The last chopper out of Saigon…
I got a new job yesterday. No happiness as I used to feel when I got a new role, just a huge realisation on what a huge cliff edge I escaped. I really did take the last chopper out of Saigon. I have been on the permanent job hunt since September, really hard since November, and normally it will take me a month to get a new job… Its taken 5 and right now there are absolutely no jobs. None. People aren’t moving. Jobs aren’t being created. My industry has gone to absolute hell, in a perfect storm. I work in the charity sector.
USAID the biggest aid agency in the world…was taken away.
The UK international aid budget by essentially half.
Cost of living means donations are down. In the wider economy, its sluggish if not stagnant.
National insurance (tax hike for employers)hike as of Monday has taken out the care homes and the small charities.
Our chancellor of the exchequer has spent the past almost 1 year talking the economy down, there was a £20bn hole in the public finances that neither party talked about and then after that she’s spent since the 4th of July crapping on the economy. Telling anyone who will listen how bad the last party left it. Then cutting government spending which is another really important part of my industry.
I have aways gotten my jobs via recruitment agencies. Now they are on Linkedin reminding people they exist, selling their services instead of selling mine. Things are dire out there. Its super bad. We are meant to grow 1% for an entire year. That’s under half what we were growing 20 years ago. My tax bill is higher than my monthly pay packet when I started working. The economy is about to go into shutdown. People are panicking. The last time it was this bad was Covid. I am not joking. I was between jobs when lockdown 1 hit. I actually had gotten a job that lockdown 1 pulled. I took the first job I could, at a significant pay cut. Huge, but it was fine because I didn’t have anywhere to go or anywhere to be. So I took it. Same thing here. I am taking such a serious pay cut. Its extraordinary. But the near term horizon is crickets… Its terrifying out there. I have been genuinely scared for at least a couple of months now. Very scared. I see people desperate. My whole year plan has been thrown off, but I am just grateful. I will not die. I am proud of myself. I got myself to this place. I can afford to be here. I want to tell you more about my new role. Its a job I have done before. It is a role with a wonderful company, very prestigious and I get a discount on my languages courses. (which I count as a staff benefit) So my world now needs to revolve around the luxuries I can afford.
Grace and courage
My gym membership- which I will be taking up because my new job is in London. and I plan to go 5 times a week.
My German lessons, that will become French and either Latin or Spanish. Eventually both.
My “Iterative” project.
Losing weight.
Those are the luxuries I can afford now. I can do this and spend time with my loved ones. I can love my mother and provide a bit more regularly to my grandmother. I want to do this because she’s not very young and I don’t have a clue how long I will get to call her grandma.
This new role involves a lifestyle change. It allows me to spend more time with Iterative, and the gym. Those have to be my focus’ now. Because things like crotchet, makeup and holidays….going to be a struggle. Luckily I have put my makeup routine right down, to cleanser, toner, serum and moisturizer and suncream. No more Keihls, who keep calling me like a broke ex. Instead. I do whatever I can afford.
My next luxury is time. Because I am stepping down, I will not be taking on additional responsibilities I will have the luxury of mostly working 9am to 5pm. Preferably, 8am to 4pm. That will be phenomenal, this will allow me more time with Iterative, (who I have been majorly slacking on because of slight bought of anxiety) and the gym, which is important. for health. I will have the luxury of time. I will also have the luxury of not having work dictate my holiday schedule. I am planning a holiday in August, and May. I will have fun no matter what. I will take 2 weeks at Christmas and a 2 week holiday in Europe next year (God willing)
This is my life now. Smaller, simpler, but less stressful. No one will stress me out in this life. I thought I’d feel elation. I just feel nothing, I feel relief whenever I reflect on it, because its been so very hard out there. But no joy. When they told me that I have the job I just said, “yep.” When they offered me a salary, I said “okay” I didn’t argue for more money, I wasn’t in the mood. I know how tough it is out there and I am content with what I have and am committed to making this pay cut work. Because I am taking the last chopper out of Saigon and I am grateful to have somewhere to ride out the storm to come.
Grace and Courage.
Annetta Mother Smith.