h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So here it is. After 18 years I have finally taken the plunge and left the company I've bee working for.

In the end, although I was really really good at what I did and although I really really liked so many of the people there, I can see the direction it's headed and so it was time to go.

I actually gave notice in January and left on 31st May. And here's how it went:

In December we have an annual performance review. After all the extra work those of us who moved with the company put in (I was working 14 hour days right up to Christmas...) my expectation wasn't to get an "average" grade. (they have S - super fantastic; A - above expectations; B - expected performance; C - just about acceptable; D - not acceptable - these people usually have to leave)

I got a B. I objected and gave my reasons. but after about 2 weeks it was rejected and I got stuck with a B. Now in the normal course of things I'd not be too annoyed but this really really riled me up and chewed at me over Christmas. The company pay an annual "Peronal Incentive" - the level of this is determined by your grade. They also usually have a small pay increment which is usually inflation + delta (determined by your performance grade).

So you can probably imagine that after the mammoth task of losing 80% of our staff and training up new people (in my team only 3 out of 8 moved) not only in my team (accounting) but also sales & logistics and also being told constantly that it was our responsibility to make sure everything worked... Anyway. I chewed it over and decided to quit.

But what to do? I found out that I could do a qualification as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (CELTA) in Frankfurt, and that there were (month-long) courses in April and June. The last date I could work and keep the redundancy was 31st July with a 3 month notice period. I decided to go for the June course and so 31st March was the latest I could quit. But when I got back to work after New Year it was all too exciting and I only managed to hold out until about the 10th January.
I only told my boss and one member of my team. Boss told HR and within hours about 50 people had stopped by my desk to ask if it was true…
It was decided – although my team was understaffed – that my position would be filled internally since it was agreed that I was (in terms of experience and understanding of the job, which has developed with me) pretty much irreplaceable.
And that was pretty much it. I tried not to work more than 40 hours a week but I was averaging 55-60 between January and May. And then suddenly it was 16th May and my last day. They’d collected for me and bought me a personalised Bembel*, some Frankfurt Gin** and a photo album of my time at the company. We had a pretty good party from lunchtime until hometime and then that was that.

I went home and then the Chef and I went on a short holiday to Dresden and Leipzig (both well worth a visit) then back home to get my stuff ready for my CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) course. This is a whole separate journal entry though.
That took up the whole of June, then it was a quick trip to Hamburg to see Billy Joel and have a couple of days in the city before going back home to sign on as unemployed. Chef helped me – over two weeks – to pack up and empty my flat, and that was that. My year in Frankfurt was over, and I’m ready to start a new adventure.
Whatever that might be.

*The stone jug that people in Frankfurt use for their local brew (Apfelwein: it’s like cider)
**with a hint of apple in it

with the plunge Hope you land on your soon

I'd better start applying for jobs I guess...

Well, it's great to have you back.

I wish I'd done something like that at your age now, but things were OK at work back then. I'm in a terrible situation at the moment and hating every minute I spend at the office.

So presumably, all the jobs you'll be looking for will be as a language teacher. I don't think even Brexit will reduce the need for that, so you should do fine. Lots of my friends have jobs with local companies teaching the staff English, although more and more this is being outsourced. Either way, they still need the teachers.

I think that was a good decision. Hope you'll find a good job soon.

With your experience and the teacher certificate on top of that you should be able to land jobs in a wide field of opportunities. Don't limit yourself when applying. I have tons of friends and family who now have good jobs far away from what they originally studied for. You know this, of course, just thought I would remind you.

My daughter for instance has a bachelor in molecular bio medicine and mastered in human nutrition. She now sells equipment for hospitals around the globe.
Her older brother mastered in communication and trade. He now works in logistics for Flixbus.

There is a vacancy at our school.

I'm really not sure teaching is for me. I may try to combine being an office wallah with teaching - doing both part time, or whatever works best.

But we'll see. I have basically been on holiday for the whole of July, and now Gruesome #2's birthday party is just about out of the way (I was there for a few hours, but I'm now at home waiting for the "muuuummmm come and get meeee" call - probably after 4am) I can start seriously looking for work. Something approximating that anyway.

and

I landed a job with no effort on my part, so just keep your eyes & ears open and put the word about that you're available. It's often a case of not what you know but who you know.

So as it happened... a chap where I used to work left just after me and has set up a consulting business - and he's offered me a job. Conditions all good, we've worked together for 16 years so we know each other. So, as J said in Men In Black: remember, you wanted me.

Starting on 1st of Dec so going to enjoy my last two weeks of leisure!

Just as well he stepped up though, although this has been a possibility since we spoke about it in May so I only applied for what I thought were really interesting jobs: only one replied with an interview. And they haven't contacted me since (30th October) so I'm guessing they don't want me either.

I got about 4 rejections from 30 applications. 1 interview. And the rest? Including the company that wrote and invited me to apply for (the perfect job for me) a position in Berlin - no reply. Nothing.

I don't know if it's my age (my photo has my grey hair in all its glory), my nationality (still British but that will change now) or my (lack of) qualifications ()


But anyway. He offered me pretty much everything I wanted so...

Great news. I did say it's not what you know but who you know up there ^^

I don't think you'll need any but have some anyway! And a Go Girl!

Congratulations

Conga rats!

Congratulations! Hope everything goes well.

Great to hear from you again. If you haven't started your application for German Nationality, it really is time, as it can take several weeks, and you will need to get it through by the end of March. I started 6 weeks ago and will probably get the final papers in January or maybe even February, I have been told.

All the best in the new job.

Congratulations Sho!

thanks, TC - yes, we'll be applying for citizenship by the end of this year - I think if we get it in relatively soon it will be fine as I can't imagine the Germans are going to chuck us all out on our ears. (well I hope not)

did I mention that is also starting a new job in Feb? he's been doing (badly paid) agency work for years (the hours are good) and for most of them he's been at a bank. Who have finally got approval to take him on full time.

Thanks to both of you for keeping the wheels in my homeland turning

Congratulations! Sounds great indeed

Yeah, difficult with job applications indeed - on a logical level I know that there are more applicants than places, so most of the time the probability of getting the job is low, but after the first 30 it does seem unfair and after the second 30 you start believing you have nothing to offer an employer because of [insert characteristic here]...

However, I second the benefit of 'not what you know but who you know' too - there are some great jobs out there that are suited to people's skills and there are people who can help. I took a plunge last year myself and the risks paid off so I have been enjoying work much more since then

Enjoy the rest of your leisure time and all the best for December - I'm sure you will soon settle in

Congrats!