Anyone here worked for a small company that was acquired? How was your experience?

[IndyColtsFan]

Public as in government? Yeah... of course there is less oversight and drive to work hard lol.

You have no corporate board to report to - you don't have to worry about funds because it's based on taxation, not on selling a product/service.

Like you said, your biggest challenge is just fighting over the table crumbs of budget.

It's a gravy train which I hope to jump on as I near retirement - I can maybe collect another pension and have a super easy job.

 

[nakedfrog]

It's a gravy train which I hope to jump on as I near retirement - I can maybe collect another pension and have a super easy job.

I've been thinking about the same thing lately.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Gravy trains are the best. As much as the BS I describe at my work sounds bad, it's all petty stuff that probably affects the company more than us personally. The job itself is a gravy train. There's no stress to worry about off the job and because it's shift work I get more time off than a standard 8-5 would give. That's the part I like the most really. There was an opening in the networking department and that is more up my alley as there is more technical stuff, but I would get bumped down from 40 hour week (average) to 37.5, and I would lose the shift work so not only would I get a pay cut but I would get less days off. Technically I'd be working less hours but I don't care about the hours, it's the days I care about. I rather work longer hours per day and get more days off.

Some people spend their lives constantly upgrading themselves and moving up the corporate ladder, and those people are always so stressed out. Just never been my thing. I see a job as a way to pay the bills and nothing more so the less stress a job is the better it is provided it also pays the bills. There's a certain point of diminishing returns when you pick the higher stress jobs. I make around 80k, it would be great to go in the 100k range, but that would require getting into management, and I don't want anything to do with that stress. My main source of stress at this current job is the constant possibility of being laid off, but that stress exists at all jobs now days. No such thing as job security.

 

[purbeast0]

Gravy trains are the best. As much as the BS I describe at my work sounds bad, it's all petty stuff that probably affects the company more than us personally. The job itself is a gravy train. There's no stress to worry about off the job and because it's shift work I get more time off than a standard 8-5 would give. That's the part I like the most really. There was an opening in the networking department and that is more up my alley as there is more technical stuff, but I would get bumped down from 40 hour week (average) to 37.5, and I would lose the shift work so not only would I get a pay cut but I would get less days off. Technically I'd be working less hours but I don't care about the hours, it's the days I care about. I rather work longer hours per day and get more days off.

Some people spend their lives constantly upgrading themselves and moving up the corporate ladder, and those people are always so stressed out. Just never been my thing. I see a job as a way to pay the bills and nothing more so the less stress a job is the better it is provided it also pays the bills. There's a certain point of diminishing returns when you pick the higher stress jobs. I make around 80k, it would be great to go in the 100k range, but that would require getting into management, and I don't want anything to do with that stress. My main source of stress at this current job is the constant possibility of being laid off, but that stress exists at all jobs now days. No such thing as job security.

While I have never been one to work more than 40 hours per week, I've noticed as my pay has gone up, the stress level has gone down. I think it's because I have just gotten my skillset higher that I feel so comfortable with what I do and I enjoy it so much, and I'm never worrying about anything.

I'm also very transparent and honest about estimates and don't BS anyone, because there is no point to it. If something is going to take 4 weeks to do, and they need it in 2 weeks, tell them it will take 4 weeks and explain why. That way expectations are set and they can understand why. When I was earlier in my career I think I'd try to act smarter than I was and maybe over promise about stuff, or BS about how long something may take, etc.

I've also started to "work smarter" as I've gotten older too, if that makes sense. I work hard and put my time in, but when I'm off I play hard too and enjoy my work/life balance. Hell I'm making this post from the Caribbean on vacation lol.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

While I have never been one to work more than 40 hours per week, I've noticed as my pay has gone up, the stress level has gone down. I think it's because I have just gotten my skillset higher that I feel so comfortable with what I do and I enjoy it so much, and I'm never worrying about anything.

I'm also very transparent and honest about estimates and don't BS anyone, because there is no point to it. If something is going to take 4 weeks to do, and they need it in 2 weeks, tell them it will take 4 weeks and explain why. That way expectations are set and they can understand why. When I was earlier in my career I think I'd try to act smarter than I was and maybe over promise about stuff, or BS about how long something may take, etc.

I've also started to "work smarter" as I've gotten older too, if that makes sense. I work hard and put my time in, but when I'm off I play hard too and enjoy my work/life balance. Hell I'm making this post from the Caribbean on vacation lol.

