[geeks] observations and rants.

[Adam Kropelin]

----- Original Message -----
From: <s at avoidant.org>
To: <geeks at sunhelp.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: [geeks] observations and rants.


> Bill Bradford wrote:
>
> > The job market. 8-)
>
> Yeperoo. In 2000, I happily jumped ship when OS/2 was phased out of the
> place i'd been working because I found it hard to switch to a
> subordinate position under someone with whom I'd been an equal. It was
> all done on good terms, but I couldn't go from senior OS/2 admin to
> junior AIX and feel good about it. I had another job in 3 weeks, and it
> only took that long because I was picky.

About six months ago, $CEO fired essentially our entire IT and software
engineering staffs, including managers. (After he had blown our $7M venture
capital investment with an entirely incompetent software contractor in India.)
As the senior engineer (and sole holder of a *lot* of crucial company knowledge)
I got to stay. My boss, my boss's boss, and seven of my group were all let go
with approximately 6 hours notice.

I knew 24 hours ahead and I was asked to choose one employee to stay with me.

*That* was unquestionably the worst day of my career. We were a close bunch and
a number of the guys were on H1s so getting fired essentially meant they were
also getting thrown out of the country. This from the company who had enticed
them here with lies about market share and how much "product" we had in the
field. I was personally friends with several and yet "for the good of the
company" had to choose the person I thought most qualified, personal friendships
aside.

I came close to quitting right then. I had nightmares every night for a week.

At first I was frustrated for being so green (I'm 25) as to be so emotionally
affected by something that seemingly happens in business all the time. Then I
realized that my reaction was the *right* one. If I were layed off I'd damn well
want the guy who made the decision to be having nightmares about it. Too bad
most people in that position don't.

That day still haunts me.

> Now I'm bitching about the place I switched to. It never really changes,
> does it?

We'll see. I just accepted a new offer (albeit with a 25% pay cut) and rather
enjoyed informing $CEO of the laundry list of reasons I'm leaving. When he
pointed out how my departure could potentially ruin the company and how I should
have given him months of notice I suggested that I'd tell $FIRED_COWORKER_1 and
$FIRED_COWORKER_2 about his concern and see how they felt about it.

The grass is always greener, I suppose. But at least the guy gets some of his
own medicine and I get a much-needed change of scenery.

--Adam