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Lovely Fluffy Oxygen
Jun. 9th, 2020 10:11 pmGoing into the week, I thought that surely this week couldn't be much worse than last one. How wrong I was.
I was awoken to a text message on Monday morning from my immediate manager, who had gotten in touch for the first time in six weeks. In it, he asked whether I had seen the company wide email from Friday, which once I managed to read it, detailed that there would be company-wide redundancies. I have been expecting this email since early April if I was honest, knowing how the post-COVID world would shape up for the company, but it was still something of a punch in the stomach. Right now, everything is in limbo and I'm likely to know next week whether or not I have retained my job. I think there's a 50/50 likelihood - I certainly know other departments are far more at risk and as a small integral team, we are more likely to survive. However, due to a number of other factors, there is a very real chance they'll let me go.
I'm not sure whether this is something I want or not. There is likely to be a redunancy package, while I have suggested a few other options to them which could mean I be retained under a different contract, either part-time or consultancy. Of course, should I be dismissed, it would spur me in my job search as I look to move to Europe, but my strongest opportunity in Copenhagen fell through one hour before I had received the redundancy news while today I was also turned down by two of my strongest remaining prospects, meaning I have few promising irons left in the fire. My CV is getting traction though and the reasons for being rebuffed are more circumstantial than anything else, but looking at the paucity of options right now, I do have fears about being recruited any time soon. Ultimately, being let go ahead of the worst recession in three centuries is going to be exceptionally tough, but at least I would have ultimate flexibility and no notice period, which I know has been one turn-off for potential employers. Of course, I wouldn't have an income and although I have a reasonable amount of savings, the effect on my mental health in particular could be acute. So in some respects I would rather leave on my own terms than be made redundant even though there are advantages to the latter. There is also Wolfie to consider and I sense there is something wrong with his own mental state, although he cannot express to me what is wrong. I have told him to start looking for jobs himself and he has indeed applied for one job already, even though I know that if he gets a job then I will be severely constrained by location. However, with the transition period looking unlikely to be extended, time is starting to run out, and while seven months should be enough, I am aware five have passed to no avail.
The only positive to come out of this week so far is meeting up with Arcais and Taneli, the first furs I have seen since 17 March (if you discount the time we bumped into Tonks outside Sainsbury's unexpectedly). We had been aiming to meet up last Friday, but the weather of heavy showers and hailstones put paid to that, as we can only hang out outside. Consequently, tonight was chosen and we ended up walking around the mammoth Northcliffe Park, where we saw some allotments and a meadow with a fine view over Shipley. We also saw a cute little railway track of two different gauges, where amateur train buffs can ply their engines and give rides to kids. The park was quite quiet so it was great for a stroll, with natural wildflowers and the smell of garlic permeating. It was also great to see two of our closest friends again, albeit within acceptable social distancing rules, and good to compare our various lockdown experiences. Arc had kindly made us a cup of tea for our stroll and made a second one for when we returned to her house, which we sat drinking on her little balcony next to her vegetable patch. We also got the opportunity to give her her birthday present of gin, with her big day being back in March, while she also got me some nice unicorn things including shower gel and some fluffy marshmallow cha-chompy things. Ultimately, it was a great few hours, not least for the company but also because we got to go somewhere new. We had never been to this park before and even driving around Bradford made a welcome change from the same scenery of the last three months. We even noticed a new Starbucks in Thornbury which we will call in on at some point. We are hoping to make this a regular weekly thing if we can, not least because it seems the safest way to socialise, as I don't want to go back to bars and the like until this virus is completely gone. It was also good to have an escape from the last ten days of bleakness. I can only hope things improve.
I was awoken to a text message on Monday morning from my immediate manager, who had gotten in touch for the first time in six weeks. In it, he asked whether I had seen the company wide email from Friday, which once I managed to read it, detailed that there would be company-wide redundancies. I have been expecting this email since early April if I was honest, knowing how the post-COVID world would shape up for the company, but it was still something of a punch in the stomach. Right now, everything is in limbo and I'm likely to know next week whether or not I have retained my job. I think there's a 50/50 likelihood - I certainly know other departments are far more at risk and as a small integral team, we are more likely to survive. However, due to a number of other factors, there is a very real chance they'll let me go.
I'm not sure whether this is something I want or not. There is likely to be a redunancy package, while I have suggested a few other options to them which could mean I be retained under a different contract, either part-time or consultancy. Of course, should I be dismissed, it would spur me in my job search as I look to move to Europe, but my strongest opportunity in Copenhagen fell through one hour before I had received the redundancy news while today I was also turned down by two of my strongest remaining prospects, meaning I have few promising irons left in the fire. My CV is getting traction though and the reasons for being rebuffed are more circumstantial than anything else, but looking at the paucity of options right now, I do have fears about being recruited any time soon. Ultimately, being let go ahead of the worst recession in three centuries is going to be exceptionally tough, but at least I would have ultimate flexibility and no notice period, which I know has been one turn-off for potential employers. Of course, I wouldn't have an income and although I have a reasonable amount of savings, the effect on my mental health in particular could be acute. So in some respects I would rather leave on my own terms than be made redundant even though there are advantages to the latter. There is also Wolfie to consider and I sense there is something wrong with his own mental state, although he cannot express to me what is wrong. I have told him to start looking for jobs himself and he has indeed applied for one job already, even though I know that if he gets a job then I will be severely constrained by location. However, with the transition period looking unlikely to be extended, time is starting to run out, and while seven months should be enough, I am aware five have passed to no avail.
The only positive to come out of this week so far is meeting up with Arcais and Taneli, the first furs I have seen since 17 March (if you discount the time we bumped into Tonks outside Sainsbury's unexpectedly). We had been aiming to meet up last Friday, but the weather of heavy showers and hailstones put paid to that, as we can only hang out outside. Consequently, tonight was chosen and we ended up walking around the mammoth Northcliffe Park, where we saw some allotments and a meadow with a fine view over Shipley. We also saw a cute little railway track of two different gauges, where amateur train buffs can ply their engines and give rides to kids. The park was quite quiet so it was great for a stroll, with natural wildflowers and the smell of garlic permeating. It was also great to see two of our closest friends again, albeit within acceptable social distancing rules, and good to compare our various lockdown experiences. Arc had kindly made us a cup of tea for our stroll and made a second one for when we returned to her house, which we sat drinking on her little balcony next to her vegetable patch. We also got the opportunity to give her her birthday present of gin, with her big day being back in March, while she also got me some nice unicorn things including shower gel and some fluffy marshmallow cha-chompy things. Ultimately, it was a great few hours, not least for the company but also because we got to go somewhere new. We had never been to this park before and even driving around Bradford made a welcome change from the same scenery of the last three months. We even noticed a new Starbucks in Thornbury which we will call in on at some point. We are hoping to make this a regular weekly thing if we can, not least because it seems the safest way to socialise, as I don't want to go back to bars and the like until this virus is completely gone. It was also good to have an escape from the last ten days of bleakness. I can only hope things improve.
