Woo-hoo!!!! I've been given notice!!!! =(

[MaxDepth]

Well. I had a grim foreboding on this dastardly event. It was cool (and against all business protocol) for the department manager to let me know last night before the paperwork was sent my pimp (contract manager).


IBM is cutting back on spending money any way they can for this business quarter. They need to show that they met or exceeding the street's estimation of their dividends. Even if it is just a penny. Too bad the department has to decommit from projects that were assigned to me because now there is no one there. But that doesn't matter.

[rant]
And it was not a question of ability or talent. The person who I reported to within the IBM framework (not the department boss, but one who is managed by the department boss) did not like me. She told me as much. I came from a business management background and she came from an "ivory tower" background (educational). We differed on most everything. But I saw early on that if I kissed her ass and totally disregarded everything that I ever believed and worked for in a business environment, I would have had my job today. But I don't think I could look at myself in the mirror everyday. The only downside to leaving (besides the embarrassment of being sacked) is that I had high hopes for my projects that I had managed. And I leave behind some wonderful people stuck with picking up the pieces.
[/rant]

Until I find work here in NC (there are offers outside, but I really like it here), I guess I'll work in the scuba dive shop. I liked keeping it a professional hobby but I need to pay my bills and keep food on the table.


well, well, well.
(story of three holes)

 

[spanky]

working a scuba shop? cool

btw... sorry about ur job.

 

[ElFenix]

damn. that sucks. i hate when they look completely short term to meet these damned quarterly earning expectations. your pseudo manager sounds evil too. i hope i never have to work under someone who can't be professional.

 

[SilverThief]

Sorry about your job.
Good for you for sticking to what you believe in.

 

[Lucky]

keeping a job in times like this demands kissing ass. sucks when reality hits though.

 

[Liviathan]

As a fellow employee of Big Blue I feel your pain. In the last few months I've had a number of friends get the boot just because they weren't the right band.

Things suck...I would like to get another position since I am national and am traveling every week...I just want to stay put.....but no luck.

If you are looking for something else inside the company maybe I can help, send me a PM.

 

[StageLeft]

That sucks At least you're getting a job right now to tide you over - good call.

 

[MichaelD]

Wow, that sucks @ss. Sorry to hear about your unceremonious sacking. I have a question nobody's raised yet; this project you were hired to do...you know, the one poured your blood, sweat and tears into? Can you "take it with you?" Or at least copy the stuff down so you can market it to your next potential employer?

yeah, I know IBM has patent rights and all that crap...but who says things can't be um, MODIFIED slightly from the original, just enough to warrant a NEW patent? Just a thought. Revenge is the sweetest berry.

 

[mithrandir2001]

Why are companies and corporate executives in general so distrusted? Why has employee morale and loyalty plummeted at major corporations? This is a perfect example. Every action of theirs, it seems, is motivated by quarterly numbers. If the guy at the top has to axe a few heads so that the numbers come out "right", he'll do it....after all, a majority of an executive compensation comes from stock options and missing EPS could send a stock spiraling down (though possibly only for the short term).

Executive management is charged with increasing shareholder value, but nickle and diming the company just to improve a 3-month result is penny-wise and pound-foolish and unfortunately, this is something that drives American business these days. Sometimes it's better working for a privately-held firm because they don't get the same heat from the Street to put out the "right" numbers quarter after quarter.

 

[Azraele]

Sorry to hear that.

My job security is on shaky ground at best. We got word yesterday that a major advertiser is breaking contract with us, and another one is thinking seriously about pulling out as well. I might be there for another week, and then unemployment is staring me in the face.

 

[Nitemare]

Sorry to hear that, I'm at big blue in NC as well. We've lost one member and my agency had all its employee's take a pay cut so they would not have to lay any people off..

Good luck and if you want I can forward your resume to my employer, they might have some openings

email is c_mcgee13@yahoo.com

 

[MaxDepth]

MichaelD
I was in the realm of systems management, software. I was working on the child of Tivoli IT Director. I know, I know, I hear your moans and groans about that software. But we were trying to write smarter, easier to understand documentation and GUI driven menus.

Instead of writing foo-foo, idiot-based user docs that write to an audience of 5 year olds, my writers and I were in the process of developing books that a real, intelligent user would need to read. So no, MichaelD, I cannot take anything out of Blue (hmmm. I can see the commercial now, "What has Blue done for you?" -takeoff of the UPS commercial) from my department. However, I just found out that you can patent flow charts (processes). Of course this takes time and money.

UPDATE: others in the same department and other department heads are responding to the termination notice I sent out this morning. It's like a fun wake where the deceased is still alive. Some of the other project managers have sent the department manager evil emails, asking to rescind the order. Two of my former writers said they'd quit too. But the reality is that none of this will happen. Everybody will calm down and accept the misery. But it was neat to see that I have a lot of people standing up for me. In a way, it proves that I was right. And I can take that away from Blue.

 

[Nitemare]

What a coincidence I was there as well. Were you in the new shiny glass building too?

 

[bigshooter]

File for unemployment. It rocks. I still wish someone would hire me, but while i'm taking my one class at school, i get enough money to pay my bills.