This story is 2 decades old but it seems very little has changed.
Small engineering consultancy (chemical and materials failure analysis, food standards testing, air quality testing). Owner was a very smart chemist with a flair for business that I will never have. But he couldn't manage people.
In addition there was a chemist, lab tech, and another guy who's skill set I can't recall.
I was brought in on a great little R&D project (coloured flame candle) that I loved. Shoe string budget and quite stressful. Not my area of expertise (well. At that stage, no one knew how to do this. So that was the fun). I had a PhD in Materials Engineering (polymers) plus broad science and engineering knowledge.
Quickly got dragged into the rest of the business, site visits, testing, expert opinions, and so on.
Boss stated repeatedly that he wanted me perminant and to take a major role in the business eventually.
Then the rot started to set in.
The senior chemist, (some 10 years there) who's role I would never be able to do, started getting the short end, criticisms & etc. I watched as the clearly good working relationship soured.
Meanwhile, I was still being paid as a casual, and looking for better paid work. Take home wasn't much better than my PhD stipend, after tax. And months with no sign of a contract.
I was also studying IT at the time, and had to leave early some days for class. Some emergency would always turn up on those days, with the request I stay late instead of going to class.
(looking back, I already knew more IT than any one in the office, which terrifies me)
So I ended up with a job offer in IT at 50% higher wage. $40k as an engineer with a PhD or $60k in IT with one year of an Advanced Diploma… Boggles my mind.
As a casual, I did not need to give any notice but was willing to give 2 weeks. I had a month before I was due to start the new job. Started getting all my work neatened up as best I could and kept it to myself.
I was pretty tight by this stage with the rest of the team. Chemistry guy was pretty pissed off with how he was being treated and a discussion ensured about how when he'd started the same pattern occured. I then mentioned that I had a job offer. He then said.
“So do I. Don't you dare quit before me! “
The next day, the lab tech confided that she had been head-hunted by a client.
So we all quit on the same day.