Possibly on the way out at work....gameplan

[MMMdude]

I'm in finance and we had a new global CFO come "on board" (shudder another term i hate at work) about a year ago.  Since then he has cleaned out the division CFO and he has told pretty much everyoe he prefers working with "friends" and has already brought over a few people from previous jobs.  I don't get any warm fuzzies from him about the future of my employment at this place however i've never gotten any direct criticism for anything.

I can't help but feeling i'm on the way out - let's say there is a 50% chance of this.  The economy where i live is dreadful so my options are basically wait for a package if my paranoia is true, keep on plugging away until FIRE or start looking for another job now.  A package for me would reasonably be around $40,000 in net pay which is way more than my annual expenses.  Generally i don't mind my job and i'm nearly FIRE at the moment (at 23X expenses now and paid off house but am aiming for 33X expenses which should happen in 4 years)

I think my gameplan should be to stick around and if i get packaged out so be it - enjoy the time off and decompress abit and take my time to find something else given I am in a fairly good position but am wondering what others would do.

[pbkmaine]

Sounds like a good plan. If, for some reason, the talk gets around to packages, say something like: "I'm listening." You want to seem open but not eager.

[aFrugalFather]

Sounds like you are so close to being done and independent.  Shouldn't stress too much about this at all!

[LeRainDrop]

Yup, your plan sounds great to me.  If I were you, I would be HOPING they'd offer me a package like that just to cruise on out of there with all the security of knowing I have serious FIRE money.

[Papa Mustache]

Wait it out and begin thinking about a side gig.

[MMMdude]

Yup, your plan sounds great to me.  If I were you, I would be HOPING they'd offer me a package like that just to cruise on out of there with all the security of knowing I have serious FIRE money.

yup lol, trust me this has crossed my mind

i'm abit too irrational on this stuff - when i think about it i think  OMG i'd never be able to find another job and would be unemployable  which of course is not the truth no matter the state of the economy....i think

[With This Herring]

I think your plan sounds good.

Alternatively, though, invite CFO and anyone else you want to preserve out for drinks and make him your "friend." (Somewhat kidding...)

[Polish_Hammer]

Make them pay you to leave.

[Choices]

OP, your plan sounds pretty good.

One thing to consider, and it might not apply in your situation, is that in areas where there are a limited number of jobs in a field and you're the last to be laid off, those available jobs might already be snatched up by the first to be let go.

If this is the case, it wouldn't hurt to get to know your potential new employers a little and see what they have to offer. They might even pay you more.

[HipGnosis]

I'm in a rather similar situation.
My perfect (for me) job at a med-small Co. changed drastically when the Co. was sold to a BIG (heartless) corp. last year.   
My job duties changed quite a bit as the Corp. requires certifications for many of the things I learned on my own for the job (and proved I could do).
My new Corp. boss told me flat out that I'm not contributing enough to the Corp.  It's because I'm still doing things for the Co.  He says I shouldn't be doing those things, but I'm the only one that can do them!
I'm not as close to FI, so I've refreshed my resume and wrote my first cover letter.  I used my social network to get experienced help with the cover letter.
I'm also quadrupling my effort to set up a side-gig; I opened a bank account for it Saturday.
I think I've found the perfect job to apply for... Slight drop in pay but a similar med-small co. that's family owned.
I spent almost all weekend combing through my resume and cover letter for it, but...  I just can't get over the odds of getting the first job I apply and interview for. 
I would pay handsomely for someone to do a 'practice' interview with me and give me constructive criticism.