Monday, March 30, 2015

Finally

A photo of Broad Street in Altavista. I think I took this on a Sunday a couple of years ago. I was standing at the library looking down the street. English Park is in the distance, as is the Staunton River. To get to Town Hall, where I'll be working, you would turn left at that first traffic light in the photo.


I can finally share some news with you.

On Jan. 6, I applied for a job with the town of Altavista. It’s a part-time position as an economic development assistant that includes coordinating the Main Street Program.
Last Wednesday, I finally got a formal offer.

I will coordinate a nonprofit group that carries out the concepts of the VirginiaMain Street Program. I will also assist the town’s economic developer in meeting the needs of existing businesses and helping to bring new businesses in. The economic developer wants me to work specifically with younger, creative entrepreneurs.

I’m excited and nervous. I am looking forward to a new challenge, learning new things, getting training, and being in a position to serve and encourage others.
I will work fewer hours and far more regular hours than my current job with the paper, but I will make significantly more in salary.

So why am I nervous? Change is unsettling to all of us, and it tends to raise my anxiety level. I also have the new-job-worries: Will I be able to learn? Will I do a good job?

I’ve always managed in the past, and when I remember that, I have more confidence in my ability to do another job.

Another worry has been that I’m leaving a job where I (finally) was able to write for a living.
What I found was that while my writing improved and I learned to write faster, I wasn’t always writing what I wanted to—that just wasn’t my job. And writing all day/all week took a certain kind of energy out of me.
I am not leaving my writing behind. I am a writer at heart. I hope to actually start writing more of what speaks to me and I’m passionate about. And the new job will afford me the opportunity to use some of my other skills.

My last day with the paper will be April 8 and my first day on the new job will be April 13. It will be a busy time at the paper, trying to finish things up and leave information behind that will help my co-workers.

I wish I could say my worrying of the last three months is over. But I complicated things by applying for another job while I was waiting to hear about the town job. I’ve had two interviews and am waiting to hear about it. So I may be faced with another decision soon.

To choose between two good job opportunities is not easy for me. In true OCD fashion, I tend to want to find the “perfect” answer, make the “right” choice. Of course, we never know at the time of making a decision whether or not it is the right choice. And there is no perfect answer.
For now, I’m going to enjoy what I do have: an upcoming new job and a new adventure.



11 comments:

  1. oh, the last part about applying for another job, too... ugh! you are very capable and very dedicated to any task you give yourself. i'd be anxious, too, about change. but i'm truly hoping this will allow you a better quality of days for what you want to do!

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  2. change can be such a great thing!!! something we need and want but we didn't know it!! embrace it tina, i so admire this side of you. changing, learning, accepting the challenge, good for you!!!

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  3. Congratulations, Tina. Your nerves about "doing a good job" are pretty common ones, but I have great confidence you'll be outstanding at what you are doing. And having more regular hours will allow you the opportunity to do your kind of writing. I can relate to that. When I was working full time for the television station I was writing constantly but it was never what I wanted to write. You will find that you will because it's your passion or you won't because you discover other things you want to do more, but you will have your answer! Congratulations, my friend. I'm very happy for you!

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  4. Congrats! Very exciting news!

    I've been having a similar conversation with my stepdaughter about how change can raise our anxiety, even if it's something we really want. You're taking a brave, bold step by trying something new, because it really stirs up the dust of anxiety, but you're also taking this step with awareness of and compassion for your challenges. Brava!

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  5. Hooray! You have waited a long time for this. What exciting news. I hope you find it to be a place you will thrive. Congratulations!

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  6. Yay!! Congrats! They would have been crazy to NOT offer you the job! I know that because it is very obvious from your posts what an intelligent, competent, and responsible person you are. I know the idea of a second job offer makes it more complicated for your decision making - but try to see it for what it REALLY is: more confirmation that you are a highly skilled and desirable employee. Take confidence in that. You are not just randomly being offered positions because you are a nice person (even though you are!).

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  7. Congratulations! Change – even good change – can seem traumatic. But it's a brave person who steps out and embraces it instead of hiding in an uncomfortable familiar. :-)

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  8. Congratulations on your new job. It was a long wait and struggle.

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  9. Congrats on getting the job! Sounds reasonable to me--if you are working fewer hours then you may have more time for doing the writing that you want to do.

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  10. Congratulations, Tina! You are in demand for a reason...don't forget that! Try to enjoy the journey, and don't forget to tell us all about it :)!

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