Christian blogs about his layoff this week with comfort and wisdom despite his own situation. His prolific work across the years proves he's one of the greats as does the dignity in his blog post: Things to do and not to do during a wave of tech layoffs: christianheilmann.com/2023/0…
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None of my layoffs went like his. Three of the layoffs were with companies that simply ran out of money. One I was told I had an appointment with an executive at a certain time. I got to be conference room, he called someone on the phone and the person on the phone let me go.
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In the last instance a security guard escorted me to my desk where my belongings have been packed into boxes and escorted me out of the building. I had done nothing wrong. I was not fired, but let go with three months severance. That was the only company where I got severance.
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I couldn't help that I was collateral damage a year and a half after they fired my boss. When the CTO left the company there was no one else left to protect me. I knew it was coming and should've been prepared, but I had reasons not to look for another job yet.
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Replying to @tannyo
I really hate these stories. It's why I mostly kept independent as a contractor. When I didn't, it usually did not go well. I love working WITH people. I am highly probably not capable of working FOR people however. Flat hierarchies? What does that really mean FFS?

Jan 29, 2023 · 8:40 AM UTC

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Replying to @mholzschlag
I was an independent contractor for five years. In 1989 I had five clients. The IRS said because I worked at their place of business, they provided me a desk, and phone I was not a contractor but employee. But that's how IT contractors worked back then. Modems weren't fast.