On the first day of a new job, the Vice President who hired me tells me that she is leaving the company in one week.

Anonymous

November 2,2021 at 11:06AM UTC

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On the first day of a new job, the Vice President who hired me tells me that she is leaving the company in one week. She insists that she did not know when I was offered the position. However, I gave 4 weeks notice at my previous position. I feel I should have been told about this prior to my first day. I was looking forward to working with her and she was one of the main reasons I wanted to work with the company. I am not sure what my next step should be. I am a little upset that I was not informed and that I will have little training on my role before her departure.

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AnonymousNovember 2,2021 at 11:47AM UTC
Maybe the next person will be better?
Maybe she truly didn't know. You don't know her story (looking for other opportunities, family issues, etc).
Wait and see what happens.
Meredith SwainNovember 2,2021 at 11:57AM UTC
I agree - give it some time. You should also give the VP the benefit of the doubt. But should be candid with her about your disappointment as well as your concern about being setup for success in your role.
There are likely other great people that you haven't yet met at the company. Your perspective may change after a few weeks or months at the company.
Kat ReelNovember 2,2021 at 12:16PM UTC
At least give the job a chance. Maybe the next candidate will be a better fit!
Jennifer SlomaNovember 2,2021 at 12:43PM UTC
You never know...her replacement may be even better! Hang in there and see what happens. Look at it as another opportunity. I understand why you are upset. It happened to me but unfortunately, my job went with her. But, whatever the reason they kept her exit confidential, I'm sure it's a good one and they plan on keepimg you in the organization. That's good news, right?
Also, you haven't bonded with her or anyone else there yet so you are starting clean. I know it's not what you expected but once the shock wears off, show your new employer how you can roll with the changes! Good luck!
AnonymousNovember 2,2021 at 12:48PM UTC
I agree that you should have been notified of the Vice President’s plans - at least that there was a possibility. It definitely would open up opportunities for you to put more of your own stamp on the new job. Hope it all works out!
AnonymousNovember 2,2021 at 1:14PM UTC
I wouldn’t peg anything as big as employment or career trajectory on another person within an organization - in my experience, it never pans out.
Reframe your focus on other positives in the role and move on. The VP who hired you doesn’t owe you anything and it’s not going to serve you well to get hung up on their departure.
Nicole ChristensenNovember 2,2021 at 1:33PM UTC
Why do you believe that this individual is not telling you the truth? In some cases, an organization is in great need and may only allow 1 week for someone to provide notice. The two week notice is a general courtesy that is commonly assumed. However, many organizations would not provide two week notice if someone was being laid off.
Did you take the position only because of that person who hired you? While our direct manager can impact our day to day, our happiness with a career or acceptance of a position should be based on what you are being asked to do and if you are in agreement with the organization's mission & vision.
The only constant in life is change. I wish you the best of luck in making this decision!
AnonymousNovember 2,2021 at 1:44PM UTC
She may not have felt it was appropriate to tell you before you started and were formally an 'employee'. I agree that since she is your hiring manager, ideally she would have told you before you started. However, now you have to decide whether you want to give it a shot at your new employer, even without training and the boss you were expecting or whether you can learn to adjust and may be able to get along / respect your new manager. I assume you have already found out who that is?
Kate DalyNovember 2,2021 at 2:30PM UTC
Advice I was given early in my career: never make job-related decisions based on people. People come and go. Choose positions that feed your passion and growth.
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 12:35PM UTC
She did not owe you this information. Compare to a woman interviewing while pregnant, she knows she's pregnant, the interviews do not...she is not obligated to nor should she share this info prior to accepting the job offer.
If you based your decision solely on working with her, perhaps you need to re-evaluate what you are looking for in a position.
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 12:49PM UTC
You are not owed that information.
The c-level executive to whom I report(ed) and the reason I accepted my position and the CEO both changed recently after interviewing and hiring new VPs and c-levels.
Part of working for a company is accepting that change happens and being resilient in the face of such change. This likely provides a better opportunity for your to flourish.
Our private equity leadership and our new CEO have all reached out to me to let me know how valued I am and to make sure that I am happy. And I have been there for two months.
Use this opportunity to thrive.
Paulla Fetzek, MSEdNovember 4,2021 at 12:59PM UTC
To start, congratulations on the new job! It's very frustrating to have someone leave whom you like - either on a personal or professional level. I understand you being upset. Along with her being a perk for you accepting the job.
A lot of people will tell you to never pick a job based on the people that work at it. To me, this is like saying it'll be ok to get married if you both hate each others' families. Sure... both are possible. But are they enjoyable?
