Friday, January 12, 2007

I got a job!!!

I GOT A JOB YA’LL!!!

O.K, before I get into the glitz-n-glam about my new job (not!), I am gonna say this: It is NOT the job that I wanted but my girl Diva hooked me up with the connect that GOT me this job, so for that and her I am EXTREMELY thankful!!

The job is a Recruiter position, which is something that I have ALLLLLLLLLLLLWAYS said I NEVER (and I repeat,) NEVER wanted to SOLELY do. (murphy’s law huh? That this is the ONE thing –other then payroll—that I said that I.DID. NOT want to do in the HR realm and that is EXACTLY what came my way!) Why? Because I have been an HR Manager for 7 years. Being an HR Manager means that you do a variety of functions in a variety of areas ( employee relations questions, benefits, compensation, recruiting, orientations, training, etc). whereas being a recruiter is just that……. Recruiting. Nothing more, nothing less. ***crickets***

So, my MAIN reason for taking this job is that the pay (though it is less) is only $7,000, less and I have the ability to make that up because the employees in this company get between a 1-25% bonus (with most people averaging between 10-15% !!!!). AND the fact that my black ass needed a job! PRONTO! And the benefits are ALMOST as good as the last company I worked for (the main difference is that the company I used to work for followed the Big 3’s shutdown schedule----meaning I got a week off in July and the WHOLE week of Christmas off…..and PAID…..yeah….I’mma miss THAT shit badly…**big assed sigh**).

The one other downfall of this job is that there is NO.PRIVACY. When I say that I mean that I do not have my own cube. I SHARE a fuckin cube which is set up in a semi-circle set-up and me & my semi-circle-mate sit at either end of the semi-circle. I HATE, and I REPEAT, I HATE this set-up. I need privacy. I have ALWAYS had privacy. At least a fucking cube to myself man!!!! And the WHOLE company is like this!!! My boss SHARES an office which to me looks like a big assed cube! And the bad thing about her office is that her BACK is to the window! (I personally HATE having people sneak up on me and me not know that they are there and I HATE having my back to doors. And I do mean HATE.) I mean, I can’t pick my nose, look at e-mail, BLOG, just relax for a couple minutes or so NOTHING without another bitch looking over my shoulder and possibly judging what I am/am not doing !!!! AND….. I’ll be sitting with my BACK to my semi-circle-cubemate, so who KNOWS if she’s looking at my computer screen if I TRY to say, look at a blog, e-mail……etc…..UGHHHHHHH!!!!!

***SIDENOTE*** Now ya’ll probably are saying how you gon be concerned with BLOGGING & READING E-MAILS and yo ass ain’t even THERE yet and JUST got the job! Well, ya’l tell me (for those of you that have been used to doing it) if your blogging abilities were taken away or if there was suddenly someone looking at EVERY.THING you sent on e-mail that YOU wouldn’t be bothered! Well, that’s how I feel….. I was USED to having those flexibilities (which I viewed as part of keeping me SANE at work) and now they are seemingly gone. Some friends have said that “everybody ain’t working 100% of the time EITHER, so don’t worry….. you won’t be the only one doing “other” things at work”……. Yeah….. o.k….we’ll see.

You know how sometimes if you are having a rough day or just need to have a semi-private conversation a cube provides you with that 5 minutes of down-time to be semi-private, but here…… NOPE! I will see how that works…..cause I have my reservations to be honest. Flatly put….. I don’t like it and probably never will.

The GOOD thing is that the chick who will be my boss is a young (younger than me…..about 30 or so) black chick. I can honestly say that the BEST jobs that I have EVER had were working for the two black women that I worked for. They were EXTREMELY articulate, educated and professional, but BOTH were “real” and fair. This chick seems the same. She already said that her motto is "as long as you get the job done...I don't care.....". And even though she’s younger than me (which is iggin’ me a lil bit) and the fact that I feel like this job is a step DOWN in terms of responsibility and I feel like it might make it HARDER for me to move BACK into a manager’s role…… I am hoping it will be cool.

