Thankfully Employed, Part Two

*And now the thrilling conclusion of my current job search journey.*

Between my on-campus at FGCU and my non-interview interview with Teresa from Peak, I had a lot to think about, hypothetical decisions to make so that when it came time to make the real ones, I would be prepared. Hey, I fully own up to the fact that I'm a planner.

A few weeks passed with lots of action- thank you letters were mailed, follow-up emails sent, more extensive research was completed. I busied myself helping with LSU's orientation leader training a few times, catching up with friends and regaining my mobility! Needless to say, I had a lot on my mind as well as a great deal of things going on around me. Luckily for me, both schools had similar timelines and planned to have an answer within a few weeks.

As it became more clear that the position at Peak was definite is I was interested, I contacted FGCU to see "where I stood in their process." I received an email fairly quickly that essentially said that they had offered the position to another candidate and were waiting for a confirmation. It was a bit of a surprise; I felt that this was my best interview to date though I knew that the school and program needed someone with more professional supervision experience. I'm still waiting for official confirmation of the hire to inquire with the director about areas of improvement for future interviews.

The same evening, I met up my friend Meghan as she passed through town on her way home to New Orleans and mentioned the news. When I got home from dinner, Teresa had emailed me to check-in on the process. Though she swears she didn't, I think Meghan may have had something to do with the timing. Either way, I was thankful.

My decision then became more immediate and shifted a bit in focus - should I take the position in Dallas or keep holding out for something in higher ed? If I don't wait for another position, will it be impossible to get back into the field? Can I make the job at Peak transfer more easily to student affairs?

I talked to a lot of people, both in the field and out of it, to gather some input and help decide. Ultimately, I relied on what I knew would make the decision up for me - I made a color-coded pros and cons chart. After some back and forth with Teresa about the "official" next steps to the unofficial process, I was offered and accepted the position.

My new title is Executive Assistant and I'm working with Teresa to better provide coverage and increased presence on campus and within the community. There's also a bit of research and programming to keep me busy though there will be a lot of changing responsibilities and evolution as we both become more comfortable with one another and the position.

My start date is July 19th which is very, very soon considering I've got to find a place to live, relocate and acclimate to a new city and new school system in a matter of weeks. Oh, did I mention that I'm having another surgery on my ankle on July 13 - yep, 6 days before I start a new job. To make things a bit easier, I'm going to Dallas (with a relaxing stay-over in Shreveport with Mary Ellen and Chandler, maybe a trip to San Antonio to see my whale-training buddy, Jake, and an engagement party for Chris and Heather in Houston on July 10) next week to get an apartment, fill out any necessary paperwork, and get away for a few days.

So, there you have it and I have a job! It's been an exciting journey with a lot of ups and downs, but I'm very, very, very ready to begin this new chapter. I plan to continue this blog (for those few of you who still read, haha!) to chronicle my experiences as a new professional.