Michael Scott in Action

Read Time — 2 minutes

It’s no wonder that the show The Office was a smash hit.

You had Dwight who was always causing trouble. There was Pam and Jim with the office romance.

And who can forget Michael Scott, the worst boss ever?

It was a delightful calamity that we couldn’t stop watching!

But when you work in an office, the things that seem funny on a TV show often play out much differently in real life.

The Corporate Blunder

I’ve worked in many different corporate environments over my 20+ career.

My last couple of jobs were my favorites. I worked for companies where I truly believed in the work and mission. Plus I’m happy to say that I’ve made several friends that I’ve kept in touch with over the years.

But those companies were the exception to the rule:

• I had a manager who liked to take our team out for liquid lunches (i.e. with alcohol). She would pressure me to drink in front of the group. When I refused, she’d belittle me.

• I orchestrated a big project where I worked 12-hour days for 6 months. When it finished on time and on budget, I asked my manager if I could have a raise to recognize my hard work. He laughed at me.

• On my first day at a new job, the team decided they hated me (for reasons I still don’t understand). They treated me horribly to get me to quit. They would yell at me if I dared ask a question and ignored me the rest of the time.

These situations aren’t ok. And honestly, I wish I had left those companies sooner.

You may have experienced similar situations. Stories like these are all too common in today’s workplace.

Many of us put up with these situations because we feel like we should. We want to avoid the dreaded gap in our resumes.

But at what cost to our mental health?

A Layoff Payoff

I think a lot about how layoffs can sometimes be for the best. Even when they don’t feel that way on the surface.

I speak often about turning lemons into lemonade (hence the name of this newsletter!).

In the spirit of ‘things often happen for a reason’, were there things that you didn’t like about your last job?

• A long commute

• Co-workers you didn’t like

• Getting paid less than you’re worth

• Work that didn’t fulfill or inspire you

• A manager who didn’t recognize your accomplishments

Since a layoff often happens with little to no warning, you’re not given the time to process if the job was serving you and making you happy. You’re forced to leave the job on the company’s terms, not your own.

It’s common to reminisce about what you had. The good old days.

This is true in romantic relationships as well. When you break up, you tend to think fondly about the good times. So it’s easy to forget about why you ultimately parted ways.

Sometimes, coming to terms with the fact that our last jobs may have been less than stellar can help us to move forward.

This exercise can help you to gain clarity on what wasn’t serving you and what you truly don’t want in the future.

This will help you to focus on what type of work will truly fulfill you and make you happy.

I’m excited about what lies ahead for you!

Big hugs, Jenny

P.S. Exhausted by job applications? Stressing over an upcoming interview? I can help! As a former tech recruiter of 10+ years working at top-tier consulting (McKinsey), healthtech, and fintech companies, I know exactly what hiring teams are looking for. I have proven methods to help you differentiate in a crowded market to reach the ultimate goal: to get you HIRED!

When you’re ready, I offer:

• A Resume and LinkedIn Profile ‘Power Hour’

• 1:1 Job Search Coaching

Is there a topic you’d like me to cover in a future Layoff Lemonade issue? Write me and let me know what’s top of mind for you!