Three day week, right before a trip to Seattle. Needless to say, what has happened this week was far from the most remote possibility in my mind. I was focused on getting through my short week, packing, and enjoying a nice long weekend with my college friends. And then I got the call. It was ironic, really, because I had just been in a meeting the previous week when his name unexpectedly came up. Out of the blue, there it was. I was laughing to myself, thinking ‘hey I know him!’. So I was on the verge of calling him Tuesday to share the anecdote and check in.
My plan was, from my fifth day at my current job, to call him up around October or November and see if he had any leads on jobs. My job has been quite the letdown. Between working virtually with everyone, having half a full time work load, and doing mundane, not challenging work, nearly every week is a struggle to stay the course and get as much out of this job as possible. Was it ever the dream? No. But it worked, it got me where I wanted to be, and it was a unique, albeit otherwise quite useless, experience for my resume. You’re earning your time with the company, I’d tell myself. You’re getting a diverse experience. And above all, you have two good connections where you want to be, and one of them could even hire you. Under the impression that I’d have to stay at my current post for a year before venturing elsewhere, I contented myself with a countdown until when I could start seriously looking.
But then I got the phone call Wednesday. It was all fun and games until he mentioned the position, that he wanted me for it, and brushed aside the fact that I’m a year short in experience for it. He said I’d be good based on what I did and how I did it when we worked together, and explained the position. It wouldn’t be glamorous at first, it would be going in and cleaning house. But then it would be transitioning into working into a group that is elusively hard to get into, and prestigious. The only spots in the group are usually very experienced employees, and employees in the leadership development program. With my two years of experience at two other business areas, I’m a far cry from the typical candidate. However, it’s the group I’ve wanted to have a chance in. It’d be an incredible opportunity to get in the group. The position was originally a 4, but with no luck, they were moving it down to a 3 with me in mind. He proceeded to talk about another position he wanted to bring me in for, but the group had needed someone who was already there. My head was spinning. Not only was I unqualified, I hadn’t been at my job a year. In raising this, he said it wasn’t a problem. He explained how twice he had left a position in under a year, because he had the option of a promotion. Unless you’re boss is a jerk, basically, he explained, they won’t hold you back from getting a promotion. If they haven’t paid for your relocation or a signing bonus, they really have no true leverage to keep you a year. Although polite, and generally expected, extenuating circumstances, such as promotions, can buck the rule.
I’ll give you some time to think about it and if it’s something you’re interested in, he said. As if I needed time to think. It was my dream job. It meant possibly getting out of my current position six months earlier than I could have even dreamed. It meant going to the business unit I had always wanted to go to, and having the bonus of a manager who knew me, and who I knew. And the promotion. I had clawed and fought to get my current promotion. I had tirelessly applied, gotten rejected, and kept trying. It had been hell. And now this. Totally unexpected, totally surprising. I had expected this promotion to occur in a year or two, not possibly next month. But once again, I was reminded of his two promotions in a year. And at that business unit, if they want you, based on multiple stories I had heard, they didn’t put a death grip on following the rules. If they though you were capable, they’d promote you from a two to a four, or from a five to six when you had only been a five for a couple months.
I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, because this is truly too good to be true. But my gosh if it does happen. They’ll need to adapt an inspirational novel off my life. The struggle of the past month would be but dust in the wind compared to such an unbelievable victory.
The only issue, and surely uncomfortable moment will be when I have to relay these happenings to my manager. Although I don’t know her well, and assume she will be good about it, I still feel awful, and very rude indeed for potentially taking a job that moved and promoted me and saying, well, I’ve found something better so thanks for the past six months but I’m out. At the same time, though, like he said, what kind person will keep you from a promotion and golden opportunity. My last group did it. But they were like that. The nicest people, but very protective of their people too.
I never thought I’d be so eager to get home before I had even left for a vacation I have been so excited for.
