How You Knew... Time to Jump Ship

Would love to hear any interesting/funny stories of individual experiences of working a role where you felt management wasn't quite being prudent or maybe they were just ill-informed on certain items anyone would be willing to share... What finally set you over the edge with this role & made you want to up & leave? I remember I knew it was time to look for a new role when I had asked my manager to review my DCF and she replied "What's a DCF?"   .....     This lady... was our CEO... (Haaa)..

Make me laugh please

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Underwriting for a $360M loan as a GovCon, was a counterparty to the Government underwriters and they were using averages and then trend lines, but determining which to use for different metrics based on which didn't breach a legislative and program covenant. Was on a call with our Director and their Deputy secretary and they said don't worry that the pro forma breached a couple DSCR or NPV in year 2-6. These are some of the best and longest borrowers for said program. My director didn't back me at all when I said it was unethical and then had a sit down with me. The next day I started applying. 

3 months later they had gotten me clearance for two programs and I was one of two employees that were qualified for a program in SOFR transition and the same director sat me down, told me not to bring it up to clients and I said well I have a new job and I'm giving my two weeks. Best part I had the next 8 days off because I previously requested it off long before I had accepted a job. 

 

I took a day off, which I had to fight tooth and nail for, and my boss called me up. He tried to demand that, after someone I was close with "left" (read was fired because he didn't like the person), I remain loyal to him despite being a total scumbag. Needless to say, I started looking as soon as I got off the phone with him. 

 
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My first job was a disaster. We had 2 offices in 2 cities, and the majority of the C-suite was filled by nepotism. Our CFO was quite literally the biggest douchebag I’ve ever met. Anyways, I was hired alongside another analyst, and he was fired after a month. Then, our Director quit after 2 months. He had previously worked there, quit, came back, and now quit for the second time.

Finance was down to me, senior analyst, and CFO. We were constantly traveling between the two cities, but while the CFO got to ride the private jet, us two plebs had to drive. I probably made a few thousand off of IRS mileage reimbursement.

We then hired another Director maybe 5 months after I started. He came in, said “everything that’s done here is fucked up”, and left after 3 months with a “mutual separation”. So, back down to us 3. We had several accountants quit, and then Covid hit. We were allowed to WFH for a bit, but then the CFO decided that Finance (himself and us 2 analysts) needed to be in office. The building was completely empty except for us 3. I didn’t wear my mask to go fill up my water bottle once and the CFO saw me and flipped his shit. Yelling and cussing like a teenager playing COD.

We eventually hire Director #3 who is based in the other city. Senior Analyst and I have heard rumors we are trying to move people to the other city, but nothing concrete. We both start applying for other jobs.

The Senior Analyst comes in one day and says “I’m putting my 2 weeks in you should find another job”. Not even 20 minutes later, I get a phone call from HR saying they’ve found out I’ve been applying to other jobs and that I’m not committed so I’m being let go. I ask if I’m being fired or let go and receive no response. I call our Senior Analyst who is shocked as that means there’s literally nobody left in Finance besides the CFO and the new director who doesn’t know anything. Turns out that both the senior analyst and I were in the final round for the same new job (he got it and is still working there today).

That company was an absolute mess. From having to wear a suit in-office for a corporate finance job paying $50k to working 8:30-5:30 even though we did nothing all day, it was by far the most toxic environment I’ve ever worked for. I got yelled at for wearing tennis shoes to the office (I kept my dress shoes under my desk and changed when I sat down). We also weren’t allowed to eat at our desk, and the President once fired someone bc they didn’t like a painting in that person’s office.

 

I knew three years ago it was time to jump ship when my firm changed strategies that no longer aligned with my personal goals and one of the owners fell off the deep end and went from being "eccentric" to just "crazy." 

Of course, jumping ship is easier said than done. Had a couple of close interviews that didn't work out, COVID happened, and I got promoted in the interim. Now I'm taking a different route and starting my own thing, but even that is taking longer than anticipated due to site negotiation. 

Nothing humorous here really, other than the absurdity of three years passing and me still remaining where I was. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

"one of the owners fell off the deep end and went from being "eccentric" to just "crazy." 

I am currently in this situation...

What do you mean by this?  I could see someone with a lot of equity in their projects (as an owner, after all...) and a ton of debt that's about to roll over getting absolutely crazy about the fact that they're probably underwater on everything.  Not that anyone should be taking that out on employees, but... it's kind of understandable if you're about to watch 15 years of hard work get reset because you were too aggressive and rates went haywire.

 

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