...I thought you were an Enginerrrrrr. Seriously, that sucks to work for someone try your best to do the right thing and have them kick you to the curb.

Pockets > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:18

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Look at it like this: This proves your bosses were shits, so them getting you out of there and away from them faster is a good thing.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Tom McParland 02/06/2014 at 15:20

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Haha some days it is definitely more Enginerrrrrrrrr.

And yeah, I'll just chalk this one up to life experiences...

Soloburrito > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:27

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Textured Soy Protein > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:27

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I hear ya. I was a low-level manager at a staffing company that was very sales focused. It also had high turnover because it was a low base salary with high commission potential and they hired pretty much anyone who seemed halfway intelligent, on a sort of sink-or-swim philosophy.

The general rule was nobody gave notice because if you tried, the company would tell you that day was your last day anyway—if you had already given your notice, you wouldn't be making the company any more money, so why should they pay you to sit there for a couple weeks going through the motions? People would quit and basically have to clean out their desk right then and there, not even finish out the day.

After a bunch of people quit without any notice, because that's how they thought they were supposed to do it, the people above me got reamed out by their betters for not being able to retain people. So my boss had a very awkward meeting with our department where he said basically, if you're planning to quit, please give some notice.

Then the inevitable quitting came along. A couple people quit, and they tried to give notice, and at the very most the company had them work like one more day to hand off their work. When I finally got around to quitting after 6 years of working there, I figured the usual no-notice routine would also apply. I had already lined up a new job and wanted to take like half a week off in between jobs, so I was just kinda stringing along to get paid for a couple more days—and this company had treated me like such crap over those 6 years that I didn't feel bad stretching things out when I knew they weren't going to let me have a real transition out of the job.

So...I hadn't quite yet decided to tell my boss I was quitting, but I wasn't exactly working very hard, so my boss called me into his office to be like "why aren't you working more?" I basically cut him off and said "hey let me save you the trouble, I'm quitting."

I actually got to finish out the rest of the day, and sit in the meeting where my boss told the rest of the team they were leaving. The reactions were mostly along the lines of "congrats for escaping, I wish I could be like you!"

Thunder > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 15:42

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I had a job (as a contractor) that I enjoyed the hell out of. Did it for about a year, then put in for converting to full-time direct employment by the company.

Then my manager was changed (previous manager was promoted), and the new guy and I just didn't hit it off. This was after the ball was rolling on that conversion. I got through the interviews, thought it was all good, but was then told that while it was OK for a contractor, a FTE version of that job MUST have a mainframe BACKGROUND. Having picked up enough to do the job without impediment was insufficient. I was told that now that the requisition for the position as FTE was out there, I'd be given two weeks after they found someone.

So... I went and found a new position, landing it within one week. Instead of being on the street (figuratively) when they found someone, they were left scrambling with a hole in their lineup.

Now, about 7 years later, I'm in a role that would have been about 2-3 levels above the one they denied me, working for a competitor in a full-time WFH setup, making a lot more than I would have had I stayed at that place. Carpe Diem, I guess. Also see "Making lemonade when lemons are thrown at you."

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 16:03

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You're liked by your colleages and hated by your bosses. Perfect situation to tell the latter to go fuck themselves.

Roberto G. > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 16:15

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My idea is that nowadays and in the most of the major companies, workers are just tools. They use them till they can work within acceptable limits, and do not praise those who do a better job... because, what the heck! ...you don't need to praise a fucking tool! And when the company finds some Chinese tools that more or less are able of doing the same work of the local tools, the local tools get kicked in the ass withouth even a thank you. Because who would ever say thank you, to an old screw driver?

Walfisch > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/06/2014 at 16:59

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Sorry to hear about this, but I'm sure someone already mentioned that handing in your notice for resignation does not necessarily imply that your company will respect the timeline you provided. In my previous job, I've seen folks who submitted their 2-weeks notice, only to be assisted out of the building by a security guard on that very same night. Like most people already mentioned, it's always better for you not to burn bridges, so just do what you can to your fullest capacity, and make as many contacts there as possible. You'll never know when those may come in handy.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Roberto G. 02/06/2014 at 22:12

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This is exactly what is happening.

We had a guy with 25 years (!) experience just leave, and upper management didn't even try to convince him to stay. This guy was priceless when it came to his knowledge of everything. He also worked harder than anyone else here and had better results than anyone else. Turns out he was an expensive, foreign tool that just cost too much...

Count Tofu > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/07/2014 at 05:53

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Welcome the world of lay offs where you are nothing more then a cost that needs to be cut. When it comes down to money it gets clear very quickly how your company values it's employees.

Roberto G. > Enginerrrrrrrrr 02/07/2014 at 14:16

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And I am a guy with 25 years of experience too, and I'm missing four years to my full retirement date, but my HR just asked me if by chance I was willing to take an earlier leave... with a lesser retirement salary and a not better specified "compensation". I told them no way, and they cannot force me so far because the company I'm working for is not experiencing any difficulties. To do what they asked me to do, I'd have had to resign from my present company, just to be hired by another company of the group that's receiving the Government help, and work at least 6 months for them. Of course and very politely, I said to them to fuck off, and I joined a Union. Better late than never.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Roberto G. 02/07/2014 at 15:51

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Damn that's awful. I have minimal career experience at the moment, but I am figuring out quite quickly how I need to protect myself from my company... it's sad that things are even like this.