I’m at risk of redundancy at the moment – we’re going through a big leadership change.

Essentially a year ago my then boss left (overnight) and I got dumped with running the larger department (went from 17 reports to 170 overnight).

Didn’t really get any thanks for doing this – which kind of peeved me.

Anyway, for the last year I’ve put up with a stupid amount of nonsense at work. People are constantly bleating no matter how much effort you put in. I guess the end of the tether is in sight…..

I will be offered a job in the new structure – but it’s winding me up so much at the moment I’m not sure I want to be part of it anymore.

The cheque would see me happy for almost two years – so there’s no immediate pressure on finding a new job – but I also don’t really want a career break (a month off might be nice).

In this climate is it wrong to say “Sod off” to a job offer and take the cheque?

Is findign another job within 2 years a likliehood? If the answer is yes then I’d take the cash.

(I think you can go back where you left after 6 months and not have to pay redundancy back?)

Guess it depends what you do – plenty of jobs out there in some sectors. If I was confident of finding a job within 2-3 months I’d probably take the cheque option in your case.

I’m taking voluntary severance from a pretty secure job (but with no real prospects of going anywhere, unless I want to move sideways out of science, as there are only two people above me) most people seem to think I’ve made the right choice. The money will see me right for about 20 monthswhich gets me out the other side of a masters course I want to do. – I don’t think it’s an opportunity I’ll ever get again.

There are jobs out there but not a huge number.

I think it’s the thought of jumping ship after 12 years thats putting me off. I’ve not had to be interviewed or complete a CV for so long now.

It just annoys me that a lack of movement in sorting out the issues has driven a decent department to destruction. The stubborn part of me wants to see that fixed.

But the other part of me is saying enough is enough.

To be blunt I travel like a dog, work stupid hours, and sort out all the crap that flies our way. I’d be happy to take a pay cut and do something that meant I could forget work when I got home of an evening (instead of being expected to answer blackberry messages whenever)….

To be blunt I travel like a dog, work stupid hours, and sort out all the crap that flies our way. I’d be happy to take a pay cut and do something that meant I could forget work when I got home of an evening (instead of being expected to answer blackberry messages whenever)….

Sounds like you know the answer. Get out now! 🙂

I’d be happy to take a pay cut and do something that meant I could forget work when I got home of an evening (instead of being expected to answer blackberry messages whenever)….

This is your opportunity – 2 years cash as a back stop should make the transition easier.

Sounds like you should take the money…

…but it does sound a bit like you’ve let people walk all over you – if you took on a more senior position (eg the 17 to 170 people) then you should have negotiated a pay rise or whatever to reflect that. Too late to do it now?

Sounds like you’ve mentally already left to me…..

Work to live not live to work.

then you should have negotiated a pay rise

They wriggled out of that one by giving me the role ad interim. So my T&C stayed the same…..

I have raised the ‘walking all over me’ issue with them (I didn’t say walking….). Got me nowhere.

I’m pretty much out of the door in my head. It just seems, well, wrong in this climate to ditch a regular pay check. I think I just need to get out there with an updated CV and see what happens.

“Work to live” – I like the sound of that 🙂

Just go, can’t see you regretting it. Great opportunity really.

what is the market like for finding a new job in your industry?

could you work as a consultant/contractor?

If the answer is positive to both of these, take the money, have some time off then go contracting. Result being that u get out of a place u are clearly sick of and hear a very big KERRCHING sound.

I have just been made redundant after 25 3/4 years. Office moved and i didn’t want to. But the atmosphere had changed over last few years and I had lost the “good feeling” I had had for a long time.

Apart from having a stinking cold right now, I am so happy to be out there. I was paid very well, and dont think i will get the same again, but as TJ said, work to live.

I intend to do some volunteering or some bike work over next few months. Looking forward to spring and summer!

By the way, the taxman takes a fair chunk of your cheque!

I had something very similar a few years ago. If I had the same again I would do whatever was going to cause me least stress over the short/medium term. If you will have enough to live on for a good while, great. Do you love what you do? Can you do the same/similar somewhere else?

With me it’s all about the people you work with, I earn much less than I used to but I’m probably the happiest I have been because I have a great boss and lovely collegues.

its a no brainer…..

if it was me…

I would take the cheque but wouldn’t burn any bridges.

Spring is perhaps a month away. You could be tanned, happy, chilled and fitter than you have been for years by June.
Take a few months out from doing much then get hard on the job hunting path with renewed vigor.

In my experience the definition of the “ideal job” is a job pretty much like the current job with a bit of the crap taken out and a few nice bits thrown in.

And the only way of knowing this to be true is to go for a complete change, and then 3 months later think “I wish I hadn’t done that”.

If I leave (and I likely will) I shall go politely. The 6 month rule is always there for a return.

There is scope for work on a contract or consultancy basis – and I’ve always fancied having my own little company.

My area of expertise is IT Project Management with a specialty in IT Quality (I am currently Head of IT Quality). But I’m also a trained auditor. So there are vairous angles I could choose to utilise my experience.

The last two years has barely seen me on my bike. But this year has already seen me give less of a flying one for work and I’m spending more time in the gym losing weight and getting fit ready for a full season on the bike.

Thanks fellas – I did think I might get people suggesting it was wrong of me to jump. But it seems it will be the right thing to do.

Take the money and run.

There is scope for work on a contract or consultancy basis – and I’ve always fancied having my own little company.

