The big thing that defined 2008 for me was my working for an address verification company in Raleigh. Getting that job made a lot of things possible and losing it made many not as possible.
A friend of a friend told me about the company in late 2007. I met the local boss and liked what I saw. I had been feeling frustrated by the one-way communication I got from my boss at my work-from-home job, so I needed a change. I met the owner and liked him. We agreed on a salary and a general job description: North America Support Manager. I came onboard the first of February and was generally happy I did.
The team I worked with was great. The job was challenging due to time zone and language issues but it offered a lot of benefits. I had three weeks’ vacation, 401k, and a great office overlooking the Raleigh Times on Hargett Street. I loved being able to bike to work during the warmer days and taking occasional mid-day strolls around Fayetteville Street. I also had some freedom to serve on city boards, which I greatly appreciated.
Then the economy went south and I was abruptly, bewilderingly shown the door. Suddenly I wasn’t a part of the daytime downtown life any more. My office overlooking downtown became someone else’s. I found myself in a tougher job market than I’d ever seen before. While I’ve been laid off before, this was one job that I loved and that made it hurt all the more.
I kept my chin up and scoured the job boards and my large network of friends. That turned up a six-month contract with a stable RTP network storage company doing fun geeky stuff. It was about six weeks between losing my job and finding a new one. While it’s only a contract, I’m optimistic it will tide us over until the economy improves.
In an amusing footnote, today I received a December paycheck from my former employer. Apparently I’m still on the payroll. I’m returning the money but the mistake is just one more thing that makes me shake my head and wonder if I’m not better off.