Try getting a call from your boss letting you know HR will be there to close the facility in 2 hours. After a 13 year career and moving twice for the company, I was the one to deliver the information to the employees that I had been working with for my entire career and was unemployed right there with them.

This was a Fortune 500 company who had an agreement to move me back to my previous facility (I had taken over a struggling facility because I was asked and assured I would be protected in the event of a closure) but that agreement "expired". Now I get a call almost once a month asking if I want back in the industry. I have no desire to go back but it reinforces that I was a respected member of the industry.

It sucked, but it is how I found my new career in an industry I enjoy way more. It is hard to not stay angry about it because of the way it was done, but it is now water under the bridge.

February 2015 I was hired into the corporate office of a hydraulic fracturing company. I knew it was risky but felt it was worth the risk. 3 weeks into my new role, the first lay off took place. HR walked out the guy across the hall from me. Whoa. Time rolls on. We're told everything is ok until a weird feeling came across the office in July.

3rd week in July 2015. I left early for a dentist appointment. As I'm in the chair having my teeth cleaned, I get a text that says my boss and our admin were just walked out. I had no idea if I still had a job when I walked in the next morning. I had a meeting at 10am on a different floor in the building. 2 co-workers from my floor joined me as we entered that floor. Not even all of the lights were on. The entire floor was RIF'ed in 1 day. A SVP came in and said there was no one left on the floor to join us for the meeting.

Over the next month I helped in the consolidation off of our floor and into the vacant floor. I went to field locations to pack up and ship anything salvageable to a warehouse elsewhere. My new boss wasn't very involved until all of us left in the department were invited to lunch with her. That night I sent her my resume so she would know more about who I am and my background. The following day, my senior counterpart was walked out. The email with my resume saved my job I later found out. Two admin were assigned to work for me. 3 days in I was told to find a technology to replace their positions. 45 days later I was told to take a long lunch. I came back to no admin. I put technology in place and work continued.

My office space changed about once a week. No one was left that knew anything about my department. I was the only one left. 6 people that all had been there years were let go. To this day, I don't know what kept me employed with that company. I have never felt such pits in my stomach...knowing I was working to replace people with technology or the feeling of walking into a floor where literally no one was left.

A VP that left there called me December 2015 and later took me to the construction industry. July 2016 he put in his 2 week notice and 3 days later had me drive him home. I stayed with that company and was promoted a month later somehow. September 2016 a start up frac company called. I was eager to jump ship and have been happy ever since.

I'm class of 2010. Never dreamed I would lived and survived such corporate environments so soon in my career.

Quote:

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To this day, I don't know what kept me employed with that company

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Because you were cheap, technically proficient, capable at doing a lot of different things and had a good attitude.

Just my guess based on what you said.