The rain has come and does not stop.
I walked into the office today expecting to get the usual ‘ugh its Monday’ vibe. Instead I feel like I’ve entered a funeral parlor. Everyone is in a somber mood; the economic crisis has hit home.
It all started in whispers and gossip , about hours being cut and people getting laid off. This has been going on for several weeks actually but it wasn’t until a memo adressing the ‘rumors’ confirmed everything. I guess its harder for the employees here who have been working for the firm for many years. They have personally experienced the firm’s golden age. They have grown accustomed to a certain way of life at the office and refuse to accept the inevitable. I cannot fault them. Nevertheless I am in an awful position.
You see I began this job 8 months ago as an eager (and desperate) job seeker that wanted to get her foot in the legal world. Luckily I was given that chance. I worked hard to prove that the firm’s partners did not make a poor decision in my hiring.
Well my hard work did not go unrewarded. As people in my office are getting laid off , I just received notice on Friday that I was going to be getting a raise. Normally I would be ecstatic, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Instead I feel dread, as if I was guilty of some horrible treachery against my coworkers with tenure.
Now it isn’t a substantial raise..but considering the circumstances its excellent. However any chance at celebration is quickly quieted by the large storm cloud hanging over the office.I stay quiet and keep to myself, feeling that any thing I do will “give me” away to my coworkers. What a horrible feeling. I don’t want to say I deserved the raise because of the amount of work I do in comparison to my colleagues but then why me?
Nevertheless I am just gonna use my extra $67 a paycheck to pay off some of my massive debt. I need to finish school too as this current situation proves that even the more seemingly successful jobs are not safe from this economy.
