Made the hard decision to move on to another job yesterday. I started to put feelers out for other work a few weeks ago and got three offers in that time. It wasn’t “serious” job hunting when I started but as time progressed it became more obvious that “these hard economic times” where having an effect on my employer and I began to worry about their ability to continue to carry the staff numbers they currently have. I finally made the decision to go before I was shoved (and while I still had money in the bank!) after I was asked to extend my rostered week long break by using my accrued holidays or taking unpaid leave.
After agreeing to use up my holidays, I weighed up the situation overnight and spoke to one or two people in the company, then rang them back the next day telling them I had I job I could go to immediately if they where prepared to let me go on the spot. I wasn’t all that surprised when they agreed as I had heard several people where already told their jobs no longer existed. Whilst I had done my job satisfactorily and had not received any black marks against my name ,apart from that YouTube video that met with frowns of disapproval, I still felt happier knowing events where under my control and that I wasn’t faced with an unexpected and ill-timed mass retrenchment when the rest of my workmates could be competing with me for whatever jobs where available at an unknown point in the future.
I hope the company does manage to come out the other side intact and that my (former) workmates do not lose their jobs, but I don’t envy the uncertainty they will be feeling for a while yet. I’m also VERY glad I didn’t decide to buy that new car I wanted several months ago – I think my old car will do me for a while yet. (It might need a bit of work though…at least I won’t have a loan hanging over my head).
Cheers, Mike.
Tags: job, pilbara, recession, transport, western australia
