The World Needs A Stronger Blog...

I just got out of a very dismal meeting at Company B. Seems a lot of people are about to get screwed, on both sides.

The short end of it is Company A and B are, for all intents and purposes, combining. Most people will surely fall overboard. For the others there is hope but its tainted and complicated.

Company A has been running just fine with their current headcount. Therefore anyone who lands a gig at Company A will be shoving someone else out. Company A doesn't need any new staff. They'd like to take the best from both sides and call it a day. I believe Black Flag called it 'The Process of Weeding Out' but they may've been referring to something else.

Company A also thinks everyone here at company B is overpaid. Therefore we should expect "comparable" but not "matched" offers from Company A. That was enlightening and depressing all in one breath.

OK, so here are the rules:

If we turn down said offer from Company A we get nothing; no pro rata bonus, no severance, no parting gifts, no membership to the steak sauce of the month club, etc. We forfeit it all if we turn down their offer.

If we are let go we get the lion's share: bonuses galore, severance, unused vacation days paid and if necessary we'd be immediately eligible for unemployment.

And so here is the dilemma:

With the job market completely flooded right now I'd obviously rather not lose my job however I might stand to make more money in the short term off my severance and goodbye pay than I would from the new job's potential salary.

And so do I go in there and sell myself and "knock 'em dead" just to land the inevitably shitty offer? Do I go in there and sell myself for a gig I know I'm overqualified for but in their eyes overpaid for?

Or do I go in there with a giant ketchup stain on my shirt, send text messages during the interview and act like I couldn't give a fuck hoping they'll turn me down (and thus letting me go) so I can get all my parting gifts, bonuses and steak sauce?

Then again Peter went in there like he didn't give a fuck and he got promoted...


Meanwhile, back at the ranch:
10 resumes a day, no takers: A mortgage underwriter saw the writing on the wall and started looking for a new job in November. Now out of work, he's trying to get his foot back in the door of a financial firm. {CNN MONEY}