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Vote on Desiree Davidson's Story
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?
I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.
The downsizing dilemma
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Computers, Software
- Left & Joined Another Industry
- Non-Profit
- Fed Up
- Stifled Growth
- Workplace Policy
Four years after coming out of college, I accepted a technical position with IBM where I spent the next 12 years. During my last 2 years, the corporation began a series of reorganizations resulting in massive employee downsizing. 20-30 year employees lost their jobs, and their positions were not filled; thus, doubling/tripling the workload of remaining employees. Overall, employee morale suffered greatly ("Why me?"). It was a horrible, horrible work environment and there were no other jobs to move into. When an announcement was made that the workforce had not decreased to a level that was needed due to 'natural attrition', employees were offered a chance to voluntarily leave the company. This was not easy because you had to APPLY, your skills deemed essential/nonessential, and only then could you be 'selected' to leave. I saw this as an acceptable exit strategy ("..this is the last straw..") - for me. I had reached the end of my rope.