I feel for ya, but all parties involved can only grow from here.

TechZulu interview here we come:)

-Mel

Me included as you know. I just want to wish you the best of luck at Mind Touch. It sounds like you definitely took the right step.

Best,
Ryan

What an interesting social experiment this post turned out to be! You and @nrek have inspired one of my next blog posts. I’d like to write both of your experiences, and see what the community can learn from them.

This could get very interesting…

Oh, and I congratulate you with your new role at Mind Touch. It is great that you are still in the industry at a company that embraces blogging as much, if not more so, than dt. I don’t know if a big bad corporation like LG would be so open and inviting to these kind of dialogues, or if they’d even pay attention.

- Matt

I like to think that the way we portray ourselves online by the things we write, the photos we publish, the people we befriend in FB, is controlled by us. Whether others agree with it or not, we each have our own unique ability to put on the Internet what we want and how we want others to see ourselves.

By me writing a story about my experience I have put myself on a level others can relate to. I have, hopefully, empowered those who thought they were the only ones dealing with an unfortunate break-up from a company. I open feelings up to a world who can cry with me or against me. It’s an amazing time where we can let the community know how we’re feeling at a particular time & event in our lives.

I don’t agree with slander or malicious writing about anybody or any company - I want to keep my integrity at a certain level. Getting revenge or airing out dirty laundry is not what this blog is about - it’s about letting my followers know what I’m feeling at a particular moment in time. Isn’t that what’s beautiful about blogging? And isn’t that every bloggers’ right?

Thanks for such well thought out responses and keep the conversation going - I would love to hear what others have to say about this issue. Cheers! - Sarah

“There’s a saying: “some things are better left unsaid” - why should that apply in real life but not on the web?”

– In real life we sometimes face split second decisions on what we should and shouldn’t say and usually take the high road because it avoids confrontation. However, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t things we wish we would have said if we only had the time to gather our thoughts and carefully evaluate what should and shouldn’t be said. Blogging, commenting, venting online gives everyone the power (whether they abuse it or not) to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Just like real life, some people are responsible and some are not. I’d like to the think the responsible individuals use the freedom of unlimited time to scrupulously evaluate what they would have said in person if they only had the time to think things over. Clicking that submit button can very well be permanent and we should all consider the consequences of our actions before we apply any pressure to that mouse button.
Much like the argument between you and your friend, opinions will always differ; there is no set standard for what is acceptable. Some people may very well think documenting an unfortunate ending of employment goes too far while others like myself think it should be published as long as the information is factual. There is a huge difference between documenting an experience and writing pure slander. Much like employers turn to the internet to do background checks and browse social network profiles I exercise my right to run Google searches on potential employers. An article like Sarah’s wouldn’t be my sole determining factor on whether or not to pursue a career with a company but I would certainly use it as reference point to coincide with any other information my search might turn up.

“Can I afford for others to misconstrue the information and never have the chance to explain?”

-Blog platforms such as WordPress give everyone the chance to ask questions and also grants the author the chance to respond to questions or make corrections. Some people could very well misinterpret what an author is trying to get across but if there is any question the reader has every opportunity to ask questions. What did you mean by this? How were you mistreated? How many other employees felt that way? Etc… No one should ever come to a final conclusion about a company, issue, or way of thinking from a single article. I also love the fact that employers have the option to respond much like Sarah’s former employer did. If an employer feels the information is inaccurate they can address it. Without knowing the employer or Sarah very well I can honestly say I see both points of view and that is the beautiful thing about the internet, I wouldn’t have to come to a conclusion immediately after reading the article and follow up posts. I could discuss things further, do further research, and take as much time as needed to carefully evaluate where I stand on the subject. Just my two cents…
Ryan Kazinec
CEO/Owner
JealousBrother.com

Today’s Internet has truly blurred the privacy lines of yesterday. We all know it and are part of it, hell most of us here created this beast with our own hands and for the most part we can’t imagine the Internet being any other way at this point. The ability to speak our mind at any moment, expressing our thoughts and feelings to the whole world is something that past generations could not even imagine….Isn’t that fantastic, fascinating, and perhaps addictive?

