Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 11:38 am
Why I'm volunteering for a buyout in this cruddy economy
From the tone and subject of my posts over the past couple of weeks, you may have guessed this was coming. Yep: I'm sacking myself.
What kind of brainless ninny would volunteer for unemployment in an economy so crappy we've run out of hyperbolic adjectives? If my mother were alive, she'd ask the same thing. Or, rather, she'd ask, "Daijobu?" — "are you okay?" — in a voice that indicated she didn't think I was at all.
Believe me, I've questioned my own sanity. Following are just a few reasons why leaving a good job in this economy is totally mental:
- There are no other jobs. Period.
- Health insurance is still not universal.
- Pampers still cost money.
- It's illegal to force a four-year-old to get a job.
- Daytime TV isn't really that good.
Like any TIME writer worth her salt, my next paragraph will begin with "On the other hand..."
- I've had a great run — 12 years — and it just feels like time to go.
- The buyout package will keep my family insured and my baby in fresh diapers. For a while.
- I've survived five layoffs already, and I don't want to white-knuckle it through one more.
- My industry is undergoing seismic changes, and my strong feeling is that sooner or later, we'll all be free agents.
- The cafeteria isn't really that good.
Over the coming days I'll analyze what my new work status will mean in this economy, and I don't doubt there'll be times when I'll feel nauseous with anxiety at my decision. I'll ruminate over the many, many things I'll miss about my company, my brand and — okay — the cafeteria.
But right now, I feel pretty good.
12 Comments and Trackbacks to “Why I'm volunteering for a buyout in this cruddy economy”
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Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is a New York-based staff writer at TIME. She writes about workplace, business and society trends for the magazine and TIME.com. Read more
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Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Lisa, you have chutzpah! I fully support your decision, but have just one question: WILL YOU STILL WRITE YOUR BLOG? What will your readers do without a daily dose of LTC's savvy, smart, laugh-out-loud-so-your-co-workers-think-you're-crazy commentaries? We are doomed with you.
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I meant "without" you! We are lost sheep looking for the water cooler that is empty and dry....
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 12:11 pm
What always depresses me about these stories is that any reporter willing to leave right now is a good reporter we can't afford to lose.
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Ohhh, Lisa, I'm so sorry it's come to this! Your reasons to go make a lot of sense, but it's like a little light has gone out on my laptop. We will miss you greatly...and if you go the private-blog route, make sure you invite us!
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Nooooooooo! Please tell me you will continue to blog, even if you're not hanging around the water cooler listening to office scuttlebut
So let me get this straight - thanks to the economy, your career is now a 'work in progress'??
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 6:01 pm
This cuts the number of blogs I regularly read by 50%. If Tuned In actually becomes Tuned Out, then I will officially abandon blog reading. The heartbreak is too much.
I'm sorry its come to this Lisa. Over the past year, I've come to depend regularly on your particular dose of workplace sanity. I have a feeling it will many a sad morning when I stumble into work, bleary eyed and uncaffeinated and try and navigate to WiP only to find that its no longer progressing.
A Tip of the Hat to you and the family. Good luck and hopefully we see you again sooner rather than later.
A big wag of the finger to the economy.
Thursday, December 4, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I miss you already.
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 9:06 am
Apparently I'm a little late in discovering this blog. I will be tuning in just the same to monitor your adventures in today's job market assuming there are posts to come. I would be happy to share some of the stories I have received in recent weeks should you need some inspiration and/or encouragement.
Larry
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 9:45 am
[...] jobs. Time itself is in the middle of a round of layoffs and buyouts, and Lisa just announced that she has volunteered for a buyout. (I am, thanks for asking, staying. For now. As far as I know. I haven't checked my e-mail in a few [...]
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 11:11 am
I missed this post yesterday!! I'm happy and sad at the same time. Lisa, you will be sadly missed. There goes the last bit of the humor out of a very humorless working environment! Full support for you, though. If you get bored, there's always more room in the blogosphere for one more blogger!!
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Good luck! If you keep blogging elsewhere, I will keep reading.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 8:24 am
I am so sorry you are leaving. will they let you keep your blog? will you blog elsewhere? please make sure you let us know where you are moving to so we can follow