Who one works with is as vitally important as what one does. But - people do come and go. It may seem like you're on an island - being that the person who hired you is leaving. Trust in the fact your talents make you a valid part of this company and that whomever comes in will appreciate that you're there.
Michelle PrinceNovember 4,2021 at 1:15PM UTC
This same exact thing happened to me years ago. It will all be fine. Go in with a positive attitude and make a positive impact. Best wishes!
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 1:19PM UTC
I was told about my previous manager leaving the day I accepted! It turned out fine and I am now reporting to a fantastic manager, so it worked out. I would be patient during this transition time and see how it plays out.
Karen GongawareNovember 4,2021 at 1:27PM UTC
I guess my question to you is, why would you think the VP should have told you anything about her plans? What in the world does her staying or leaving have to do with the job? It is a job. Not a social gathering. Your next step should be to examine why you believe a total stranger should discuss her life plans with you and your reaction to her not doing this.
Kristy BusijaNovember 4,2021 at 2:22PM UTC
I agree with others' comments that she didn't owe you this information. And there could be a variety of reasons that she didn't provide it: her hiring process was still in flux, she wasn't ready to share the information or have it public, etc.
Go in with a positive mindset and be open to the new leader. You could be pleasantly surprised and really like the new leader the same or even more.
Maggie StoneNovember 4,2021 at 2:53PM UTC
I get the feelings of shock and frustration, but I don’t know that she should have told you. She may not have been able to tell you. Hopefully, the other reasons you took the job, outweigh her loss.
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 2:57PM UTC
I think your desire to have known about her transition is reasonable, even though it may not have been possible for her to tell you in advance. Who we work with and for does matter. But had you started and a month down the line she left for another opportunity, it wouldn’t be much different. People move on, and that’s just a part of work life. So if the role and company are not compelling enough on their own to take a job, it’s probably best in the future to keep looking if you have the luxury of doing so.
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 3:07PM UTC
This JUST happened to me. My new manager's last day was my 3rd day. I was sad I wouldn't get to work with her but focused on still being excited about my new opportunity and hers! I recommend keeping in touch with the VP and pressing ahead with your new manager. Just like I left my old job for a great opportunity, I have to accept that my manager can and should do the same. Thankfully, I interviewed also with my manager+1 and felt comfortable reporting to him while they hire my old manager's replacement.
Ladyboss737918November 4,2021 at 3:17PM UTC
As a VP - I can say that when I hire, I hire for the company. It's a bonus for me if I feel I'll have a connection with the new hire but my focus is 1. Great fit for company culture. 2. Great skills fit for the position.
There isn't a single new hire coming onto my books that I would notify if things suddenly changed and I needed or wanted to leave my company. (Currently, this includes an additional EA, a director, and two managers.) I didn't hire them for me, I hired them for the company. I have faith that I chose a great culture fit and those individuals will succeed with or without me.
I also have no obligation to notify anyone of personal changes in my life or my career.
Unless its retirement, senior leader changes are announced last minute if they are being terminated, switching roles, or voluntarily leaving the company. To air that out in advance is to invite an insane amount of churn and speculation from the rumor mill that does more damage than good to the company.
AnonymousNovember 4,2021 at 4:00PM UTC
Something similar happens to me last year and it turned out to be the best thing ever. Two weeks after I started a new job, I learned my manager was leaving. Due to her leaving, we had a department restructuring since they weren’t rehiring for her position and had to shift her responsibilities and people she managed to other managers. I had a new manager and a shift in responsibilities which is better than what I had when I started. My new manager is very supportive in my career growth and offers me projects that allows me to grow my skill sets. I would say, all my responsibilities and projects that I work on right now are what I want to do, compared to my initial projects I had when I first started.
Emmy BemmyNovember 4,2021 at 6:58PM UTC
This happens all the time. The VP hired you to work for the company, not her. I have never head of an organization/hiring manager communicating this to a new hire, before their start date.
While people definitely make a difference re: how you experience work, make sure when you accept a job it is for the company/role, not for the specific individuals. I personally think your next step is to learn what you can before she leaves and jump into your new role with both feet!
AnonymousNovember 6,2021 at 12:57AM UTC
Thank you for the advice !
Liz MilneNovember 14,2021 at 2:51AM UTC
It's so discombobulating when that happens - you haven't even had a chance to settle in and everything is changing! had a similar experience: the guy who interviewed me and managed the place was let go during my first shift! Then his boss was fired because she was so busy making sure her partner's company benefitted from our company that she hadn't noticed the shenanigans the manager was up to! I felt very uncertain about the job after that: all the people who had signed my paperwork were gone before the ink had dried! I hope you settle in and that this is just a little hiccup!