My 9-year-old son had plans to go to there with his best friend on Monday in lieu of their end of the year trip. What ...exactly....is going on there? Something happened? Does anyone know what?
Hi,
Want to start by saying I have never had issues with my career before 2025. Not even one bad performance review. I went to a highly ranked public university, got an art degree, graduated into the 2008 crash recession (it was 2011), and decided to do anything but art.
After seasonal jobs, moving around the country, and some early career positioning that lasted a total of 6 years, I spent 7 years as a Senior Communications Specialist for a local utility. I did everything: public relations, internal communications, seasonal campaigns, digital marketing, graphic design, print advertising, managed interns, ran a public facility tour program, planned our annual fundraisers, re-designed the budget book and published it every year, prepped execs for interviews, recorded and produced a podcast, gave comments to the press -- you get the idea.
After plateauing in salary with limited growth opportunities, I applied for a remote role. I got the second job I applied for and was onboarded within the month. It was for a national quasi-governmental entity that helps develop regulatory standards for the electric grid. Big time stuff. I took a step down in title (lost the Senior) and gained 30K in salary, all while being praised excessively in the first few months -- literally promised promotions, asked to mentor my colleagues, framed as the "creative energy" for the department, etc. I thought it was odd. It actually flagged for me...but then I thought "maybe I've just been underestimating myself."
Within an 18-month run, I was:
I was ...OK with this. Annoyed, but ok. For the first year, my manager only ever gave me neutral to good feedback, with the occasional comment about "attention to detail" as an area where I could improve. I took it seriously, worked hard to improve, and after she canceled every single one-on-one for a six month stretch (every time there was a personal excuse -- doctors appointments, helping her in-laws move, migraines, too busy, needed to hear back on a project for it to "make sense") - she was finally forced to meet with me for my annual performance review where she read from a script to put me on a PIP for "lack of attention to detail" and "not meeting the requirements of the job description."
I worked the PIP as hard as I could, was given great feedback that I was succeeding, and then fired two weeks after the PIP was "extended."
I have been unemployed since the end of January. Only one offer came through that starts next week: a local hybrid job as a technical editor/proposal coordinator for a civil engineering firm. I know some of the top dogs there from my days at the utility, and I like the org from outside evaluation -- yes, it could be so much worse. But realistically, it's a 35K pay cut from my last role, has 'coordinator' in the title, and I'm concerned about its impact on my career trajectory so late in it. I'm 38 years old, have a family, and not sure how I can come back from this financially.
I'm looking for a clear way for me to reposition myself for a more fitting role in 2-3 years, and just wondering how bad this turn looks from the outside. This isn't even touching on how I've spent the last 7 months utterly questioning my basic abilities and professional skills since the PIP began. Any input or analysis is very much appreciated.
Thanks.