By the time that I post this to my blog, I will be happy to announce that I have accepted the National Events Manager position for the CraftWorks Foundation. However, I am writing this now on the eve of going to work and having to carry out the task of putting my notice in at a job that I have loved 99.5% of the time.
I wasn't looking for a new job. However, the National Events Manager position fell into my lap and was such an amazing match for my diverse background of hospitality, event planning, and non profit experiences. Even better- I had a good friend with enough clout in the company that was more than willing speak on my behalf to the Director of Recruitment.
I struggled when considering if I really wanted to apply for the job. As I said, I was happy with my job at CSRC and the idea of leaving the clinic when I had ideas to still implement and tackle seemed preposterous. In the end, I came to realize that I had been praying to God for an opportunity like this last summer when I was unemployed. I found myself a bit humbled by my selfish thoughts, understanding that I couldn't pass this opportunity up just because it hadn't been delivered in my desired time frame. My prayer had not been forgotten, just delayed (as it feels to me right now) and unexpectedly answered. If ignored, I would be unappreciative of something that I had asked for. I decided to throw my name into the mix just to see.
I wasn't surprised when I got a phone interview. I was surprised at myself in that I did so well in the phone interview. I had terrible problems with phone interviews last summer so part of me had an expectation that this interview would be the same. Before the interview, I took pride in knowing I had gotten myself this far and was relaxed with the notion that my ride would end once I pushed the square black button on my phone to end the call. Nothing was lost as I still had a great job to go back to.
But by the end of this phone interview, the Director of Recruitment was asking for an in-person interview and giving nuggets of self esteem boosters that made me aware that I was a, if not the, top candidate that they were looking at. Nuggets like that I was the only person out of 200 qualified applicant resumes that had restaurant, event planning, and non-profit experience (the trifecta of the position's skills). That her only worry about me was my potential commute (45 minutes from Fort Collins to Louisville where the position is based). That she thought that even with this initial, short interview that I had a great understanding of what the position would ask of me and that made her feel like it was a great fit.
Part of me was elated, the other part began to worry itself. I met my husband and a friend at the bar afterwards for a happy hour and shared the good news of the offer of a second interview. Kendall looked at me and asked, "You're excited about this right?" I hesitated too long. "Katy- you have to be excited about this." he repeated.
Over the next beer, I rambled on about how I didn't know if I was ready to leave CSRC. When I stopped talking between sips, our friend Carson nodded. "I get it," he told me. "You know this new job is the right thing to do. You're just afraid of the break up."
Ding, ding, ding. Carson gets the prize for nailing it right on the head.
Before I went to my in-person interview, I did tell my executive director. I felt like it was the right thing to do, so that she would have a bit of a heads up. I still very nervous about telling her. I had been fired a year ago for approaching my GM about applying for a different position in the same company. Her take on my request for permission and the words that I used when asking for her permission was that I didn't appreciate my current position and she could find someone who did. To say that I had been burned by trying to do the right, polite thing is an understatement- I felt torched and left for dead.
Elise was not Trish. When I told her about the position and opportunity to interview, she told me that she completely understood and that they would be stupid not to hire me. We talked for 20 minutes about it and she said everything that I would have expected a supportive friend to say, not a boss. The day of the interview, she wished me luck before I left. The day after the interview, she asked me how it went. As the days carried on and I didn't hear back, she let me be and we continued working. She didn't let anything change, didn't take offense, still was appreciative.
I thought that I hadn't got the job. I was convinced that I didn't get the job. But I did. I got my offer last Friday. And, although part of me would have loved it if there was something glaringly wrong with the offer so that I had to tell them no, there isn't. It's too good of a job to pass on and so I will begin a new journey in a few short weeks.
I am excited, I really am. I feel like this is my chance to break out, to do something bigger than what I've done with the past six years of my life post college. I will be organizing community outreach programs that focus on hunger and homeless issues, fundraisers, and holiday events. It's so rare to find a corporate job that has a nonprofit focus. I landed what feels like the PERFECT job for me. More about the foundation below:
CraftWorks Foundation Website
I don't think I would have gotten the job if I hadn't had Elise's blessing and support. She gave me the strength and confidence that I had lacked in interviews last summer. It's because of her leadership and guidance that I feel confident and ready for this position, and why leaving such a great work environment is so hard.
I'm finding myself reminding myself, it's not personal- it's just business. Even if it feels like it is personal. Even if it feels like a break up.
So tonight, even as I am repeating the above mantra over and over, my heart is heavy. It is the night before a break up. It sucks just as much as it did in high school, knowing that I am having to give reassurances that even though it didn't work out between us, I plan on us still remaining friends. That I want to stay involved with the organization and that has to happen, we have to make that happen, because CSRC has meant too much to me the past 9 months to just walk away.
I just hope it doesn't sound fake or rehearsed this time around, because this time I really do mean it.
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