To feel mortified I was settled out of my job?

Honestly OP this happens all the time at senior levels in large corporates when you get a regime change. And the more senior you are the higher the risk. Awful when it happens to you of course but not something you should take as
personally as it will will.

Lick your wounds, get your presentation of leaving together (great ideas above), onwards and upwards. Most of the people I’ve seen it happen to end up with a role as good or better than they had.

I had something similar, not a major company tho. I think you just need to take some time, which the settlement will allow, find a narrative and carry on. I am under an nda but I do tell people that the new ceo and I didn't see eye to eye. That's not unreasonable and no-one questions it. At this level, it happens.

It is horrible and I feel for you, but you will get through it. Good luck

You did what you needed to at the time to get through, you don't deserve to be judged for that especially by yourself. Sometimes all we can do is grab the lifeline and get out then go about fixing things. Try to remember this wasn't about your ability to do a good job and it doesn't reflect your capabilities. You can't win against bullying bosses unless they do something outrageous, you got out, that's a good thing. If this had happened to a friend how would you feel? Would you think they deserved to be judged for making a tough choice when they only had bad choices available to them? Would you think it reflected badly on them or on the bullying boss?

OP, you have no need to feel shame or embarrassment.

At a certain level and above it is like The Squid Game and you have to accept it isn’t personal.

I know someone who needed to accept a one third salary drop to be working, but because it was at a lower level they soon got that back.

My advice is to get back into work, get your confidence back and turn this into a learning rather than a failure.

Good Luck OP, it is going to get better.

I think it's more common than people realise. It's happened to me & DH in the last year!

Yes, at the point of issuing a claim and up to 50 k….this will cost a lot more. There will be a lot more in this.

My old company did this to a lot of people.

One of them got a job shortly after as a promotion at a rival company as she was genuinely super good at her job and nobody could understand why it had had happened.

It was well known that if you upset certain managers you'd be bullied out.

You are much better off getting out quickly in those circumstances as prolonged bullying can really do a number on your mental health.

Take a break.

Get some counselling or find someone to talk to about it.

It will be ok.

You are feeling raw, but this goes on all the time, read the mn employment section. What about big cases, the post office scandal injustice of our time. Mn has great legal threads on the Maya Forstater case. And the Kathleen stock case.

Do you have good friends in RL? Tell them, get them to comfort you, a good cry and then dust yourself off. Be proactive, think of how to phrase it at next interview. Then go get it, a new job, as a revenge to those bastards!

Honestly, you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and focus your energy on what’s next. You can’t change what’s passed, and often these things say more about the new leader / team than the person being exited.

Presumably this experience has taught you more about what you do not want from your next role, than what you do. But that’s ok.

Sadly, you’re not the first and you won’t be the last. Give yourself 2 weeks to relax. Go on holiday or do something that you find calming. Once you’re back, treat the job hunt as a full time job. Get yourself in meetings with specialist recruiters, make notes on examples you can draw from in interview etc. Focus on what’s next. Also, rather than being ‘immediately available’ - pick a date in the future you’re available from. It only has to be 2/4 wks in the future, but I find people are more respectful of your time if they don’t think you’re sat at home waiting for their call.

Also, if you’re UK based did you know you can claim non-means tested JSA? Apply now because they always deduct a few days at the start.

Legal fees for employment issues are usually covered through house insurance

She's already signed a settlement agreement

That does sound a bit wishy washy and artificial. I'd be factual. There was a new CEO and change of leadership - restructuring - occupational hazard of working for a big corporate. So now seizing the opportunity to blah blah blah

Edited to say: this is on the basis that the background to you leaving may be known in your industry

@SackedandDisgraced seeing your last response someone has possibly mentioned this.

You noted earlier "I’m just falling to pieces in the interview process when I’m being asked why I left my old company".

Have a think about a response you can live with eg "I'd worked there for a number of years and had reached the point where I had done everything I had set out to achieve (have some examples) with that organisation and now I am looking for my next opportunity. I've been fortunate to be able to take my time and focus on roles that really interest me." Then link into what interests you in the role you're interviewing for.

Something plausible that people can relate to.

Just an alternative view from an ex Occupational Health practitioner...

Were you of sound mind when you took the payoff and signed the NDA?

Were you on antidepressant medications under the care of a doctor?

Did the doctor judge you well enough to return to work? Or did you make that decision because 6 weeks really isn't very long for a recovery from a mental ill health condition. Did they offer you support?

Has the solicitor recorded you went against his advice in signing away your rights in order to protect your mental health / just to get respite from the bullying?

Could the NDA possibly be void for those reasons and you take further action.
It really depends on how aggrieved you feel and what the solicitor says.

As for why you left in interviews , you could say that senior management changed and their approach didn’t align with your own ethical and moral principles. Say they fostered a work environment that didn’t promote staff growth. As you’d already proved your own capabilities during the 8 years prior, you felt it was time to share your finely tuned skills with a new company more aligned with your own ambitions.

Make this all about the success you’ve had previously and how you’re ready to share that with a new company. It’s going to take a new job and new success to re-build your confidence, all you need to do is limp through the interview process and keep going! Once you have your next new success you can reconnect with old colleagues. Time will make this all better and the unnecessary shame will disappear and your next new job might be even better!

The place has a new management now, Bought out by one of the big companies.
The Throttler has long gone.

i imagine there will be a 'no disparagement' clause in OP's settlement agreement

That is true - but to a certain extent, we are also defined by our work, particularly,when in senior positions or certain professions

Honestly OP, it doesn’t reflect badly on you. I used to work in the exec office of a massive multi-national and when leadership changed, it was inevitable there’d be people who “left to spend more time with their family”. They were all NDA’ed up and would disappear for a time, before rising again in something super elsewhere. Recruiters know this.
And the more senior your role, the more likely your colleagues won’t stay in touch. They’re terrified they’ll be next and don’t want their allegiance questioned. All of it sucks, but it’s no reflection on you. Chin up, press on, and trust you’ll find something worthy of your skills.

I know of a few fellow women that were managed out of the jobs they did fantastically well! Mostly by other women unfortunately

You done the right thing at the time.

Your mh is more important than any job.

You'll definitely find a job that suits you with your experience, for now take the time to heal.

They definitely took advantage while you were fragile, maybe seek so legal advice if it feels right.

It's probably not worth dragging it out publicly for future employment prospects.

My goodness, I hope she went public with that and ruined them.

Thanks!!! Am sure they will try and palm me off with 6 mths…..but I want 2 years. I am blessed that I can afford legal fees and am so pissed off at how I have been treated am inclined to take it rather far!

This is a really common situation. At my company we had a new CEO and Chief Exec arrive. Then shortly after that, there were a stream of announcements about every single Director who were either going on an extended trip abroad, taking time off to look after an ill parent, time off to see their children through some difficult exams, had a health issue they wanted to take time off for etc, etc and other vague happenings. Everyone knew what was going on and that none of this was true.

Don't fool yourself that you could have or should have fought this. It would have broken you and you would never win. You did the right thing to protect yourself, and you have nothing to be ashamed of.

The answer at the interview is 'there was a change of management and my role was no longer required so I was made redundant'. Emphasise that it was about the role and not you. Practice the words you want to use, keep it vague, short and high level. Do some self care and use the time to rest and treat yourself to some nice things.