When Company Shakeups are a Blessing in Disguise
About 10 years ago, my husband and I were working for the same insurance company.
A new CEO took over and with that came a bunch of changes, one of which being that we all had to reapply for our positions, knowing that there would be reductions for almost all departments. For most roles, what was a team of 5 would become a team of 4, etc.
When you and your spouse both work for the same company, this is pretty scary.
I had moved into a field rep position about a year prior - company car, lots of flexibility, working from home, it was a great gig. I loved my job! My husband was in underwriting management and really enjoyed what he did, and had a great team. Our coworkers were some of the best, most fun people I'd ever worked with.
We loved it there, and the idea of one or both of us leaving the company was devastating, but we knew we had to be smart.
The prudent thing to do was to see what else was out there in case we needed a Plan B.
We would not have sought other opportunities if not for this forced push.
We both talked to one other company that aligned with what we were looking for, and both ultimately received job offers.
Despite being informed we were both selected to keep our jobs, we both felt the opportunities we received were better for our careers, and within weeks of each other, we both decided to leave.
Thinking back on that time, it was incredibly upsetting and stressful in the moment, but honestly it was the best thing that could have happened for our careers.
We both ended up on better paths. We learned and grew more, spread our wings way outside our comfort zone, and I don't think either one of us would have envisioned 10 years ago we'd be where we are today.
Sometimes that terrible shakeup at your company is a blessing in disguise.
As creatures of habit, it often takes a push from someone or something to force us to try something new.
If this is you right now - I'm sorry, and I know how you feel.
I know it seems super stressful...but embrace it because you might just find yourself looking back on this time with immense gratitude. 😉