To feel mortified I was settled out of my job?

further to my post above, a careers counsellor advising you on this will also be able to help with the wording of why you left that is within the NDA.

In addition, your counsellor will have an ethical/professional requirement for confidentiality, so you can speak with her/him about the NDA

Fight and take them to the cleaners. We did. They didn’t expect us to. I’d still like to meet her and call her a cunt to her face though.

In the long run, best thing that could have happened. But absolutely not at the time. The grass will be greener eventually.

They disparaged you for getting in at 7.30am, and leaving before 7pm?? What?? This is clearly a really, really bad employer who you don’t want to be working for.

It does happen all the time, especially ad you get more senior. When a new CEO comes, it’s gloves off and wholesale bloodbath more often than not. Very, very common. But it is a shock when it happens to you first time round. It’s not going to be helpful to be negative about your settlement in your current situation as it’s done but may be a lesson for the future. 6 months after 8 years is way too low. Your notice was probably at least three months so it’s only three months settlement you got on top. After 8 years and being SLT I would expect at least 12 months plus whatever bonus/accelerated share options vesting etc. You also negotiate your exit - how, when, exactly wording of statement internally, externally etc. I would not worry too much about how it’s perceived externally as it’s fairly common. Best advice I’d give to a friend is spend some time coming g to terms wit me it, understanding and internalising the message that it’s not you, etc. Going forward, you need to make sure you stay current, in touch with search firms, keep your Cv and network up to date etc.

When people ask, just say that you decided it was time to move on given the longevity of your role there and you wanted a new challenge.

"I had been with company for 8 years and felt I was becoming stale as there weren't many opportunities to make a difference. I had hoped that new management would mean a shake up, but I soon realised it was going to be business as usual for the next few years. Rather than stay and stagnate I decided to leave for a new challenge."

Put this into your own words and learn it. They shouldn't ask about money but you can say, "I was lucky that I have sufficient funds to support myself while I'm looking for my next role. If I had stayed I wouldn't have had the time to job-hunt."
"I knew if I stayed I wouldn't be motivated to find a new role."

You can also ask ChatGPT for phrases. I recommend getting counselling to support you while you are grieving.

This is about them, not you. I think you were perceived as a threat and they weren't mature enough to deal with that.

i don’t think you should feel sacked or disgraced. It is really common for a new CEO to want to change most of the SLT in their first year - they will want their own team and will often bring in people they’ve worked with before. So you should have no concern that anyone interviewing you for a similar position will think for a minute that what happened has anything to do with your ability or performance. It’s just what happens. Good luck - you’ll find something better.

@SackedandDisgraced this is a great answer to use. As a PP says upthread, rehearse (out loud) before any interviews. So it sounds natural and unrehearsed!

I, like so many on this thread, have been in a similar position to you. It’s shit. But it really is them, not you. You are far far better off out there, even if it doesn’t feel like that now. You will find a new (better!) role, and your confidence will come back.
I suspect your old work friends have either been told not to contact you, or feel it’s too awkward.
And yes, counselling is well worth looking into. I did it, and it was very beneficial.
Good luck.

You haven't been sacked. You've been an offered a price and taken it. That's a very different thing.

Ok, so maybe you could have squeezed a year of cash out of them if you'd had the stomach for the fight - but you decided that the right thing for you was for this ridiculous situation to end so you can put it behind you.

And that's what you must do. Reframe this in your mind: the situation was so shite you chose to leave. And now you're on the cusp of the next chapter of your career. This is exciting.

Do you have an idea what you want to do next?

OP this is so common, it really is. Please try to stop feeling shitty over it all. Try your best to pull it together for interviews, replying "sadly I was made redundant", is a short and simple answer as to why you left.

Have you tried looking for interim contract work? You'd need to join agencies that deal with this in your industry.

Whilst you're currently not working, you could try a couple of side hustles to keep you busy and stimulated, and you never know, in a couple of years, they might take off, such as writing books, starting a youtube channel etc.

I really hope you find something soon, and again, please do not be hard on yourself, this really does happen all the time, I know so many people who have been managed out in similar circumstances and every one of them ended up doing something better for a lot more money.

@SackedandDisgraced I have been there, also a VERY public role so I get it. It's horrible and no words will change that I know.

Just believe me when I say I am years down the line now. I earn a lot more than I did and have a much more respectful working environment. It took time but I got there and so will you. Be kind to yourself.

Literally impossible to work out who this is, legally. Not enough info here to make a jigsaw ID claim.

She CAN'T say that. She's signed a Compromise Agreement. She could be sued by the company if she made a disparaging remark against them.

She should simply say "they restructured and I was sadly made redundant".

This is so much more common than you think, please don't feel bad.

You could have fought it, but it would have drained you and they would have strung it out, possibly for years depending on hearing dates and while your savings were whittled down. Where you are is nothing to be ashamed of.

And don't worry about the colleagues either. You will run into them one day - I met my version of the colleagues at a funeral 5 years after leaving. They know you are the same person, it's just that sometimes writing out in person is the hardest thing.

If you were on a high salary and some of the compensation was tax free, what does it equate to in terms of net salary?

