Job uncertainty
I left my old job back in October 2021 β after a really tough time during COVID-19, to be underpaid and underappreciated. I basically set up an entire IT business, on minimum wage. By the time I handed in my notice, I had all that ripped from me, and the new hires got all the credit for my hard work. Didn't matter, I stayed up till 4am converting on-site Outlook servers to 365. Didn't matter, I was victim to furlough fraud and was only paid 20% by my employer. And when I asked for a pay rise, it was met with βI don't think we can stretch to that right nowβ β the next day my managers took delivery of 3 Tesla Model 3 Performances, and chargers to fit. That afternoon, I rewrote my CV and applied to my current role. By Friday, I handed in my notice β even though I hadn't even got an interview lined up.
My mum called me an idiot for leaving without a job lined up, thankfully in the last week or so of my employment β a company (my current job) reached out and offered me an interview. I was shocked because I had rushed my CV and, from memory β applied for the job on the toilet. I went along, and by the end of the 3-hour-long interview process, we shook hands and I went on my way. The next day, I had a job offer with a much nicer lump sum I was used to. By November 1st 2021 β I was going into my first day. Happy days!
Fast-forward to today, 22/07/2024. The company I work for has been sold. It sent a big shock down to our hundreds of customers, who are now in a state of shock and uncertainty β as we've basically gone from this massive conglomerate, to a privately owned mom-and-pop startup. Sure, there was an impressive amount of money involved β but the products we sell aren't cheap by any stretch, so it's certain to leave people worried about the future. The company can promise this and say that, but at the end of the day that isn't going to please customers. They want to see results, they want to trust that we will succeed. That company sale is in a state of limbo without a final sale date in sight. The downside to this, is all the talented individuals I work with have either been made redundant or left on their own accord, leaving few of us behind that are considered βlegacyβ.
I guess what I am trying to get at, is that I don't feel secure any more. I haven't felt secure since about 6β8 months ago, when rumours started circulating. Not only that, but I feel my workload getting lighter and lighter, which worries me. I am sat here, right now, at work writing this. My colleagues who I work with have low hopes, and have begun their next adventure search β and while I am doing the same, part of me is happy where I am. I like what I do, the product(s) I work with are interesting, but most importantly I love telling people where I work. It's exciting, it's not the norm. Especially for someone like me who came from school with 0 grades, and just about scraped some bits together in college β with a mandatory resit of Maths and English.
It's all well and good me finding a new job, but what if I don't like the people? The commute will always be longer, will I enjoy the product I work on, will I be forced to work ungodly hours, will the money be enough? I have it quite lucky where I am now β I am fairly flexible with my hours and my commute is about 8 mins by car. At the same time, I feel like I have overstayed my welcome and I need a new chapter to pursue.
Hopefully some people can relate to the feelings I am feeling, I really needed to vent this. My girlfriend has heard this same story about 10 times now, and she's probably sick of me telling it over and over β she's too polite to say she is, but I'm sick of telling it. I am just worried about my future, but I'm scared of massive change.