Guess what? I have another new job...
Friday night, we had Spencer's old roommate and her boyfriend over for dinner. We sat there catching up, when she asked me "how's your new job?! It's still pretty new right?" Spencer and I looked at each other and laughed.
As most of you recall (and by most of you, I mean the 7 of you who read this), I started at job at PRA International (now, PRA Health Sciences) back in March. I thought it was going to be a new direction in work. I was fully aware it was a step down in responsibility, but a step up in possibility.
Well, PRA Health Sciences has now become a public company (as of Thursday, actually) and the company has gone through exponential changes over the past 9 months. The HR department has done a complete 180. I had 4 bosses in my 9 months at PRA. The latest of which, though a very nice person, had no experience in management and unfortunately I was asked to just be patient as she learned.
The fact that I could never really get a stable working relationship with any manager, combined with the less responsibility of the job itself started to wear on me. I felt like my brain was turning to mush at work. My job was simply that, a job. There was nothing that was just "mine" there. I didn't get a say. The newest boss didn't seem to trust me or my peers and took away some of the perks of the job.
I spent a lot of nights coming home from work, pouring a glass (half a bottle) of wine, and crying to Spencer. This was particularly difficult because in August he started a job he was really excited about. This was just about the same time things really started unraveling in my job. I had a really hard time being happy for him. I would immediately turn the conversation to me. I was a really crappy person to live with.
Once I realized the unhappiness at work was seeping into my home life, I knew I needed to make a change.
After one particularly bad day at work, I woke up the next morning and told myself over and over "it's going to be a good day..." but no matter how much I tried to calm my nerves, I could not shake the feeling that it was absolutely not going to be a good day. I knew that if I went into the office that day, I'd say something I'd regret, or worse quit the job. I called into work and spent the day applying to jobs. I applied to literally every single thing I was qualified for. I applied to things I knew I wasn't qualified for. I applied to just about everything, hoping I could find a place where I wouldn't hate spending 45-50 hours of my week.
A few weeks later a recruiter contacted me from Quintiles, which is PRA's competitor. He asked me to come in and discuss an executive assistant role I had applied to. No, this wasn't my ideal role, but I was desperate. So I went. I sat down at his desk and he said, "you have a master's. You've been doing administrative work for 5 years. What are you doing applying for this job?" I just kind of stared at him thinking, "well, this is an unconventional interview question." He told me he had an opening in his department and that based on my experience with recruiting, he wanted me as a recruiter for him. I ended up spending the entire morning being shown around the office, and meeting with team members and the global director of recruiting. What I said I was looking for in a job and what he was looking for in an employee were perfectly aligned. It all seemed too good to be true.
It took about 6 weeks to get the position approved, but this past Friday, I was formally offered a position with Quintiles. I will be a corporate recruiter for them. This job is completely out of my comfort zone, and I know will be a huge change and challenge. I think I'm more than ready for that though. My vacation package is worse than PRA, my benefits are more expensive, and my commute is way longer. Despite those negatives, I still feel like this is the route I should be taking.
I'm grateful for my time at PRA, because I got to work with one of my best friends. I also know I never would have been noticed by Quintiles if PRA were not on my resume. I learned to push myself and to stand up for myself. I learned that I'm ready for more of a challenge. I have no doubt I am going to get that in my new position.
Here's hoping this leap is better than the last!
As most of you recall (and by most of you, I mean the 7 of you who read this), I started at job at PRA International (now, PRA Health Sciences) back in March. I thought it was going to be a new direction in work. I was fully aware it was a step down in responsibility, but a step up in possibility.
Well, PRA Health Sciences has now become a public company (as of Thursday, actually) and the company has gone through exponential changes over the past 9 months. The HR department has done a complete 180. I had 4 bosses in my 9 months at PRA. The latest of which, though a very nice person, had no experience in management and unfortunately I was asked to just be patient as she learned.
The fact that I could never really get a stable working relationship with any manager, combined with the less responsibility of the job itself started to wear on me. I felt like my brain was turning to mush at work. My job was simply that, a job. There was nothing that was just "mine" there. I didn't get a say. The newest boss didn't seem to trust me or my peers and took away some of the perks of the job.
I spent a lot of nights coming home from work, pouring a glass (half a bottle) of wine, and crying to Spencer. This was particularly difficult because in August he started a job he was really excited about. This was just about the same time things really started unraveling in my job. I had a really hard time being happy for him. I would immediately turn the conversation to me. I was a really crappy person to live with.
Once I realized the unhappiness at work was seeping into my home life, I knew I needed to make a change.
After one particularly bad day at work, I woke up the next morning and told myself over and over "it's going to be a good day..." but no matter how much I tried to calm my nerves, I could not shake the feeling that it was absolutely not going to be a good day. I knew that if I went into the office that day, I'd say something I'd regret, or worse quit the job. I called into work and spent the day applying to jobs. I applied to literally every single thing I was qualified for. I applied to things I knew I wasn't qualified for. I applied to just about everything, hoping I could find a place where I wouldn't hate spending 45-50 hours of my week.
A few weeks later a recruiter contacted me from Quintiles, which is PRA's competitor. He asked me to come in and discuss an executive assistant role I had applied to. No, this wasn't my ideal role, but I was desperate. So I went. I sat down at his desk and he said, "you have a master's. You've been doing administrative work for 5 years. What are you doing applying for this job?" I just kind of stared at him thinking, "well, this is an unconventional interview question." He told me he had an opening in his department and that based on my experience with recruiting, he wanted me as a recruiter for him. I ended up spending the entire morning being shown around the office, and meeting with team members and the global director of recruiting. What I said I was looking for in a job and what he was looking for in an employee were perfectly aligned. It all seemed too good to be true.
It took about 6 weeks to get the position approved, but this past Friday, I was formally offered a position with Quintiles. I will be a corporate recruiter for them. This job is completely out of my comfort zone, and I know will be a huge change and challenge. I think I'm more than ready for that though. My vacation package is worse than PRA, my benefits are more expensive, and my commute is way longer. Despite those negatives, I still feel like this is the route I should be taking.
I'm grateful for my time at PRA, because I got to work with one of my best friends. I also know I never would have been noticed by Quintiles if PRA were not on my resume. I learned to push myself and to stand up for myself. I learned that I'm ready for more of a challenge. I have no doubt I am going to get that in my new position.
Here's hoping this leap is better than the last!
B.Y.E.!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing! I know many people that work there and they all love it. Congratulation!!!
PS - I always read your blog!
I am so glad that that pieces FINALLY fit together! Yay for a new job! <3
ReplyDelete