Incorrect
2006 January 23
My boss just sent out a message about my departure, saying:
“I just wanted to pass along the unfortunate news that WordNerd will no longer be working here with us after this coming up Friday. She’s pursuing greener pastures in Blankety-Blank, where I’m sure she’ll find a job she can equally enjoy and perform as she has here for the last 2 years.”
Um . . . find a job? My intro to him was, “I’ve accepted a position elsewhere . . .”
The hell? Even this he gets wrong!
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No former boss ever seems to want to acknowledge their employees going on to success. My former postdoctoral supervisor asked me what I was going on to more than once during the (very few) days between my giving my notice and my leaving, and even made me write it down (apparently so that on future grants, when they asked about former lab personnel, he could explain my whereabouts). And yet, in correspondence since my leaving, he still refers to it as a “postdoc”, which it most certainly is not. Who knows what anyone else in ehbeeoh thinks? (Who gives a flying fuck at the moon?) Anyway, in your case it doesn’t matter because: a) you yourself don’t give a rat’s ass either, and b) the rumor mill will promptly fill in any of your former fellow employees who do.
The important thing is that you’re out of there, and you can take satisfaction in moving to a position that pays you more than your former boss, who will stay in his current position until the company goes under, and then…?
I suppose you could be right. It’s very curious that he let anyone else know at all because, with L, he staunchly refused to let anyone in on her departure. In fact, on her last day, several editors and one of the owners approached her and basically said, “What the hell?”
I quickly got over the fact that he presented me as an unemployed bum, and quickly became more offended by the bald declaration that I actually enjoyed my time there. :D
I’ve had one person outside of my group quiz me as to what I was up to, so yes, the rumor mill will spread around the news of my good fortune. I will definitely get an update as to what’s said next Monday–if he’s smart, the Boss Man will realize that. But even if anything untoward is said, I can laugh it off precisely because my situation is now way more secure than his will ever be while he’s with Dyn-o-mite.
On that note, I’m writing down some things I was aching to say two months ago, and need to temper it for the exit interview. If you have a chance before Friday, mind helping me edit it (over the phone, I suppose) so it’s diplomatic and not bitter?
As I recall, L was not replaced, but you will be. (Either because you’re indispensible, or because they’ve now hit a critical threshold in terms of minimum number of employees. Take your pick.) That might actually have been the true reason for the e-mail – to solicit for resumes. The unhappiness of the higher-ups at not being informed might also be a reason, but did he include any of them on the e-mail? Or, a third possibility, perhaps he is just wildly inconsistent.
As for us talking before your exit interview, definitely.
I’ll take the third possibility for $1,000, Alex. But no, no higher-ups on are on the e-mail–not even his boss. Two higher-ups have to know in order to smooth everything out (like final paycheck and address change [which I can't provide just yet], and I will definitely be seeking them out on Friday. L was eventually replaced by The Tool, but it took a while–they subbed in an accountant to do her work for about three months before hiring St. Tool, Our Savior (at least according to the boss).
I know we have more contracts and not enough remaining editors to cover all of this plus my events. I’ll be very curious to see who they get in my stead–T mentioned alerting a friend to the job, but also felt bad suggesting it because she’d complained about the place so many times. She said it was like complaining about eating stale cake and then asking the person if they wanted a piece.
Whatever we end up editing in terms of my current comments, keep on reminding me not to sign anything on Friday that has to do with my revised comments. Not a good idea.