Hard to cope with so many sudden changes at work

[Double J]

hello,

 

I've been doing an internship at an advertising and media agency for almost 7 months now. It has been an invaluable experience - I've met so many great people, they've been very reasonable and understanding with my work/school schedule, and it's just been great overall. It's the first job relating to my major ever since i switched from accounting to marketing.

 

The first 5 months or so were this way. But in the last month/month and a half or so, things have been changing a lot. We used to go out to lunch as a group many times to nearby restaurants/eateries by the office. Sometimes we'd even walk there. Also, the co-worker who trained me (who is dieting at weight watchers) would go every wednesday to weight watchers for a weekly weight checkup and she'd invite me along. I thought it was great that they allowed me to do this - i got to get a 20 minute break from the office and my supervisor didn't mind at all. But for the last 6-8 weeks, this has suddenly stopped. We don't go out to lunch anymore, and it seems to me that my supervisor isn't going to this place on Wednesdays either. Why? I don't know, but I honestly miss it..

 

One of the young women that i'd go out to lunch with (who didn't work in my same team - she handled different accounts) suddenly departed about 3 weeks ago to spend some time with family in her home state. I didn't expect it at all, and I know i'd miss her because she was one of the people who made me feel most welcome in this company from the beginning.

 

At around the same time, the young woman who trained me for 5 1/2- 6 months or so, out of nowhere, said that she was no longer going to work for the same client (the team I'm in). She was given other accounts as part of a rotation within the company, so she left my team and basically I won't be working with her anymore (even though i'll still see her around the office).

 

The biggest surprise of all came 2 days ago. My supervisor informed me that he too had resigned and was leaving the company this same week. I barely had any time to say goodbye. I should have figured that something was up, because lately he was leaving early a lot and didn't seem as involved with the client. He seemed kind of rushed to leave, and I had to handle one of the projects he'd help me on by myself. For the first 5 months or so, I basically just worked with the woman who trained me. Once she left our team, I became a lot closer to my supervisor. I got upset with my supervisor many times throughout the time he was with me in this company because apparently he'd forget to approve my hours and it would delay my payments.. He became much more diligent in approving my hours on time, but unfortunately it came towards the end - the last 3 weeks he was in the company. We had also become a lot closer in the sense that we were calling each other by our nicknames and just overall became more comfortable with each other - more like friendly co-workers than a strict supervisor to employee relationship.

 

Anyhow, as you guys can see, these changes have been so sudden that they've been a little hard to deal with. I feel isolated - even sad - that things have changed so dramatically. Right now I feel like I don't have a supervisor (even though I think someone will be coming in a few weeks to help me with my projects from an office in latin america). So basically, I've become a little fazed with all these changes - how the two people I was working with the most about a month ago are no longer working with me. I built solid relationships with these people and all of the sudden I have to adjust to working with (and spending more time) with a completely different set of people. I think i'll be working now with a gentleman who was involved with my account and got promoted to fill my departed supervisor's vacant position, and the gentleman that's going to come down from another remote office. I'll also be working with the company VP (my departed supervisor's boss).

 

Bottom line - I kind of miss the old days.. It's not to say I no longer like this place - I really do and the pay is great. But it's weird how in such a short period of time things can change so much. The biggest blow was my supervisor leaving - I feel I'll miss him because he was the one who actually hired me.

 

Can anyone give me feedback? How do you cope with this? Has anyone had similar experiences?

[NJRon]

Change happens a lot. It gets easier as you get used to it. Or rtaher, it's easier to cope. If you are sad that people aren't going out to lunch now, why don't you approach someone who you used to go out to lunch with and tell them that you liked going out to lunch before and ask them.

 

Sometimes things fall in a rut. No reason why you can't start things up again.

 

In the end though, people come and go. Work is like a revolving door. Even when you or they aren't leaving the companby, people change posiitons all the time. If you want to keep in touch, then do it. Emails are cool too. There are people I haven't worked with in 6 years that I will email every now and then just to see what's up.

[tylercdurden2004]

To me these are red flags that something is amiss wiht the company. I personally would start asking questions but to the right people. Like a relationship it up to you to decide if this company is suitable to you.

[NJRon]

It's an advertising and media agency. Doesn't sound too out of the norm for me.

 

Always good to identify an angel in the organization though and see if they'll mentor you.

[tylercdurden2004]

Regardless of the industry someone in a position of power who leaves suddenly along with the other person seeing family memebers may be an indication that somethign is wrong. As an intern you dont want to get black balled though so maybe try to get a letter of recommendation if the ship is a sinking.

[NJRon]

I guess it all just depends on the scope. Good to feel out the climate with others that have owrked there a while. I work in a company with over 30,000 people... VPs drop like flies.