An email to a fellow who just got nuked form his government job.
*** Begin
Dear So and So,
http://home.comcast.net/~v2y2r0n27rhj6y/TURKEY/index.htm
My “turkey farm” is my series of webpages that I use for counseling newly minted turkeys.
Turkeys are those good people who get nuked from their jobs. It’s a loving term from the first time it happened to me. The first time I was fired, I was sent to the “outplacement firm”. I ran into a group of guys, much wiser than I, who welcomed me to the “turkey farm”. We were all turkeys went the popular wisdom, having been axed by our employers as valueless to that organization. Or at least less valuable than the salary one was drawing. Everyone would rejoinder “Oh not I. I’m different! I did X, Y, and Z.” in a defensive manner. But, they’d be “gobbled” down, by a chorus of gobbling fools, because by being there it was defacto evidence that they were a “turkey”. Hence when it happened to me, I embraced my “turkey-ness” and learned as much as I could. I’ve been “nuked” FIVE times — fired twice, set myself up to leave twice, and a once by mutual agreement — in my career. Each time it was a “blessing”. Painful, but still a great blessing. I used the severance to open my first consulting business. And would have never done it without the “push”.
It’s not easy to admit that I am a “turkey”. I believe that it will happen at least once more. (Strangely, perversely, I’d welcome the severance payment.) So, I’m a “turkey in waiting who is getting a paycheck right now”, but I have no illusion about corporate loyalty. The winds of change can make my version of “left handed paper hanging” obsolete overnight. I KNOW I could be “outside” looking “in” in a heartbeat.
But, now I am a wise old turkey. And, I share the principles of “turkey-ness” with baby turkeys. One wag, now employed after accepting some of my foolishness, called me the “turkey master”. Like Yoda, making “turkey warriors”. He also called me a “turkey baster” (for pouring ideas, time, and attention over him until some of it stuck). He also accused me of “stuffing” him with “stuff” (data, info, knowledge, and wisdom?) about being a “turkey” until it was popping out all over. I’ve also been accused of giving “baby turkeys” whiplash when I deluge them with my “stuff”. The analogy is the “baby turkey” is standing by the road hitchhiking, and I zoom by, grab them by the thumb, and make them run to keep up.
When you were “in”, I was giving you some of my particular brand of thinking. Now that you are “out”, you’re still welcome to it.
I don’t envy the road you have to travel. It’s hard to pick yourself up metaphorically and emotionally, dust yourself off, and get moving again. Some people NEVER do it. They are consumed by the past, what could have been, and how they were wronged. In your case, I think that a certain amount of effort is worthwhile in consulting with people about your particular situation. With a State job, it may be possible to “go home again”, I don’t know. At the very least, it may be possible to extract a settlement, better severance, another State job, or some other kind of windfall. But, at some point, you will have to move beyond where you were Thursday and today. It nature. You can’t feast on yesterday’s kill forever.
I hope that getting back on “your road” is quick and easier than it was for me. Every time I “fall”, it seems to hurt more because I know enough that I should have seen that “bump” coming.
Best wishes, advise how I can help,
FJR
The big fat old turkey
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Of course, I extend the offer to all.
Use the “force”.
“Do, or do not. There is no TRY!”
Turkeys are just eagles who don’t know how to soar yet?
Yeah, I know, knock off the “turkeying” around and get back to real work.
By The Way, speaking of me as the BFOT {Big Fat Old Turkey!} have you heard of my new LinkedIn_New_Jersey effort?
No? http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LINKEDIN_NEW_JERSEY is yet another of my “get ready for your next transition” projects. Why not get all the New Jersey people to come to a yahoo group and network. Beats me trying to find them all by myself. Build it and they will come. ;-)
L8r.
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Reinke Faces Life 