Not exactly fired from IBM
After almost 15 years at IBM, having always exceeded expectations on at least 2 categories on every year end review, having been awarded the OTA award as well as a Best of IBM award, and a patent assigned to IBM too, after a reorganization under the new CEO I was given this May options to separate or relocate to a place I don't want to live in. On paper I am times more expensive than an equivalent architect in other geographies and I am pretty convinced this was the reason, not my tender age.
To be fair, I was not fired and I was even offered a modest but still quite decent separation package. So no beef with IBM, businesses is business and their results are flagging. With retrospecrive, I am thankful for the nudge to look after myself. I interviewed for positions that paid at least 8 and up to 45% more, and landed a new job I love with a great team of people for an organization I deeply respect, a few miles from where I live. I will miss many of my former coworkers that I have grown to see as friends but they will keep in touch.