Find a good job/careers counsellor, talk it through with them - your feelings and resentment about what's happened, and then work with them to decide what you want from your next role and strategy to get that, maybe practice interviews so that you can get to a place where you can talk about the end of your last role without sounding bitter - and a potential problem employee.
It's a shame that you weren't able to negotiate that as part of your exit strategy.

I've used this type of counselling/coaching in the past when roles have ended badly - I've evaluated it on the principle that even if it seems expensive, if it gets me back into work a week sooner, that's worth £xxx...
(I also did a lot of self employed interim work, so set it off against tax)
I also had one really great counsellor whom I'd known well in a previous role where she'd been a trustee - she was fab & didn't charge me.

I think the person that I found really good may have retired, but DM me it you're interested & I can find out. I met her face to face, but she worked online too.
There are larger placement type firms out there too- I had an introductory meeting with one, found it very impersonal and process driven and negotiated cash or reimbursement of whatever solution I went with.

It depends what type of work you do, but think about taking an interim role or fixed term role - it helps you do something positive & get that under your belt, and on the interviewing front, recruiters are less focussed on why you left your current role, any gap on your CV, etc. - and in interviewing for your next perm role, you can talk about your most recent achievements.

Good luck with it all, I hope that you find your dream role soon.

Have a little think. Perhaps before you post next time. It helps.

There are no identifying details here. There are no legal grounds for concern. Before you step city the knife in, engage your brain.

Possible answer to that interview question:

I’ve been thinking about needing a new challenge for some time now. It’s hard to leave a role when I’ve enjoyed it so long, love the people and have had so many great achievements. With change happening anyway within the management structure, it seemed a good moment to make the move. I’m excited to see what’s next for me.

Then you can tell them about those great achievements 😊

Don't be mortified. 8 years of loyal service, of course they should have given you a payout.

When people ask, just say that you decided it was time to move on given the longevity of your role there and you wanted a new challenge. If your new boss was so awful, she'll be like that to everyone else - so it's a brilliant thing you're not still there.

People will tell you this is the best thing that's happened to you and you won't believe it, but it will be. You got this!

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

Prepare your answer, brief and clear, memorise it word for word, rehearse it and recite it every time you're asked. If you churn out your prepared answer you won't feel any anxiety.

You weren't sacked, get out of that mindset. Choose the words carefully, so that you don't lie but don't make it sound like you were pushed because you did something wrong. Changes within the company etc etc (which is true). Was it technically a redundancy? If so, say that. There's no shame whatsoever in it. End with a positive, you want something new, make it sound like you want something more than the old job could offer.

I went through something fairly similar, was basically manoeuvred into resigning by a manager who simply took against me and was insinuating poor performance. He couldn't actually state that my performance was poor because that wasn't true. It was bruising, but I got a temporary job relatively quickly then a permanent one. The injustice stings, but the fact is, your position there was unsustainable like mine was, the job that was once good was soured, and you're better off putting it behind you. The manager behaved appallingly and I didn't deserve it, but the bastard didn't destroy me, and the person who was left doing my job was nowhere near as good at it!

With regards to interviews and questions about your old job, did you get an agreed reference as part of the settlement? If so, use that - “there was a restructure and it was the right time to leave.”

A similar thing happened to me, as well. It was a long time ago but I seem to be feeling fragile today and these posts are upsetting me! People's advice here is good, @SackedandDisgraced (and you are NOT disgraced!) Give yourself some time to regroup: it's a sudden life change; you need to let yourself take stock.

It helped me to remember the NDA means they know they are in the wrong. Not you.

People were pleased to hear from me later. I held off making contact until I could be 'normal' about it, talk about other things than my great sense of injustice (which I couldn't discuss anyway). They'll help you find your next job. Meanwhile, do something really nice for yourself

You need to reframe this in your mind, if you can.
You did nothing wrong, you’ve been made redundant due to a change of leadership - they often bring in their own people, and you’re moving on.
Sit and note down all the achievements you’d made whilst you were there, make sure you update your CV and LinkedIn appropriately and reach out to your network. Former colleagues may have been asked not to contact you. But you can contact them, say you ‘parted company’ and are looking for roles. You don’t have to elaborate - it’s so common and no reflection on you.

You will find a new role, would you consider contracting? Can be lucrative and less involvement in company politics as you’re not there permanently. Or maybe try freelancing for a bit - again you’re just there doing a good job.

And hopefully karma will get your unpleasant manager. It usually does eventually.

Good luck.

Don’t read the papers, Google yourself or check what people are saying on social media. I have been through this too in a very public way. You will feel better for not reading it. What people are speculating has no bearing on the truth - it’s written to sell papers and in the absence of any details they’ll make them up.

When it comes to interviews, you need to own what happened and come up with a stock reply to the inevitable question that is factual and to the point. You have presumably been media trained and are experienced in crisis PR if you were giving interviews - fall back on that training and apply it in job interviews. Apply the tools you have for corporate reputation management to your own reputation.

Lots of senior professionals and entrepreneurs have been through similar so do t assume doors will be closed on you. Honesty and openness will be respected.

As far as the interview question goes, would "I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to talk about that due to an NDA" work?

You did the right thing getting out of there, it would have made you ill.