Or are you determined to stick it out until retirement?
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the issue is finding another role - most are word of mouth, and some require 6-8 interview stages. So many visa workers everywhere that will take anything they can get, sent over 30 resumes out and not even had one reply even though i am very experienced in the field just older.
I finally quit 2 years ago, escaping an amazingly narcissistic and evil marketing VP in the Power division. She was very good at managing up, denigrating her extended staff, and then stroking her untested pets on the team, who were essentially clueless. All of them totally kissing a**, and afraid to say anything. I am now making $50k more per year, getting actual bonuses and stock options, and loving my job. If you have the opportunity, take it.
Already did... 4 years ago, with pleasure. GBS XCON in S&A the writing was on the wall and in the numbers. Still is for anyone who looks... compare 2014-2018 annual reports - you only need to look at revenue and margin by line of business (buried in the back). Both are in decline. "Strategic" "imperatives" are daft - lower margin businesses where IBM is 2nd tier player - not a good strategy, even though it actually is imperative to get with the program on Cloud, albeit more than a few years late.
And exactly what inventions has all that R&D produced in the last 20 years? Can't think of one that has any public awareness, its all hardware stuff that has just open sourced. Laugh or cry, but don't work in a company on the downstroke. It won't turn until revenue hits 50Bn and margins hit 20%. Then it'll be the new IBM.
Another job with comparable salary in this area. Not easy at my age and seniority.
Just left actually - one too many BS cheerleading sessions rather than a frank assessment of just how uncompetitive product are. One too many impossible quotas. One too many reorgs and assimilations. One too many RA getting too close to home.
For the rest of the folks there, here's the problem...say you need to make it to 65, and IBM targets you at 62 or 63. Can you quickly get another job to bridge to retirement?
Maybe now, but what if there's a recession?
Think about that. What if you lost the last 1-4 years of working time before retirement, or had to take a significant pay cut...what kind of impact would that have on your 'golden years'?
Better to get out now, in a good economy, and land somewhere you actually can make it to retirement without being subject to discrimination, failed leadership, and a dying business.
I'd argue that the chance of actually making it to retirement, for someone over 50 and under 60, is 50/50 at best. From 60-64 it's probably less. For 64 year olds, looks like we're past the cut this year, so your chances are pretty good.
If you can't make retirement, why stay?
It didn't take much. A few years ago they promoted an astoundingly incompetent narcissist in the Cognos division. That was enough for several of us. Not worth waiting around for the ship to sink any further. Made up for lost severance at my new place in a matter of weeks.
It has been very sad to watch Cognos descend so fast. My intuition was correct: When the ship is being guided by a clown, you either buy some floppy shoes or jump now.
Best thing I ever did. I hear the same from friends who left at the same time. Retirement is no longer a looming threat or even part of our plans.
Looking for ideas on how to clean up some heads or what?
I think a big raise would make me want to quit.
Lotto
I would like to hang on a couple more years but I'm hanging over the edge due to the demands. Wouldn't take much.