Fidelity Boston to Fidelity Merrimack, New Hampshire

I spent two years working at Fidelity in Boston, and it turned out to be a great experience. At first, I was concerned about the long commute, city traffic, and having to wear a suit every day. Things improved when the company switched to business casual, but it still took some time to adjust.

This was also the time when everyone was worried about Y2K. As that date got closer, I had the chance to join a new group at Fidelity in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The commute was about the same, but there was no traffic, I was back in New Hampshire, and I got a raise because there were no state taxes.

Joining this new group was a great opportunity. I was about 37 and had more experience than most of the team, who were mostly junior staff. I used my skills to take on a lead role and eventually got promoted. Right from the start, I helped set up code management, build processes, and handle code installation. As the senior tech lead, I managed the team and developed the systems and documentation we needed. This group was a new part of Fidelity, focusing more on payroll and benefits management instead of fund management. For the next six years, I had the best job I could imagine. I was paid well, had seniority, got promoted, and even received a yearly bonus, which was new for me. I thought I would stay there for decades, but the company had other plans. After a reorganization, I was laid off. I was 43, had never caused problems at work, rarely took sick days, and worked days, nights, weekends, and holidays for a job I loved. Suddenly, it was all over. Next, I’ll share how I managed the transition and the short break I took.

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