So after 20 years in my chosen profession, one that I thought I was damn good at…I decided to start over. After eighteen years at one hospital, after much deliberation, I decided the stress of the job had become too much.

A friend of mine was aware that I was searching for a new job, so she asked her supervisor to hurry up the posting of an open position they had. I was a shoo-in. The interview lasted for a couple of hours, but we mostly just chatted. I heard that they talked me up quite a bit to the other employees in the department before I even started.

Fast forward about 9 months. I just had my 6-month review (yes, at the 9-month mark) and I was feeling pretty good. I knew the review was 3 months late and I had written my self-review 4 months earlier, but I wasn’t too worried. I had checked in with my supervisor after about 6 months, and she said that I was doing great. Back to the present: I had written down some small things at the time that I thought. Big mistake. During the review, I was interrogated on why I had written that and how I planned on improving. BTW, the review was a one-page document with 5 questions. Pretty low tech compared to what I had been using in my previous position.

About 1 month later, at the end of my shift, my supervisor came to my cubicle and asked me why I thought I was better than everyone else and why I thought I could do things without following procedure. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I asked what she was talking about. She told me I was not following the proper procedure for using flex time. I apologized and said I thought I had been, but going forward, I would do as she said.

From that point onward until I was fired, the atmosphere was oppressive, negative, and chilly. I was presented with unreachable goals of what I should be able to accomplish in a day that became unbearable. I lasted about 2 more months before I was fired. In the past, I’ve always left my position without burning bridges, but this bridge had already gone up in flames. At the end of the “I’m about to get fired meeting” with my supervisor and HR, when  I stood up to leave, I told my supervisor, “You know this company has a lot of good leadership programs….you should think about taking one.” It felt sooooooooooo amazing!

And so begins the “Gen Xers Unemployment Saga,” A blog about being unemployed in your late 50s and early 60s. I can add that I’m also a menopausal woman, just to add a little extra spice to the mix. I’m not sure how many Gen Xers out there are facing the same type of issues. I have a sinking suspicion that there are a lot of us.

I’d love to hear from you! Are you in a similar situation or have a good story about being jobless during your “Golden Years”. Buckle up, my friends, we’re in for a bumpy ride!