Well, the cat is officially out of the bag. I have accepted a job offer in Tacoma, to start when my current support contract comes to a close. It entails a significant pay cut from what I make right now; but it looks extremely interesting, and the work environment appears to be first-rate.
My current customer/employer is unhappy with this decision, but I've let them know six weeks in advance that I'm disinterested in renewing my contract. I'm a contractor, not an employee; so the work relationship is always a little odd. I figured the fact they had me interviewing replacements indicated it was their intention for me to leave in the foreseeable future, but that's not apparently the case. Ah well... I'm well within the terms of the contract, and I've been more than patient with their unwillingness to commit in writing to maintaining our relationship past September; so I'm leaving with very little guilt, although I've enjoyed working on this project.
At any rate, I've been quiet about this turn of events on my blog, for obvious reasons. But now it's public knowledge, so I thought I'd mention it.
I've been a bit of a job-hopper in my adult life, but I never really intended it to work out that way. Every job is the one I want to be my last, but that's never how it works out. I did have the perfect job once, but economics made me leave: I was commuting 100 miles to work, and sleeping on my brother-in-law's couch a couple nights a week. Our house simply wouldn't sell, and I eventually had to realize it was an untenable situation.
Too bad: that was an incredible place to work, and I still keep up with the people there. I wonder how many people have had a perfect job and had to leave?
So I'm hoping this new job is the one, but obviously that remains to be seen. I've learned not to try and recreate something that was wonderful, but I have to admit a certain excitement based on some similarities to the perfect job that I see in this new place.
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The views and opinions on my blog don't reflect the views and opinions of my employer.
8 comments:
I've been a bit of a job-hopper in my adult life, but I never really intended it to work out that way.
Sounds like our church experience.
I hope this new place of employment turns out to be the one.
I like ivory towers, too.
I have the perfect job now. One day my job will leave me...
I have to agree with stace' on this one.
I do hope that your new job is (at the very least) one that makes you look forward to going in the next day. Perfect would be even better!
We don't guarantee to offer the "perfect" job, but we'll do our best.
Like any job we have our ups and downs, but being involved in an enterprise where outcomes are not measured by profit certainly has its benefits.
I don't expect there really is a "perfect" job... although the one I had to leave might be asymptotically related.
The real question becomes, where does one draw the line? My experience has been that employers are loathe to let me go: apparently I am either chronically underpaid, or have worked for companies with incredible recruiting capabilities.
One common thread is, places I eventually left started at some point to treat their people badly. I'm not talking about money here; I'm talking about work conditions. When a boss stops saying "thank you" and starts saying "that's what I pay you for;" talented tech people start polishing their resumes.
And I think part of the problem is, tech people are often bad at things like confrontation and interpersonal relationships. When we feel threatened, we look for an escape, because we're really bad at standing our ground. So when things aren't too rosy at the current job, and recruiters are calling weekly to offer significant pay raises, it's easier just to leave.
Of course, the leaving (and making good money in the process) has gotten a little old at this point.
I am on the brink of a new job too... one that is significantly underpaid, with no holidays and no sick days. But it's got a great benefit package, with unlimited investment potential.
Lost all my blog links for a while, so I am catching up. WHAT, teaching Physics to us priceless students wasn't your "perfect job?" :-) Glad to hear the Lord has provided you a new position.
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