As many of you may have read in The Local there are more layoffs coming for my company. Yes, in this round, I too will be affected (just not sure how yet). For those of you who haven’t read this:

Internet auction website eBay announced on Thursday it was eliminating 400 of its 1,000 jobs in Germany due to restructuring its European customer service operations. Customer service for our customers in Germany will still be done from Germany,” eBay Vice President Deborah Davis said in a statement. “Germany is eBay’s second biggest market worldwide, and we will account for its huge importance accordingly.”

The thing is that the numbers here have been clarified. You see, there are 1000 people on the entire campus – NOT all employed by the eBay group that I’m in. There’s Mobile.de, there’s the remnants of eBay GMBH, Paypal, and of course, the eBay Inc (my portion) that is customer support facing. So, of the 600 of us that work in CS and CS operations, 400 are going to be made redundant, outsourced, and/or moved to Dublin during the restructuring process (to be determined). At this point, everything is in negotiations with the works council and the company. We’re not allowed to say anything – since we don’t know anything, talk to the press, etc. as everything is to remain in negotiations. All we’ve been told is the process should be complete by mid-2010.

After 10 years, all I can say is that it’s been a great ride – and for someone who only thought I’d be with this company for 6 months, and it wound up being 20 times longer than I ever expected – I am thankful for all the opportunities, chances, and training that I’ve received from this company. It’s been hard, and at times it’s been a love-hate relationship. For me, I have fallen in love with my job (how many of us can truly say we wake up each day and LOVE our JOB?!?) been proud to be a passionate eBayer and employee, and am going to find it hard to have to say goodbye – whether it be so I can move to Dublin ( I’m going to try to fight for one of those jobs) or to go out and seek other opportunities. I know that on some level, I have made a difference in people’s lives (having worked my way up through basic support and into powerseller support and so on) and grown up with the company. It’s truly been a pleasure – one with no regrets and plenty of fond, happy memories – beginning from the day that we walked out of training to put our desks together in the new Salt Lake City CS center (at the time there was no “europe”) and started answering emails – typing each one out by hand, and most recently, resulting in my move to Europe.

So, while I sit here and wait for news of the negotiations and exactly what will happen to me on a personal front, I’m working on making more opportunities for myself, trying to decide what the future may hold (even if it’s still with eBay – hopefully in Dublin), I hope you will understand if my posts become a bit melancholy or moody in the coming weeks. On a positive note, I think I’m handling it well – I’ve got a plan, a backup plan, and a back up to my backup idea as well. Change is Good – and while I’m not exactly happy about the coming one, I recognize that many things (even some marriages) don’t last as long as I’ve been with this company. I’ve had a ton of blessings – friends, friends who became like family, knowlege gained, etc etc that have come to me throughout the years. People I see every day (and talk to as well) all been supportive, and for those of us who are affected, we are trying to keep our chins up as much as possible.

Otherwise, I just wanted to share something – which I previously had hidden in my flickr photos – the magazine celebrating 10 years of eBay Germany (I got interviewed for being with the company for 10 years) – and me with the magazine cover. For the record, my “anniversary” date of 10 years will be December 8, 2009….

and the magazine article page itself…..

Oh and another thought – How cool is it that I work in Germany – and yet have lunch almost daily with people that I never would have met other than for this company – An Australian, an Indonesian, an Indian, A Swede, An Italian, a Frenchman, and a German (me being the lone American most days)… where an environment is fostered such that I get 7 different perspectives on everything from politics and religion -to life in europe and how to best achieve whatever the latest goal may be. I think, regardless of where I wind up, I will miss this learning, teaching, and perspective on the world. Yes, I have truly been blessed, beyond my wildest imaginings – and been privledged to have my wanderlust a bit more satisfied.

Final thought – Change is Good, I am not Afraid of it – and Everything will work out in the End.