After almost half a decade with UNATION, I was laid off due to the company "downsizing". The 1st two and a half years were amazing. I loved my job and without knowing it I was teachers pet so take that how you will.. I received pay raises regularly, more responsibilities and I overall felt great about my job. On the flip side, I had co-workers who were having complete opposite experiences. People were being rotated in and out of the company like a fast food restaurant. I figured maybe they didn't work hard enough or they weren't passionate about the company like I was. I saw myself being there for the rest of my professional career but I couldn't have been more delusional and wrong. I was just blinded at the time because once again... I loved my job.
Being laid off was for the best because the last year I worked here, I literally cried almost every business day. I didn't have the bravery to leave because whose going to give up a remote job with flexible working hours and you get to explore your city while getting paid to do it? Yeah - hard to walk away from. Over time I was given so much responsibility. I was known as the person who could always get it done and at this point, I didn't want to disappoint. So I always came through - until I started dropping the ball and making small mistakes. Instead of helping me or delegating tasks, The Fab Five just got infuriated with me over and over again when I clearly needed a life line. I WAS DROWNING. After I made significant strides in multiple departments, I found myself inconspicuously training my replacements. New people I hadn't heard of based in FL would ping me asking detailed questions on processes and operations. I eventually returned to doing entry level City Manager tasks until I was phased out completely and laid off. They had sucked me dry and tossed me out which was devastating!
Honorable mention about the Fab Five... individually and outside of business they aren't so bad but together in a business setting, they made work a living hell. Every time my Basecamp went off, my heart would drop. This job literally gave me mental instability but income was what kept me around.
