The Corporate World

I don't even know how to begin this post or where my thoughts will lead me, but I have now had 24 hours to have this all soak in. I was informed on Friday that my position can no longer be home-based. Do to security reasons they feel that this position needs to be in-house. They wanted me to move back to Washington. That was out of the question. I have 30 days to be fully terminated of the date they notify me. So I have to be done by Sept. 22nd. I also will receive 13 weeks of severance pay, and help getting my resume ready and help me search for jobs. At first I was shocked, overwhelmed, and the tears just started to flow.

I have been at this job for 6 1/2 years and it's all I know. I have been doing this ever since I've been back to ND. It's worked for this long what's the big deal? I was really over whelmed and shocked when they informed me on Friday. It's been a crazy few months at work really, and I had been contemplating at looking for jobs else where. But, the pay always kept me there. I wasn't happy these past few months and didn't really enjoy what I was doing any more. I felt like I was getting burnt out. When I started with this company we were just Applied Discovery. I think I was the 25th employee hired or something like that, a low number any way. It was a small company and it was fun and I enjoyed going to work. Not only fun, but it challenged me to work hard. Work hard and you get rewarded. I started out as a receptionist through a temp agency when I first moved to Seattle (Jan. 2002). I worked through this temp agency up until May 27th (my dad's birthday) when I was hired by the company as the Office Coordinator. I held this position and assisted HR, Marketing, and the Accounting Dept. This led me to being hired within the Accounting Dept in March 2004. Which is where I have been ever since. Right before I started working in Accounting we were bought out by a company called LexisNexis. Which is a huge world-wide company! Things haven't ever really been the same since then. Things got so corporate and political. But, I loved who I worked with and I loved what I was doing. I just rolled with the punches. There were just us four girls in my dept. My office mate, Jenelle, her and I would always have 80's music blasting and when I moved to ND she said it wasn't the same listening to the music. I missed seeing the "girls" when I started working from home. It's been almost a year since I've been to Seattle. I went last Sept for a week and it was so fun to just be back. Although I still felt a little out of place. After you are gone for so long and come back I felt like the new employee. My manager's position was eliminated this past month. She had been on maternity leave since March. In that mean time of her being on leave since March I have had two bosses. Which neither were communicated to me that her position was being eliminated or that I was to be reporting to someone else. When I had my meeting on Friday, they had to ask if I was in North or South Dakota? Boy, did I feel a little out of touch!

When my grandpa past away they called me in a frantic as I was walking out the door to his funeral, because they didn't know how to do a credit memo or ask anyone else if they knew how. I thought to myself it really hasn't gotten that bad has it? I don't think I will be having to train anyone on my responsibilities because this is going to be such a quick transition. I don't think they really thought this through, but who am I to say? I have been doing this position for so long there are little things that I do day in and day out that I haven't written down. When my Grandpa passed away it was almost during month end, and I thought to my self that what if something would happen to where I would need to be gone during month end. It would be nice to just email something to someone a spreadsheet of everything that needed to be completed. I started working on this last month (another sign - see below).

It's hard to change when you get in such a routine. But, now that I have had 24 hours for this all to soak in I am looking for the positive in it all. I need to I guess. I have been with this company since I've graduated college. It's been my only job out of college. The people I once use to work with are no longer there or have moved else where within the company. The one's I enjoyed going to work with and enjoyed being part of their team. I always was thinking back in my mind when will my time be up. Will it be my decision or will it be theirs? Six and half years maybe it's time to move on and start a new adventure. Maybe give up Accounting and try Human Resources? I am a big believer in signs and it is just weird that I hadn't opened up or revised my resume since 2004 (when I updated it for the Accounts Receivable position), but I opened it up a few weeks ago. It still had my old Everett, WA address and phone number. It still had "Miranda Robinson" as my name. My Dad has wanted my sister and I to always think of some business we wanted to run and he would invest in us. My sisters last day was Friday and has now started her maternity leave. Coincidence that we are both on leave? Maybe this is a good time to think what we would like to do. Do some research and maybe start putting together a business plan? I told her on Friday that we both are on leave, but that she has the baby! :-)

I don't know what the rest of the year or years bring for me, but I do have to be thankful for my family and friends. Who are always supportive and encouraging. Within this company I have made some life long friends. Who gave me an opportunity and work experience for what I will be able to use for what ever comes next. They are very special people to me (you know who you two are!) They believed in me and supported me when I new very little in this field. They taught me such valuable lessons that I will forever carry for the rest of my life. By know means am I an expert in what I do, but I do feel more comfortable, confident, and valuable then I did six years and half years ago. Thank you for that!

We will see what Monday brings for me. I was informed at about 2:00pm on Friday and I took the rest of the day off. They said we would re-group on Monday. For now it's "business as usual" is what they said. Not sure how I can continue as "business as usual" knowing what I know or I guess not knowing what I know. But, I am a little excited for a change. Although most of the times its hard and uncomfortable it is sometimes for the best. So we'll see where the next few months take me.

Hope all is well with everyone else!
~Miranda