What workarounds did people try for "Will I get fired right before my company's acquisition?"?

Community members documented 13 workarounds: 1. Looking for a new job proactively 2. Sticking around as long as possible until the acquisition closes 3. Planning to explain a potential termination as a downsizing due to the company acquisition during future interviews 4. Treating the situation as a layoff due to the acquisition 5. Interviewing for new jobs proactively 6. Applying to other jobs and interviewing elsewhere 7. Waiting to be laid off or fired to receive severance and unemployment benefits rather than quitting voluntarily 8. Searching internal channels or professional forums for answers 9. Waiting for official town halls or HR announcements 10. Updating the resume and testing the job market to see what roles are available 11. Coasting through the transition while collecting a retention bonus or severance before moving on 12. Voluntarily leaving before waiting to find out if a layoff is coming 13. polishing up the resume to look for a new job

Will I get fired right before my company's acquisition?

Employees facing a company acquisition often worry they will be let go just before the deal closes to avoid paying out thousands in severance or transaction compensation. This fear of sudden termination leaves people second-guessing their standing with management, dreading the shame of job loss, and even considering quitting beforehand.

Overview

Last updated Sep 27, 2026

People affected6 accounts across 1 forum

Workarounds found13 items attempted

Community agreement39 total upvotes

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

13 items+ Contribute

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

1
Looking for a new job proactively
Did this help you?
2
Sticking around as long as possible until the acquisition closes
Did this help you?
3
Planning to explain a potential termination as a downsizing due to the company acquisition during future interviews
Did this help you?
4
Treating the situation as a layoff due to the acquisition
Did this help you?
5
Interviewing for new jobs proactively
Did this help you?
6
Applying to other jobs and interviewing elsewhere
Did this help you?
7
Waiting to be laid off or fired to receive severance and unemployment benefits rather than quitting voluntarily
Did this help you?
8
Searching internal channels or professional forums for answers
Did this help you?
9
Waiting for official town halls or HR announcements
Did this help you?
10
Updating the resume and testing the job market to see what roles are available
Did this help you?
11
Coasting through the transition while collecting a retention bonus or severance before moving on
Did this help you?
12
Voluntarily leaving before waiting to find out if a layoff is coming
Did this help you?
13
polishing up the resume to look for a new job
Did this help you?

Tried another approach not listed above?+ Share your workaround ↑

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/Accounting6 people · September 2026

“Hi fellow accountants. I have a bad feeling I’m about to get fired, and I need some perspective from people who have been through something similar.”source ↗

“And with the acquisition only six weeks away, my paranoid thought is that they could fire me before closing and avoid paying me approximately $20K.”source ↗

Relevant_Eye5877 · r/Accounting · 10 upvotes

“I’m currently at cbiz, and we have gotten zero information about the acquisition.”source ↗

“It’s coming up, and I don’t want to be stuck during busy season without knowing much.”source ↗

unbelieveable401 · r/Accounting · 8 upvotes

“I think I’m gonna get laid off at this rate.”source ↗

“I almost want to quit before they fire me, just none of this is clicking for me.”source ↗

Street_Condition7111 · r/Accounting · 7 upvotes

“Am I about to get fired 6 weeks before an acquisition and lose $20K severance?”source ↗

“I have a bad feeling I’m about to get fired, and I need some perspective from people who have been through something similar.”source ↗

“At this point, I feel like she either has completely lost confidence in me or just wants me gone.”source ↗

“And with the acquisition only six weeks away, my paranoid thought is that they could fire me before closing and avoid paying me approximately $20K.”source ↗

Relevant_Eye5877 · r/Accounting · 6 upvotes

“If I remain after he sells the firm to a larger group on 1/1/27, I must accept a $30,000 salary reduction.”source ↗

“I was stunned; I respect his input but found it harsh after expressing my concerns several times.”source ↗

“I feel this was part of the owner’s plan from the start and is merely an excuse for me to leave.”source ↗

Individual_Buy_3812 · r/Accounting · 3 upvotes

“Keeping everything vague, but I'm on the SEC team for a public company that is being acquired by another public company. Obviously my role is null and void once we finish up our final 10-Q, so do you guys have advice?”source ↗

comrade_dyngus · r/Accounting · 2 upvotes

“I know but I guess it’s more so the shame of it all.”source ↗

Street_Condition7111 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

“My gf was in a similar position as you but corporate accounting instead of SEC reporting. She left on her own before waiting to find out if she was going to be laid off.”source ↗

DecentOption5165 · r/Accounting · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/Accounting accounting acquisitions career career advice career uncertainty compensation corporate acquisition employment layoffs management workplace workplace stress