If nothing else, it IS a job and isn’t that what I needed?????? YUP!!! I just know that if I stay in this role (recruiter) that it WILL be harder and harder to get a managerial job in the future. I know it will. Kinda like if I went from being a manager to customer service for 3 years, they'd look at you like "well you have been outta the functional 'loop' so to speak" and might pass you by for a managerial role. So, I can't stay in this position for long...... I feel that I am handicapping my OWN career by doing so. ya know?? And being black in America is ENOUGH of a handicap that I do NOT need a position that I worked so HARD to get, to be negated by this downgrade. So, if I don’t see some promotional opp’s soon (like within a year), especially given my background….. I’mma be looking again. It’s kinda like going from being a sous chef to a dishwasher…….. so I gotta get back into management…..use it or lose it.

But thankfully I haven’t missed ANY money since I just stopped getting paid on 12/28 and I have gotten 2 weeks of unemployment already and I start on Tuesday. So, I thank GOD for the blessing and the opportunity (yeah, I know I have been all complaining, but I am STILL thankful). So, save the “you shouldn’t be complaining” commentary….. because I am thankful…VERY thankful in fact… but as in everything in life, with some good comes some bad……

I’m just happy to be back to working soon!

7 comments:

TDJ said...

Congrats on the job! It will definitely be an adjustment, but I'm sure you'll be fine.

Anonymous said...

HOORAY HOORAY HOORAY! I am SO happy for you. That was right on time huh? Funny how things work out. I was hoping that you were going to be focusing on the photography but all things come in time and happen as they should.

I know what you mean about the privacy thing. I am SO looking forward to finishing up my training so I don't have to worry about someone being over my shoulder EVERY minute. Not having privacy is a BIYA...! Congrats again and keep us updated.

Shai said...

Robyn, I have to admit I am slightly envious. Then I realize my lot in life is different than yours.

I have to say you never know what or why you got this position. It may lead you to contacts that can help your photography indirectly. You know someone who knows someone.

Or it may be a lesson in humility. Teaching you to be grateful to have a job. Or it could be a step back up to managerial status. Just another route to something you have always wanted.

Disco said...

@TDJ: Thanks girl!

@Goddess: Thank you! And yes not having privacy IS a BIYA! LOL I will update as often as possible! :-)

@Shai: It's hard for me to say don't be envious. So I won't,because I understand. I will say this: Maybe if you apply for administrative jobs (they are ALWAYS plentiful) OR simply another field (I was applying for Pharmaceutical Rep. jobs on Medzilla.com because those reps make some MU-LAH!). I am not sure if you have gotten outside of your functional comfort zone but I am assuming with 200+ resumes put out that you have. I would say that the temp agencies MIGHT be able to help especially since it;s the BEGINNING of the year and people will probably be looking for folks now. If I had not have gotten this, that was my next step...... try Kelly, Ajilon or Adecco (depending on what you are looking for). I will be praying for your success in 2007 as well. I am sure you will find something fairly quickly! If I can helo in anyway, let me know! CT's gotta stick together!

Anonymous said...

Newbie here! This is my first time here and I just wanted to say...CONGRATS ON THE JOB CHICA! And oh my goodness do you have a BEAUTIFUL family! I'll be back!

Smooches!

Single Ma said...

Congratulations! And mad luv to Diva on the connection.

Although it's a stepping stone, God saw fit to put you there, so there MUST be something new He wants you to learn. Directly (a new skillset) or indirectly (humbleness). Either way, you're right where you need to be. So yes girl, REJOICE!

But I wouldn't get too comfortable - one year seems way too long. Keep looking, tap into your network of professional friends, stay on the grind, and of course, PRAY ABOUT IT. Getting to know the new boss may not be a bad idea either. She can turn you on to the internal politics and connections. As a previous HR Mgr, you are her direct competition (lol), but if she's professional, grooming you should be a given.

Congrats again and good luck on your first day!

YouToldHarpoTaBeatMe said...

*looking up* Single Ma just took the words right out my mouf!

God put Diva in your path for a reason. And watch, you'll probably give the office something it was lacking.... with lil' or no effort, at that.

Congratulations!!