I will preface my comment by saying I'm a little later in my career, and consider myself a little more cynical than average. The following is only useful in the company of other comments to offer a more balanced perspective...
I would have found it entirely unacceptable, and my notice would have been on the table within the hour. I've handed in my notice for less.
That kind of behaviour from leadership/management is terrible. Depending on the type of person, it can plant a seed of resentment and disillusionment that will make them hate the work, or create/worsen confidence issues. Employees are people. Of course, some people will shrug it off or perhaps even use it as motivation to get better who knows.
I would also be suspicious of the manager who ducked out the meeting.
The fact that you're on HN posting about this shows that it has already had a negative impact on you. You should be enjoying your time off, but you're just thinking about work.
How should you proceed? Depends on the type of person you are, and your ambitions in your career. Both those will change throughout the years to come. My advice - just do the job, enjoy yourself, get paid, and apply for the next role whenever you feel like it. You will not be on your deathbed wishing you'd gotten to the bottom of this incident.
I'd definitely be looking for other options. If the language is true, it's definitely inappropriate to be getting that kind of feedback this late in the project without a more friendly warning. Especially if I had put in the work / was capable.
My hunch is the words were more likely meant for OPs manager and the skip boss is just an ass. I'd be suspect of the manager, bit either way it seems ruined and I'd be looking at an exit.
I would have found it entirely unacceptable, and my notice would have been on the table within the hour. I've handed in my notice for less.
That kind of behaviour from leadership/management is terrible. Depending on the type of person, it can plant a seed of resentment and disillusionment that will make them hate the work, or create/worsen confidence issues. Employees are people. Of course, some people will shrug it off or perhaps even use it as motivation to get better who knows.
I would also be suspicious of the manager who ducked out the meeting.
The fact that you're on HN posting about this shows that it has already had a negative impact on you. You should be enjoying your time off, but you're just thinking about work.
How should you proceed? Depends on the type of person you are, and your ambitions in your career. Both those will change throughout the years to come. My advice - just do the job, enjoy yourself, get paid, and apply for the next role whenever you feel like it. You will not be on your deathbed wishing you'd gotten to the bottom of this incident.