#107: I Actually Gave My Notice at Work But I Didn’t Expect This Would Happen Next

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Hey all, it’s MMV.

Yesterday, I shared that I gave my notice in at work.

So many of you DMed me asking how it went so I’m going to share the conversation I had with my supervisor.

But what was more interesting was what I found out today.. here’s what I posted after work:

I have to be honest.. I was STRUGGLING on whether to actually pivot my career (again). If this isn’t a sign or confirmation, I don’t know what is.

But let me start by sharing how the conversation went with my boss when I gave my notice in.

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Not surprised.

Let me start by saying that this decision was really tough for me. I didn’t fully decide until the morning I gave my notice in.

The reason why I felt like I was pushed to take my new job offer (that leads to a totally new career) was because I felt like I was standing against a wall.

The government has a hiring freeze going on with very limited new roles opening up. Because the administration wants to downsize the federal workforce in every other area besides immigration enforcement, they’re not hiring anyone and letting attrition downsize the number of federal employees.

So because of the hiring freeze, there are limited GS-14 positions available unless it’s at the Pentagon which I was avoiding.

I asked for an internal promotion because a GS-14 position was vacant but nothing has been happening and I asked for my position to be changed to a GS-14 and nothing happened.

I’m not sure whether it’s because it can’t happen or because my supervisor doesn’t want to go through the motions. But either way, there was no opportunity to grow.

So if I did nothing, I would be in the same spot next year and I didn’t want another repeat of last year. Ever since I had to go into the office daily, it really sucked the life out of me. I held on because I thought things would ease up, but it didn’t so I made the decision to just change my situation, even if it ends up not working out better.

I just knew I didn’t want the status quo.

So yesterday, I walked into my boss’s office when I knew he was free.

I knew I wanted to just get straight to the point so I just asked if he had a minute to talk.

Here’s how it went.

Me: I want to let you know that I’m going to be leaving.

Boss: Okay! *him smiling*

Me: *me making a weird face* You don’t sound surprised.

Boss: I knew it was about time. It’s been almost 2 years and most people who move up stick around for around for 2 or 3 years so I knew it was coming. You have too much to offer to stay here. So.. private sector?

Me: Actually, no. I’m staying in government and going into law enforcement (SURPRISE! That’s my next career..).

Boss: NO KIDDING! WHAT?! *he said this excitedly* I was not expecting that! I thought you got poached by private sector like one of those defense startups.

Me: That was an option, but this was something I’ve been thinking about for a while but never tried for, but I decided to apply and now, the opportunity came. I thought really long about it and I’m not getting any younger so I feel like if I’m going to do this, I have to do it now.

Then we chatted some more but that’s the sum of the conversation.

I honestly expected him to be upset, but he was more excited. I think it was because it was just something completely out of left field, which is why I struggled with this decision.

Also, it doesn’t help to see what’s going on in the news.. federal law enforcement is not really in the best light right now.

I won’t be on the streets (you can’t pay me enough to do that) but more so on the investigations side. From what I learned, it’s a lot more paperwork like writing up court documents than doing cool stuff.

I’ll share more about it as time goes on, but let me tell you WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.. UNBELIEVABLE.

My boss was very supportive of the decision I made and because I play such a crucial role in his team, he was going to have a huge gap in performance.

In our conversation, he did say that I was always welcome to come back if things don’t work out and if there’s a slot, he’ll make sure I’m in it.

I appreciated the words, but because I was leaving, the team would need help so it was unsurprising that he already found a replacement within my agency who he worked with previously to take my spot.

Here’s where it gets interesting..

Coincidentally enough, he talked with someone in HR about how I’m leaving and how he has someone he wants to bring from a different department over to my role.

Then that person in HR said that my spot was on the list to be unfunded in the next fiscal year (October 1st).

Basically, a list was made of matching people to the number of spots we SHOULD have in the agency like HR gets 8 people so if they have 9, one spot is identified to be considered for defunding.

This was news to my boss and he was now trying to figure out how this happened and apparently, his peers were the ones to create this list and didn’t tell him.

What’s more messed up is that the department was only over by ONE role and that one role was mine because my boss wasn’t in the discussion to defend it. Of course they wouldn’t choose a position from their teams.

Then he went on a rampage (professionally) with one of the directors and now has to go through this hurdle because if my position gets defunded, he can’t bring my replacement.

Now, would I have been laid off sometime this year?

Honestly, I don’t think so.

This exercise was done with every department so there will be some balancing done. Some groups may have less people than spots available so that would just transfer over to groups who have more people than spots.

Not only that, but I’m in a pretty high visibility role and have enough face time with the head of the agency so I like to think that I would’ve been protected. That same person also reassured me when I thought I was going to be laid off last year during the time when the government fired every probationary (new employees with less than 1 year in) employee.

Regardless, my name was being brought up in conversations behind closed doors the day after I gave my notice. What a coincidence!

My boss and I ended the work day laughing at the irony and the fact that I was recalled from the government shutdown so how could my position be considered redundant.

Anyways, I’m taking this as a sign that I made the right choice and I need to continue forward with this decision. Wouldn’t you?