At the same time, just like in real life, there are consequences of speaking our minds especially when we look at any argument from OUR side and let’s face it, when emotions run high, it is tough for anyone to stay objective or see anybody else’s reality…in relationships and in business. As much as I am all about honesty and purity of experiences and information, I must admit, I find myself trekking cautiously when my disclosure can hurt someone’s reputation or perhaps even my own long after the situation subsides. None of us can argue that reality is just a perception, and we all can see the same situation from so many different angles, what makes us think our perception is the correct one? and even if it is…is it worth for us to express something to the entire world omitting other details, knowing that this information will live on the web forever and might be misconstrued by many? At what point do we stop and not only think about our responsibility to ourselves and others but become accountable for our chatter? How much of our chatter is useless ranter that with time will only hurt others? Is it worth it? Is this any different than doing it in person? Why do we take the high road many times in our real life without sharing our true feelings because we don’t want to hurt someone but behind the screen we feel so much more ready to dish it out?

Some people say, including my friend ;)…look how many have become famous for honesty and for sharing dirt or their true feelings on the web… To that I say YES…we all have that freedom but how many of us can really afford it?, with that freedom comes responsibility, whatever the consequences…one should ask themselves before hitting the “submit” button: “can I afford to not care about the consequences that might follow when I share a story? can I afford for others to misconstrue the information and never have the chance to explain? Is some info worth spreading?”

There’s a saying: “some things are better left unsaid” - why should that apply in real life but not on the web? whatever the consequences are…maybe one day when we pull up some of our shared stories without any emotions attached to them, we’ll realize that some things were better left unsaid? Will we have regrets? Or perhaps at the end of the day, we’ll go on content with the fact that “well this was my truth”…

Just for the sake of the argument here and for those who might not be aware of this… There has been court cases that have used people’s “chatter” against them, my space had few of those where lawyers presented information and the judges sentenced people to jail because of the comments on their myspace page.
What if one day you apply for a job or approach a client who can truly propel your career to the next level and you find out that they have decided not to hire you because of TMI on the web? Would that change the way you share on the web? or would you still believe that the “innocent” truth should be shared regardless of the consequences?

I’m curious to know what people think.

And Sarah, as with any experiences, I have realized long time ago that endings are only platforms for new beginnings in our lives, and hopefully with each beginning we transition into something much more suitable for our lifestyle and current desires. If we all look at every experience as a lesson, there should be no regrets and no disappointments regardless if what has passed was positive or negative…life is about moments in time that in the end create a lifetime of experiences. Good luck on your new path!

Marzena Kmiecik
Creative Director / Owner
Pixelfanatix.com

I hope you find the best in life. I’ve worked at some f#$&ed places before and have dealt with so much drama in the work life. With all the chaos, I have always been comforted by the friends I’ve made through out the years (from work). It seems today everyone if focusing on the faulting economy and not so much on the new great roads that lay ahead.

I strongly agree with point #3, about being appreciated. At one place I worked at (most recently) they had some top talent people who were drastically underpaid and just given grunt work. I gave ample warning to show more appreciation (beyond my control), then after time most of them jumped ship (including me). I’ve known you for only a short time, though I know you are a talented web professional with genuine passion for the web industry.

Today most smart business invest in people, not services!

Your new company is lucky to have you. I wish you the BEST of luck and fortune in your new adventure and hope to see you around!

Regards
Johnny Negretti
CEO, Ideablue Networks

Either way - I just all of my reader to know that amidst it all, you have truly been the most amazing network I could ask for. And THAT my friends is what matters. Through better or worse this is when community and friends show their true colors and to all of you who have stuck by me - I will remember.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Thanks for posting your true feelings. I understand that it is sometimes hard to voice them in person.

We absolutely enjoyed and appreciated your presence and hard work at dt. You brought a great energy to the office. In fact, we appreciated your work so much that we kept you in the role for 8 months despite not having any clients to support it.

It’s our goal to continue to support our employees even if their position is no longer supported by client services. This is why we offered you the sales position and turned down the rest of our qualified applicants. We believe that you would excel at this position based on your social skills and knowledge of the web. We know that you have a passion for the web community, so it was our goal to help you continue to connect with it.

I believe it is best to judge a 2-year experience by the whole of its parts, not just a less-than-optimal parting experience for both parties involved.

It definitely came as a surprise to us when you quit 5 days after you fully committed to the new role. At the same time, it was fortunate because we were able to transition the few deals that you were working on in one day. We nevertheless wish you the best and understand how your new position at LG could be a very positive opportunity for your career.

Chuck
CEO
digital-telepathy