My stress levels when going through public accounting was... definitely stressful....

But now that I swapped over to industry with a ton of good credentials under my belt I'm just in general soooo less stressed.

I guess I'm saying this: Building your resume in the initial first.... 5-10 years is the most stressful IMO.

Now I just don't feel like I'm competing so-much. There aren't 10,000 equivalent people clamoring for my level position anymore, so it's more equivalent to competing with 2-3 people with plenty of opportunities.

 

[jpiniero]

Literally the #1 reason companies acquire/merge is to buy revenue and increase profits by cutting costs (read: laying off people). Big or small, doesn't matter. Leaving is a good idea generally, although in a lot of cases that's what the company wants since it reduces the amount of severance payouts.

 

[purbeast0]

Literally the #1 reason companies acquire/merge is to buy revenue and increase profits by cutting costs (read: laying off people). Big or small, doesn't matter. Leaving is a good idea generally, although in a lot of cases that's what the company wants since it reduces the amount of severance payouts.

That isn't the case here as there is no severance pay anyways. We all received a $20k bonus at buyout, whether you were with the company for 10 years or 10 days. And as is pretty evident by getting 5 offers myself without even trying, they know how easy it is for us to move around in this space and they do NOT want to lose people because that means they lose money.

 

[jpiniero]

That isn't the case here as there is no severance pay anyways. We all received a $20k bonus at buyout, whether you were with the company for 10 years or 10 days. And as is pretty evident by getting 5 offers myself without even trying, they know how easy it is for us to move around in this space and they do NOT want to lose people because that means they lose money.

Are you forfeiting the 20k by leaving quickly? Could see them offering something like that that if they thought too many would leave too early and would cause some short term disruptions. In the long run it won't matter since the employee that is going to replace you will be making a lot less than you are.

 

[purbeast0]

Are you forfeiting the 20k by leaving quickly? Could see them offering something like that that if they thought too many would leave too early and would cause some short term disruptions. In the long run it won't matter since the employee that is going to replace you will be making a lot less than you are.

Nope. It was given to everyone like 2 days after the announcement.

 

[clamum]

Nice dude! Lucky bastard. I hope to be in a similar situation very soon (accepting a new job offer). I'm looking and the recruiter is looking for me; gotta get outta where I'm at.

 

[Luna1968]

Literally

this word needs to be deleted from our language. so over used.

 

[clamum]

this word needs to be deleted from our language. so over used.

Yes thank you, someone else who hates this overused crap as much as me (maybe). It seems to be a relatively recent thing too, like within the past 5-10 years or so. I don't remember people saying it constantly when I was in high school or college. Man I'd rather listen to someone say "like" every other word than f'ing "literally" (and it's used incorrectly a majority of the time anyway).

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Yes thank you, someone else who hates this overused crap as much as me (maybe). It seems to be a relatively recent thing too, like within the past 5-10 years or so. I don't remember people saying it constantly when I was in high school or college. Man I'd rather listen to someone say "like" every other word than f'ing "literally" (and it's used incorrectly a majority of the time anyway).

I agree that word has literally been used so much that it is ironic that we have to keep repeating this.

 

[clamum]

I agree that word has literally been used so much that it is ironic that we have to keep repeating this.

It's literally nuts!

 

[snoopy7548]

Literally congratulations, OP!

 

[rh71]

I agree that word has literally been used so much that it is ironic that we have to keep repeating this.

"Fake news" is worse.

OP, it's nice to have the skillset and in a big market, you never had to worry.

 

[purbeast0]

Literally congratulations, OP!

Thanks.

I literally signed the offer letter yesterday. It felt good. It's going to be very uncomfortable giving 2 weeks notice. I've only ever done it 2x in my 15 year career.

 

[purbeast0]

Just gave my 2 weeks notice. That was fun.

 

[jpiniero]

Just gave my 2 weeks notice. That was fun.

Funny how long it takes from when you sign the offer letter to when you can actually give notice.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Funny how long it takes from when you sign the offer letter to when you can actually give notice.

to be honest my last 2 employers essentially forced me to quit by making things unbearable. Because of that, I didn't give any 2 week notice... I gave a 3 day notice heh.

And with my last one, I didn't even even have an offer letter or anything ready.

 

[purbeast0]

Funny how long it takes from when you sign the offer letter to when you can actually give notice.

Had to make sure all the t's were crossed and i's were dotted before doing it.