Job Hunting Again

[dreamshark]

To my complete and total surprise, I just lost my job. I thought things were going pretty well. I was doing what I thought was a good job, had had mostly positive feedback from my boss in my first 4 months. I was having a little trouble trying to figure out how the local development process worked, but I thought I was making progress on that. Then, out of the blue one week ago, my boss stopped by to "give me a little feedback," and told me that I wasn't showing enough initiative in taking leadership of projects. I was surprised, and faintly alarmed, but being very busy this past two weeks as we finished up the project release I asked if we could talk about it as we started the next release cycle. He seemed agreeable to that. Instead, he called me into a "meeting" a couple of hours ago, told me he' d decided it just wasn't a good fit, and terminated me. I'm still in shock. It wasn't my dream job, but I liked the people (including the boss), liked working in Opus, enjoyed the work. The truly distressing thing was that I thought it WAS a good fit. I was doing the job of test project lead exactly as I thought it should be done. Obviously, my boss had some different expectations, and he must have been dropping hints as to what they were, but I didn't recognize them. This totally shakes my confidence - not so much in my ability to do this kind of work as in my ability to understand what is going on around me.

Anyway, I'm a software tester with a lot of experience testing embedded firmware in networking products (Internet routers and that kind of thing). Thorough understanding of the TCP/IP protocol and bridging, which would probably translate well to client-server software. Quite a bit of experience with software development process. But apparently still a retard at company politics. *sigh*

Comments

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

Oh, damn.

Good luck in your search.

I'm not sure dropping hints is a good way to manage - explicit statements of "This is what I expect..." strike me as rather more useful.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I would have to agree with you there.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm very sorry to hear it. I hate it when bosses expect you to read their minds to divine their expectations.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

*sympathy* to you and ill wishes to the failed telepath who had power over you.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's not necessary to shower curses on my former boss. He's a very nice guy. Apparently just a little too nice - has a hard time saying anything even the teensiest bit negative, and is apparently uncomfortable ordering people around. I liked him when I was working there and I still like him. I just wish he had been a little more direct about what he wanted. I suspect that his expectations were a tad unrealistic, but if he'd shared them with me I could have had at least a fighting chance of meeting them. I appreciate the emotional support, however. Thanks.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

OK, curse withdrawn. I'd probably have done the same he did if any organization were foolish enough to give me power over others.

[serendipoz.livejournal.com]

Argh!

I'm sorry to hear this. Especially since I thought you were doing so well, and I know you'd put in long hours there already.

Are you interested in techie management jobs? I've seen some of those float by recently.

*hug*

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in first-level management jobs, assuming they'd be interested in me. Send me your tips! Thanks! Sorry I never got around to giving you that job-hunting workbook - guess I'll hang onto it now.

[pameladean]

I'm so sorry. I must say, while I have never had a high opinion of corporate culture generally, it does seem to me that the present unemployment rate and perhaps other skittishness having to do with the awful economy are turning corporations into complete and utter spoiled brats.

Pamela

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

*hee* Thanks for the support!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Geez, that sucks.

I'm really sorry.

B

yuck

[michaellee.livejournal.com]

this seems to have been a bad week for a number of people.

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear this. Good luck on the new search.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

The situation points up what a high order of intelligence you applied in setting up those job-hunting resources that you've made available to others as well on your web site.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Especially nice, considering that my particular high order of intelligence includes a memory like a seive. Yes, I am finding those links and pointers handy. :-)

[daedala.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. At least I knew I was not working out at Yada, which helps some, anyway. Best of luck on the new search.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Thanks, you too. Reading your LJ the last week or so I've been impressed with your energy and "job hunting productivity," as my job-hunt workbook puts it. It sounds like you're doing exactly the right things and getting a terrific return rate in terms of interviews.