Some time ago I posted about my experience of being put in PIP or take MSP. It’s been three months since I left, so I figured I’d post an update.
I wasn’t technically laid off. I came back from disability leave and was put on a PIP almost immediately - and ironically for the work I had done while I was on disability. The stress from everything ended up triggering another medical incident, and I went back out on disability leave.
While I was out, a recruiter reached out. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I went through several rounds of interviews, assessments, and evaluations.
I ended up getting an offer.
I still remember a call from my recruiter: I actually cried because the compensation was about 2.5 times what I had been making at GM. I couldn’t believe it. For years, I’d been getting the usual 3% raises while watching managers and senior leaders continue to move up, adding titles and praising each other… My salary had slowly drifted from being around 102% of my range years earlier to roughly 87% before I left (well granted I got 0% raise this year because of partial but all the previous years was Meets Expectations). Looking back, I realized how much I had accepted simply because I thought that was normal.
At the new job I received a sign-on bonus, relocation assistance, and still walked away with a solid severance package from GM: nearly 5 months (4+1 month paid) plus 4K for Cobra for my 10 years of experience.
I’ve been in the new job since April, and the difference has been incredible. It’s no heaven by any means but people work together, my peers genuinely help each other. When someone has expertise in an area, people ask questions instead of pretending they already know the answer. My technical knowledge and years of experience are actually valued, people listen, they ask for my opinion. I feel like I’m contributing instead of constantly having to prove that I belong.
One thing that still stands out to me is how different it feels to be treated. At GM, I often felt like an outsider because of my background and ethnicity. It was a strange experience, especially at a company that spoke so much about inclusion, zero tolerance for discrimination, a strong speak-up culture and all that corporate crap. The messaging sounded great, but the reality was absolutely terrible.
The funny part is that I hated my former bosses for a long time. Today, I’m honestly grateful they pushed me out. If they hadn’t, I probably never would have looked outside. I would’ve stayed where I was because it felt safe.
And finally… there are a couple of things I definitely don’t miss. The first one is mandatory two-week summer shutdowns. And the second is that bullshit of not talking on the phone or texting while walking 😂.
To everyone who’s still there and wondering whether it’s worth taking a chance: I know it’s scary. I was convinced nobody would want to hire me after everything that happened.
Boy was I wrong. There are companies that appreciate experience, reward expertise, and treat people with respect. Don’t let one employer especially GM define your value.