Monday, July 28, 2008

I take a bow

I did it! I did it! I got a new job! I haven't ranted, let alone raved, about my professional situation in a while. I decided it was unproductive to put a lot of negative energy out there about how little satisfaction I found with my professional situation. Instead, I talked to a lot of people about what I was looking for, and started putting in applications selectively for things that looked interesting. The third application I turned in became the avenue to my new job.

I'm leaving my teeny tiny backwater of an office for the world of campaign finance. It's exciting for me, I love the subject matter I'll be working with. I also have it on the authority of a friend, who used to work for the campaign finance office, that they are very professional but very friendly there. That's also the impression I got in the interview. It was the first time I felt like I was interviewing the panel as much as they were interviewing me. It was empowering. I wasn't nearly as nervous as I normally am on an interview, because I wasn't sure I wanted the job until after the interveiw concluded.

I'll be sad to not have my two co-workers around to chat with, they're very nice people and I will miss them. But, I know this is the right move for me. I never really found what I was looking for in the tiny office. They just don't think about the world the same way I do, and that's ok, but it's not where I want to work. There are also some personal issues about my bosses behavior at times, and I know I'll never be comfortable working with her because I find it difficult to believe or trust things she says, professionally or personally. I had an epiphany about this a few months ago, as I sat in class and we were talking about ethics. I realized that, at the core of the issue, my boss and I have very different views on what constitutes ethical behavior - i.e. I view much of her managerial behaviors as unethical, and she thinks it's all perfectly acceptable - and at that moment I found great peace in seriously looking for a new job.

Three good things:
1. Ummm, new job!!
2. I've set up a graceful transition between the two positions.
3. Talk about applying learning to life - it feels good!

2 comments:

Melissa said...

Yay, congrats!

Georgiana said...

Well, hey, congratulations!