And of course, there is the very real chance that this could all not happen. That HR will fight back, my manager will fight back, the other people there will say no. I am unqualified by ten months. I have seven more months to serve in my current role. But if the path he took is any indication, when there is a will there is a way. And if him calling me on my cell phone despite my status saying I was on vacation, and me never formally giving him my phone number is any indication, he has a will, and he will find the way. Oh for grace to trust God more, for He alone is good.
My plan was, from my fifth day at my current job, to call him up around October or November and see if he had any leads on jobs. My job has been quite the letdown. Between working virtually with everyone, having half a full time work load, and doing mundane, not challenging work, nearly every week is a struggle to stay the course and get as much out of this job as possible. Was it ever the dream? No. But it worked, it got me where I wanted to be, and it was a unique, albeit otherwise quite useless, experience for my resume. You’re earning your time with the company, I’d tell myself. You’re getting a diverse experience. And above all, you have two good connections where you want to be, and one of them could even hire you. Under the impression that I’d have to stay at my current post for a year before venturing elsewhere, I contented myself with a countdown until when I could start seriously looking.
But then I got the phone call Wednesday. It was all fun and games until he mentioned the position, that he wanted me for it, and brushed aside the fact that I’m a year short in experience for it. He said I’d be good based on what I did and how I did it when we worked together, and explained the position. It wouldn’t be glamorous at first, it would be going in and cleaning house. But then it would be transitioning into working into a group that is elusively hard to get into, and prestigious. The only spots in the group are usually very experienced employees, and employees in the leadership development program. With my two years of experience at two other business areas, I’m a far cry from the typical candidate. However, it’s the group I’ve wanted to have a chance in. It’d be an incredible opportunity to get in the group. The position was originally a 4, but with no luck, they were moving it down to a 3 with me in mind. He proceeded to talk about another position he wanted to bring me in for, but the group had needed someone who was already there. My head was spinning. Not only was I unqualified, I hadn’t been at my job a year. In raising this, he said it wasn’t a problem. He explained how twice he had left a position in under a year, because he had the option of a promotion. Unless you’re boss is a jerk, basically, he explained, they won’t hold you back from getting a promotion. If they haven’t paid for your relocation or a signing bonus, they really have no true leverage to keep you a year. Although polite, and generally expected, extenuating circumstances, such as promotions, can buck the rule.
I’ll give you some time to think about it and if it’s something you’re interested in, he said. As if I needed time to think. It was my dream job. It meant possibly getting out of my current position six months earlier than I could have even dreamed. It meant going to the business unit I had always wanted to go to, and having the bonus of a manager who knew me, and who I knew. And the promotion. I had clawed and fought to get my current promotion. I had tirelessly applied, gotten rejected, and kept trying. It had been hell. And now this. Totally unexpected, totally surprising. I had expected this promotion to occur in a year or two, not possibly next month. But once again, I was reminded of his two promotions in a year. And at that business unit, if they want you, based on multiple stories I had heard, they didn’t put a death grip on following the rules. If they though you were capable, they’d promote you from a two to a four, or from a five to six when you had only been a five for a couple months.
I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, because this is truly too good to be true. But my gosh if it does happen. They’ll need to adapt an inspirational novel off my life. The struggle of the past month would be but dust in the wind compared to such an unbelievable victory.
The only issue, and surely uncomfortable moment will be when I have to relay these happenings to my manager. Although I don’t know her well, and assume she will be good about it, I still feel awful, and very rude indeed for potentially taking a job that moved and promoted me and saying, well, I’ve found something better so thanks for the past six months but I’m out. At the same time, though, like he said, what kind person will keep you from a promotion and golden opportunity. My last group did it. But they were like that. The nicest people, but very protective of their people too.
I never thought I’d be so eager to get home before I had even left for a vacation I have been so excited for.
And of course, there is the very real chance that this could all not happen. That HR will fight back, my manager will fight back, the other people there will say no. I am unqualified by ten months. I have seven more months to serve in my current role. But if the path he took is any indication, when there is a will there is a way. And if him calling me on my cell phone despite my status saying I was on vacation, and me never formally giving him my phone number is any indication, he has a will, and he will find the way. Oh for grace to trust God more, for He alone is good.