Well, here I am thinking I have the job that I love that would last for a long time. At least that is what I thought.
Life has a way of throwing twists and turns at you and the last few weeks in my case has been no exception.
One day you are employed and the next you are not!
But let's look at the silver lining. I have got off my bum and now more active and less apathetic about what life can entail. This will give me that much needed valuable time to really sort through the stuff. I actually feel motivated in doing such.
I will go back a little in time so you can better see my picture.
At the conference that I attended in January, it was apparent then and there, that there was a lot more politics to this company than I first realised. I also discovered that the company was very top heavy. Does anyone remember the song Dean Martin sang 'Too Many Chiefs And Not Enough Indians'? Well, it certainly was the case here.
The man who hired me was fantastic and I so enjoyed working for him. Communication flowed and the support was freely given. You knew what was happening and was well informed. However, just before Christmas he mysteriously dissappeared. I suspect he was shafted out of his postion. His sales style was more along the lines of mine which is to develop relationships for longevity. It became obvious at the Conference that the company was now heading more along the lines of aggressive sales techniques and expectations. And in this current economic climate not a good move if you ask me.
Being that he hired me I knew I would have a target on my back. It didn't take long for this to happen and certain big wigs started making comments and finally within weeks one of them, the General Manager no less, from Sydney, came to see me. I sat there at this meeting, watching my immediate boss here in Melbourne tell blatant lies to save her own bacon and I did pipe up at this stage stating that the figures they were going by where inaccurate, at which point the GM said that doesn't matter.
I was floored at this attitude. Flabberghasted even.
I learnt at this meeting more people where being employed (not sales) but more bosses that will have to be paid for from somewhere. They were not interested in facts and twisted the inaccuracies to suit their purpose. I knew that no matter what I said at this point it would just sound like an excuse, as they were not taking anything of fact on board. I played along to get more precious time in order for the recent home loan application to go through. This home loan meant that even out of work I would be able to get by. Tough, but get by regardless.
I wont go into the ins and outs of the situation, other than to say, they felt they were in the drivers seat and had total control over me.
I worked out that I had at least 7 bosses above me. I mean, how many does it take to make a decision!
I was given 2 weeks to 'improve' and another meeting was called 9 days on (looks like they cannot add) via telephone conference. 30 minutes prior to that conference call I tendered my resignation along with my reasons why. I was factual and professional and to the point. They were floored. I had gesumped them.
I ended up speaking to the GM the next day (last Friday) who had convinced herself that the figures did not matter. Now that is just not logical in my book. I relayed that I could not work for a company that does not work on accurate figures when making vital decisions and that where this company was now heading was somewhere that I had no interest in taking that journey with them. I do not see aggressive sales as desireable nor ideal and would rather have my integrity stay intact than go there.
This GM stated she woud take on board my comments, but I could tell they would rather convince themselves they were right at all costs than fix the cancer within their ranks. Shame really.
She told me they had a discussion as what to do and had all decided to release me and that today was my final day. This was at noon.
At 3.40pm the very same day my Mortgage Broker called and advised me that my loan application had been unconditionally approved. Talk about a close shave. The eleventh hour. Or who could have scripted this better? Real life or a sitcom writer! My life is never dull of this I am sure.
Even though I resigned I know I will miss my job. I love what I do. But I have to find the right company. As they say in the fairy tales, I will have to kiss a few toads to find my frog prince. Onward in my quest for the perfect fit.
I am sure my last place of employment will keep growing, but they have the serious potential to implode. I hope they look at the things that have been said and address the cancer from within their own ranks. But I highly doubt that.
All I know is I saved myself from a very toxic situation.
As shell shocked as I was, the next day, Saturday, my sons Dad arrived with a queen size (second hand) bed for him. My son and I removed everything out of his room. After removing all the dead bodies, lolly and chip packets and lord knows what and vacuuming, it was looking half decent once more. We found all sorts of things. That DVD that was missing. All the missing socks and so on. Nothing like a good old purge.
I told my boy to only put back what he wanted. After many bags of rubbish and a few bags for the charity bins and several hours later his room was trasformed. He woke up in a boys room and will go to sleep in a teenagers room. There are still areas to address, but it was a huge improvement and one that I could see my son will totally appreciated. A teenagers retreat.
This now meant I now have 2 mattresses under the carport and more stuff on the now growing junk pile.
I am beginning to look more and more like Steptoe & Son by the day.
Here are my growing collection of mattresses that you cannot get rid of for love or money...
And not far the ever growing junk pile...
Not a good look, but will be removed as soon as I can organise someone with a trailer to take to the tip.
On the Monday I had asked a friend to come and help fix my now very sad and sorry and completely dilapidated letter box.
Here is what the old letter box ended up looking like...
Very sad looking indeed. The door had gone and the roof collapsed and there was tape holding the pole together. I think I can safely say this letter box had done it's job and now had to go. My postie will be pleased if no one else!
I had found and bought a suitable letter box via a charity shop at a pinch of the price without the pole and all I had to buy was a pole on which to sit said letter box on. I did pick up a letter box sometime back on a pole with the concrete still attached and had visions of knocking the concrete off, but my friend said after giving it a few blows that it just wasn't worth it. Looks way better now and all I have to get is a padlock for it and we are done.
Here is the new one being put into situ by my friend John...
Here is how it looks from my porch area... Isn't she a beaut!
My postie will be one happy chappy!
Like I have said before, you look worse while you go through this process, but you are on your way to having that vision burst through.
Will have to contact the council to find out if they will do a one off collection for me. But wont hold my breath. Otherwise, it will have to all wait till September for the next collection if I cannot find someone to help take it to the tip.
Today I intend to start work on getting my lounge room sorted again with all that I dumped in there from what I had tossed out of my room when I got the new mattress and regain the use of my sanctuary. It all takes time and effort and above all else motivation. Sadly time I didn't have, but happily do now. Effort is not an issue as much. But motivation! Well, that is an entirely different matter all together. It is easy to get side tracked. Something I will have to keep a watch out for.
Each day I intend to do something and this way in no time at all I should be that closer to my vision.
Being that it is Autumn I want to organise after Easter a weekend for a few of my friends to come and help me cut back the overgrowth that really has got out of hand, weed, plant the drought hardy clumping plants that I have been slowly buying up with a BBQ at the end of it. Along with the help of my children we should be done in no time at all. That way I will be able to get the tree loppers in and it wont cost as much. Well, am hoping that that will be the case.
Lastly, remembering my now motto, 'onward and outward a little at a time everyday'!
Chiz
Anita - back to looking for work while I work!