Give it a go if you can already see where work would come from. Your setup costs should be minimal so you don’t have much to lose.

Look at it this way, would they be worrying about your circumstances if they had to get shot of you? They’ve already shown they don’t really give a hoot about your situation. You owe them nothing and they’ve had their pound of flesh, so take the money, leave with good grace and wish them all the best.

I’d go.. but try to do it without burning any bridges – you’d be surprised how many people end up back where they have previously been made redundant from at some point.. either as a full timer or contract/consultancy..

If your redundancy is pure redundancy and its less than 30k you dont pay tax. (at least that was the case last time i got paid off)

If you take the payment make sure you do something in the time off that you will remember. Dont just stay at home riding your bike.

Do something life changing.

I took a payout and for two years did some very life changing things that have massivley improved my enjoyment of life.

12 years? About 3 times longer than I plan to be in any job.

TBH, I’d go. They give you money. You get some time. You get to decide where your career goes next.

Do it.

You can switch Blackberries off you know 🙂

Basically seing the words IT Project Manager, and you being peed off would shout take the money to me. Contracting is definitely an option and very lucrative comparatively, if you can live with the insecurity.

12 years? About 3 times longer than I plan to be in any job.

I said that. 14 years ago :-). Got 4/5 years in then got married, had children and essentially the idea just left my head. Laziness as much as anything, I expect. On the plus side, the cheque is all the fatter if you do get offered it (a distinct possibility here too…)

I took severance just before Christmas, have ridden pretty much every day since, done some decorating, lost weight, learned to build wheels and am currently planning to do end to end at the end of March.

Happy about going and leaving employment I have been in for 17 years – you bet.

May need to start thinking about getting a new job in a couple of months but it certainly isn’t urgent!

I had the opportunity to apply for voluntary redundancy back end of last year but I faffed about and missed the deadline.

Now watching people escape with 21 months salary and a pension while more shit jobs are dumped on the remaining fools/prisoners/dedicated employees (delete as appropriate )

My advice don’t make the same mistake take the money and do something positive

Given what you do (without having seen your CV) I’d be surprised if you couldn’t pick something else up in a reasonably short period of time (i’m a resource manager for a big bank, we’re always after skills like that). Having said that if you have time before you have to make the choice, I’d be on the phone to some recruitment agencies and looking on the job boards to understand what the demand is for your skills right now, and more importantly what you’d get paid if you jumped ship. That might help make up your mind.

Couple of things to consider also..first 30 k odd is Tax Free, however you might want to check if you are banking on any payouts for income /mortgage protection. If you take VR its unlikely you’d be eligible. Also, i’d check the ‘I can go back in 6 months’ rule. Due to tax implications of your payout, you might find the exclusion period is 2 years, well it is in my company.

Take the cheque and start working for them on contract, if you can. If not, you will be surprised what pops up. I resigned without a job to go to and was offered a new and better job within 3 days.
Work your LinkedIn profile and contacts too.
Make your own luck, find the next great opportunity.

Only read the first thread …

With the current economy you will be lucky to find another job that gives you anything better.

Put it this way it will not be for another 10 years to get back to the good old days of “employers chasing employees”.

Two years redundancy payment is not going to last very long while the govt keep printing money.

The bottom line is to have something ready before you jump or if you have nothing to loose then step on those maggots!

I’m in the same field as you and have done what you are asking about twice. I now do a bit of Contracting but try and work less than 6 months of the year.

There’s lot’s of IT Programme/Project Management stuff around especially if you are within easy reach of London.

Given your skills I think you’ll find work again when you want, a break will be good to re-charge the batteries and if you want to start your own consultancy then this could the nudge you need. Certainly the economy is bad and will likely get worse but a shift to use of consultancies rather than full time employees should play into your hands.

Take the money, leave on good terms, take time out, look at your options, breath in the air and enjoy it. When you’ve mentally already left it really is time to go, there’s very little that can turn that around IME. Time out, a rethink, and a chance to consider your options will make life feel much better all round.

I got made redundant back end of last year with nothing to go to. A small amount of freelance stuff has helped and yeah I do need to find more work, but if you asked me whether I would still rather be in full time work in that company – then it’s easy. No thanks. Good luck.

To be blunt I travel like a dog, work stupid hours, and sort out all the crap that flies our way.

I’d take the money and run, sounds awful to be honest. Do something you enjoy, why waste most of your time doing a job you hate?

waste your money doing something you enjoy rather than wasting your time doing something you don’t

had similar issue while back but i was just sick of job the was offered voluntary redundancy or chanced of been pushed for less money so jumped finished on the fri went on prebooked family hol on sat came back week later with the idea of time(month) off phone rang on the mon started new job on tue never got the time off but got 3months wages in lieu of notice and 12years redundo so was happy and have never looked back …. SO SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE GO FOR IT…………..

My area of expertise is IT Project Management with a specialty in IT Quality (I am currently Head of IT Quality). But I’m also a trained auditor. So there are vairous angles I could choose to utilise my experience.

Based upon the experience of been laid off 3 years ago (with skills as per you), don’t spend the cash quickly… But you’ll get plenty of biking in, I have 🙂

Nothing really turned up for the first year (post Lehman), and then contracting since – but quiet at the moment.

Take the redundancy.

I did and I don’t whinge as much about my life as much as someone I know who’s been threatening to leave his awful employers for years but never does.