Maybe you heard. Maybe you didn't. I'm not divulging anything here that isn't public knowledge, but PayPal is, or is in the process, of laying off 2000 employees.
That's 7% of the total global staff, if I'm reading the press releases correctly.
Turns out my old jowel-ly 65 year old neck, was on the chopping block.
I know other employees, and by other I mean all the ones who are younger than me, roughly 99.999999% of the company, are freaking out about this. I am not. At least not yet.
As someone who has been in the industry in 5 separate decades, I know it's the cost of being in this glamorous business. It's not my first rodeo. And as I was explaining to one of the younger women (again redundant) it's perfectly natural to get laid off/fired/terminated at least 2 times, sometimes 3, sometimes in the case of being over-opinionated (though always right), the axe can fall even more often than that.
Am I upset about it?
Well, no one likes to get to told to get lost. And naturally I would have liked to leave the job -- and really how much of a job can it be when you work from home in your pajamas without ever shaving for the occasion -- on my own terms.
But a little more than a year ago, I lost my wife of nearly 30 years. And that was after two grueling and emotionally-draining years of being her full time caregiver and another year and a half of caregiving for my crazy, impossibly cranky uncle.
In other words, I've been put through life's pointy, spiky arsenic-tipped ringer and come out on the other side.
And now, as a man in his sunset years, I face the daunting task of finding a new job. Or new work. Or winning lottery tickets.
Having read about the slew of tech employee slayings, I've taken some precautions. I've put my irons in other fires. To date I have not received one email back for the dozens of jobs I have applied for. Jobs I suspect I am thoroughly overqualified for.
I wonder if the other 691 candidates applying for the Creative Director job at Apple have heard anything back.
I've also switched from Starbucks coffee to the less-tasty, less-expensive house generic brand of coffee -- I believe Pavilions Supermarket calls it Signature. Though I'm not sure Juan Valdez would sign his name to these beans.
Also, as I told the concerned Ms. Muse, "I embrace adversity." Mostly because it nudges me into survival mode, something my people know a little about (see yesterday's post).
I've also rewired my brain to seek out the new, walk bravely into uncertainty, and put smiling cheery emojis at the end of anything I write that even has the slightest whiff of snark.
Good bye, PayPal.
I wish you the best of luck. 😊😊😊
9 comments:
Appreciate you and this post, as always, Rich. And not only do I know you’ll be snapped up again quickly, I also highly recommend the 3 lb. Bag of Jose’s Whole Bean Organic Mayan Blend with “delicate floral hints and a sweet chocolaty taste” from Costco. Att barely $5/lb it can’t be beat (and I’ve tried many times). -tp
Dude, you are a comedic treasure. And while I've loved Round Seventeen, have you considered moving to Substack? The advantage being that you can monetize your work, and it DESERVES to be monetized! Think about it.
I think Ernie Schenck is dead on. PEWr usual, I might add.
No, I did not call Ernie dead.
Dead on. There's a difference.
Much love and mad respect for you, Rich. If you can't get busy, we're all hosed.
I highly recommend Rich Siegel.
There I said it. And don't downgrade your coffee.
Life too short to let the economy short your joy.
Sorry to hear that, Rich. PayPal's loss for sure. Also, I agree with the luminaries above -- Substack is the Peet's of blog platforms.
brilliant as always. whomever is smart enough to grab u next is smart and lucky!
After I sold my little agency, I thought with 32 years of experience, for sure I'd get picked up at another agency. Turns out I was "overqualified" for everybody. Right. I know what that means. So now I freelance and love it, though the uncertainty of the next gig is grinding. I've always been a big fan of Rich Segal. And whatever happens, always drink the better coffee, the better bourbon, and dont stop writing.
Nothing worse can happen to you then what happened to you with your wife. Just keep writing. Go to Upwork. Pay sucks, but what that seems to be the deal.
After being the oldest actively employed ad guy in the business who didn’t run his own shop until somebody finally noticed, I got myself an espresso maker, violently upgraded my coffee brand to Lavazza and sip my daily cappuccino while basking in the smug satisfaction of the ROI over supporting the green mermaid while being lord and master of my fate, which is far from accompli. As Wilde might say, downgrade your virtues, not your vices. They make it all worthwhile. And you’ve bloody well earned it!
Always love your posts, Rich. And as a similar age, I just hit my second layoff last October. I was immensely lucky to find the job I'm currently in, though a bit of a role change. But I had applied to almost 40 companies and only landed 3 total interviews in those three months. It's rough out there.
Stay strong. You're immensely talented. The right place just has to find you.
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