I was hired as Admin (Legal) 11 years ago, by a boss who the interim agency described as 'difficult', so I upped my requested salary by $700/month, and she agreed :) (I should have asked for more). The job was fulltime and permanent from day one. I was trained for a week by the guy that was leaving (his 6-month temp job wasn't prolonged), then I worked on my own for a week, then I had to train my new colleague Admin. We work for the Department (proofreading, layout, filing, corporate housekeeping, Board of Directors support, odd jobs for boss directly).
I worked for that boss for 6 years, and I had 5 Admin colleagues in that time; they all left more or less quickly due to my difficult boss. I could not leave, because my boyfriend/fiance/husband was still studying or in lowpaying jobs, we had two children (2x16wks paid maternity leave), and bought a house, and we needed my income. Then, my boss was fired! Joy!
No boss for 6 months, the whole Department (4 lawyers at different levels of seniority) lightened up. New boss for 2 years, until she got promoted back to her old company (European-American MSA affair). Wonderful boss, great fun to work for, but she thought I was her PA .....
In the meantime, husband has work experience and changes jobs twice, and now earns a normal income (nothing crazy, but decent). Also, in the meantime, company is acquired by Chinese, and company culture changes from family business vibe to strictly commercial/no mercy.
New boss comes in, thinks I'm her PA only, gives my Admin colleague a well-deserved promotion, and then doesn't replace her! I'm now on my own, trying to handle a workload even the two of us couldn't handle, working with a boss who refuses to hear that I'm not happy booking her private family vacation flights and visas to China when there is a proper work backlog. I hate booking flights, I'm a much better proofreader and librarian then I am a travel agent. Boss works from home two days a week, travels a lot, and when in the office, is in meetings all the time.
I run the numbers with husband; we will be able to cope on his salary alone, and he's behind me if I want to leave. I decide to stop pandering to boss, and will make my own list of priorities, and a list of items I'm not able to handle due to not enough time. Then, I find an email on the company printer: boss thinks I'm not loyal and am slacking, and wants to fire me (printed by HR! Who I have taught each one individually how to use secure print!). I have a bad night's sleep, but husband supports me, I start calling law firms, unions, and social security organisations to get all my ducks in a row, and wait for the exit interview. I clear my computer and desk, and collect private contact info of the few colleagues I would like to stay in touch with.
Interview comes, I am still in shock, but at least don't have the first wave of emotions and manage to handle it well. I hand in my phone and laptop immediately, to no longer be connected to them. Second meeting with HR a week later to discuss severance pay and I manage to negotiate 11 months pay (1 month for every year I worked there), outplacement services on top from reputed agency (by law, they have to offer, but only basic, and they can deduct it from the severance pay), health insurance until the end of the year, glowing letter of recommendation, certificate that I was fired due to a reorganisation (which allows me to claim unemployment benefits later).
I have now been home for 3 months and am destressing. The outplacement project has started, but I'm not really in a rush to start working again; I'd like to go back to University and finish my MA. The house is finally properly clean, kids are happy that I can pick them up and have the energy to play and discuss things eith them, husband is happy that he can now fully concentrate on his carreer (he picked dds up fromschool and cooked every night), I have time to contact old friends, and just walk outside as soon as the sun shines.