To those who got out, what is it like waking up without that weight on your chest? I keep wondering if the constant anxiety ever fades. Some of us are still stuck here counting down the days. Tell us there’s light on the other side.
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@cd while other Majors are more overtly aggressive cultures, CVX shares similarities with California itself. It presents with a breezy, informal conniviality. But the allure of the Golden State obscures the flaws and fissures, taxes, crime, poor governance, widespread vagrancy, biblical wildfires, horrendous overhead, and so forth. CVX's internal marketing programs and protocols impose an internal culture that that functions as an internal belief structure. Over the last 15 years DEI was grafted on like a New Testament of buncombe. Woe unto those who did not absorb the revelation or accept the sacrament at town halls. But no hurty words like XOM.
OP, I'm assuming "those who got out" means voluntary separation. You can be certain there is no one in that group who is saying, "Gee, I wish I was still working for Chevron!".
Took a couple weeks to forget what day it was. Not missing the games you have to play to stay employed and terrible supervisors.
Took my one year severance pay, not touching 401k/pension for a while and coming here to see I made a good decision to walk away.
@ed Over 31 years with the company is a good career. Congrats on having lasted this long through the various bo-m-bust cycles. You are young enough and hopefully physically fit to enjoy your early retirement. Perhaps you will seek another job if you become bored. In my EOI letter, it listed the positions, PSG, and age of the people who took the package. I saw people who are older than 70 in the group! Imagine having to work till that age. Unless they truly enjoy their job or need to work for financial reasons.
I was left standing in the first round. After the first week of shock of not having a job, I started to feel better. If I had to go, I am glad it was in the first round. I feel for the people in the second round. The unknown and and waiting is the worst.
I had over 31 years and working for Chevron my entire adult life. It is a big change. But now I am starting to think leaving is one of the best things that has happened to me.
I am more fortunate than many because of my pension and 401k. Good luck to everyone out there. Make sure to take care of yourself.
@cg, CVX treats people better than XOM. That's a fact. It used to treat people better than the other non XOM majors. Whether it still does is debatable.
Interesting that a comment advocating for treating people kindly gets downvoted. We’re cooked.
@cg not everyone works only in O&G ... maybe for a major cvx is pretty aight -- but there's a whole world out there outside of O&G.
@cd he/she already noted that they’re a part of the younger crowd, not like the boomers to millennials who are mostly telling people to su-k it up.
Whatever people are feeling… I would agree that this is not the forum for that type of softness
Actually CVX treats people far better than most majors. You guys will have a rude awakening when you settle in anywhere else. It will take some time, but you'll learn.
@ap every generation says the same things about the ones above and the one directly below them. In 20 years you’ll realize the world is full of calamity. Stack up a few dozen “I remember where I was when…” events and your generation will show its cracks too. I support the therapy idea, but calling people soft and d-mb because they bought into the American dream and would like to have a career is less than inspiring. The soft sheep aren’t the only ones that get nervous when the wolves are in the pasture. The world could use more kindness.
65% of people experience corporate burnout, fatigue, career stress induced anxiety, etc. Majors have never had a reputation of being the best place, but it’s hard to deny that CVX has really treated a lot of people extremely poorly this year. It’s no wonder the anxiety is so high.
It feels pretty great!
There is some sadness that comes with decoupling from an organisation that has been a significant part of my life, accompanied with a side-serving of self-doubt. But on the whole, I feel wonderful.
My only recommendation is, if you have any doubt about staying, and any doubt as to whether you are competitive for a role - take the EOI. Not leaving on your own terms su-ks.
As reductions in our team were a blood bath, 90% of the people I liked have left with me. If I’d stayed it would have been a very different environment. And since we’ve all left at the same time, we have the opportunity to see one another on our terms outside of the organisation.
And just when I feel bad about the $$, I remind myself that for the next 12 months I’m still getting paid just as well as the poor people still slaving away for the CVX machine and dealing with the inherent idiocy.
So, pretty good - and I’m looking forward to remembering what it feels like to be me again.
@OP I took the EOI, but anxiety remained. Moving from work to no work was a big change. I worried if the severance and healthcare would come through. You can sleep and wake anytime, but family still matters. Hopefully, after a few months, life will settle into a good routine.
This whole thread is soft and dum
Seriously? Grow up and make a decision for yourself and your family. I’m in the gen Z category, not a boomer or whatever - but this is getting ridiculous. Too much feelings on this thing. Go talk to a therapist if you need one.
It is wonderful!!
The first post has it correct,cVX is like a purgatory…..When you exit, be deliberate and aggressive, you will see the promised land!!!
Life for me is MUCH happier outside of the chevron compound!!
I took the EOI in 2000. It marked the death of my ego, the end of my Chevron identity. What followed was a kind of rebirth. Today, I’m freer and happier than I’ve ever been. Looking back, Chevron feels like a kind of purgatory, one you can escape, if you're lucky, with enough wealth and your soul still intact. But too many stay too long. And in that slow grind, their souls quietly rott away.
I think you can look at leaving Chevron as going into rehab to kick the habit of living off anxiety that comes in two year spikes every time there is a ROM or reorg.
Once you are separated you begin to realize how much of the anxiety comes from the organization itself. Then you start to focus more on the value YOU bring to the table instead of the value Chevron tells you you bring. Start identifying your value now and you can shorten this learning curve if or when you are out. There are millions of people out there that don't work for Chevron and they are doing just fine.