Friday, September 19, 2014

Never, Ever

I will never be able to figure out Blogger's formatting.

So Good!

I am really loving my new job. The people are all super nice to me, and everyone is really helpful when I'm learning how to do things, and the work is varied and interesting every day.

The first few days were extremely overwhelming. There were all kinds of orientations and paperwork coming out of my ears. Then I had to read a ton of procedures and get trained on the proper way of doing things in the lab. There have been a couple of times where I've been thrown in the deep end with nothing but a vague set of instructions, but then the training kicked in and I totally owned it. This job makes me feel so good about myself and my abilities. I feel like I'm contributing to something amazing in a real way.

I was really worried about having to learn new things. I had become extremely good at what I was doing at my old job, but it was getting me nowhere, career-wise. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to pick up new things, that it would be too hard. But, it seems like I had nothing to worry about. I'm learning something new every day and every day is a new adventure.

The commute is one of the only things that isn't a step up from my old job. It's a 40 minute drive (my old job was 20 minutes away). The other thing is the hours. I had been working a 7:30 to 3:30 which I absolutely loved, and now I'm on a 9-5. I'm getting used to it, but it's sorta disappointing when I look at the clock and it's 3:30 and I think I can go home but NO, I have to stay another hour and a half.

I think as I learn to do more tests and become more independent and less needy I'll be able to fill my time better so I'll always be busy and the time will go by much more quickly. I hate being bored, like I was for part of today. I ended up doing menial tasks like washing dishes and filing paperwork so I wouldn't be sitting around doing nothing. I talked a bit with my boss the other day and he really wants me to be doing more important tasks, since I was hired as a Senior Analyst (that makes me sound old!), but personally I feel like nobody is above cleaning up after themselves and I am determined not to leave messes for others to clean up.

My immediate supervisor is so sweet and understanding. I think we're going to end up friends. But my manager is a little scary. He's British. Have you ever met a Brit? I think I didn't realize how friendly Americans are until I met a few Brits (and RB is a British company, so there are quite a few even here in Salt Lake). It's not like he's a jerk or anything. Actually, he's a very likeable guy. He's just very serious about what we do and would probably be very stern if he felt he needed to. Anyway, I never ever want to end up on his bad side so I'm trying super hard not to screw up! So far I haven't made any mistakes.

The benefits at my new job are amazing, too. By moving I got a substantial base salary raise, plus potential for higher bonuses than at my old job. The 401 K is awesome: my old company matched 4%, and this one matches 6% and also contributes an automatic 4% on top of that whether you're contributing or not! I did the math and I'll be getting almost twice as much into my 401K per year as I was before. AMAZING. Also, the health insurance is better and less expensive for me.

Really, it was about time I made a big, positive change in my life and this is looking to be the best decision I've made for myself in a very long time.

Bigger, better things.

Friday, September 12, 2014

New Things Are Terrifying

I've wanted to write about my new job situation all week, but I wanted to wait a week so that I could see how I felt. After the first two days, I was overwhelmed and feared I may have made a huge mistake, but now that I have worked for a week there I feel much, much better.

I'd been toying with the idea of a new job for quite a while, but since I was already employed and wasn't desperate for any job, I had the luxury of waiting until something perfect rolled around. What I have isn't perfect, but it's just what I need right now.

I won't reveal where I work so openly on the internet, but I'll tell you a few things about the company that I really like.

It's a much larger company than the one I came from; global, in fact. And I find it amazing that I'm working with products that I've used before with confidence. Actually, they're products that every person I've ever known uses all the time. How cool is that?!

The lab is much larger than the one I came from, with much more equipment and more employees.

Some things are done the same as at my old lab, since both labs are regulated by a lot of the same laws and agencies. There are, of course, adjustments.

I was terrified for the first few days...terrified that I had made a horrible, horrible mistake. I felt like I was in over my head. But, after a few days of learning new things, I feel like I made a good decision. This is going to be so good for me and my career. I feel like here, I will have the opportunity to become a better, more well-rounded chemist, to become more experienced, and to stretch and spread my wings so that someday I might fly.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

This Is Actually A Big Deal

It seems as if everything has changed in the last year. And now I'm about to make another huge change.

I've been with my company for six years. It's been a wild ride. I've gained invaluable experience and met some great people and formed some friendships that I think will last a lifetime.

But it's time to move on.

I don't want to be too specific, because getting fired from my new job for being too descriptive on the blog would be absolutely awful. But let me just say this: tomorrow is my last day here. Monday I start somewhere new. And I'm terrified.

You all know me. I'm a worrier. A lot of the things I worry about are stupid and inconsequential, but there are other things that are real. Really real.

Things I'm worried about:

1. What if they don't like me? (I've never not gotten along with someone at work. I shouldn't worry.)
2. What if the work is too hard? (I'm competent, educated, and hard-working. I shouldn't worry.)
3. What if there's too much stress? (Every time something stressful has happened to me, I've risen to the occasion. See blog entries for the last six years as evidence. I shouldn't worry.)
4. Okay, that's really it.

So I guess I'm not worrying as badly as I usually do. Actually, I feel pretty peaceful about my decision. Don't get me wrong; this is a BIG FRIGGIN DEAL. But I can handle it. I'm a strong one.