The Promotion

I'll be the first to admit, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I didn't hate my job, but I was to the point where I couldn't grow in it anymore. I was bored, and I felt like I could do so much more at the college.

I had applied for several promotions (most of them in Student Services) and I never made it far. I would sometimes get an interview, other times I wouldn't, but the phone call from HR was always the same. Every time it happened, I became more and more discouraged. I had even started interviewing outside the college. I didn't really want to leave, but I was running out of options.

Then one day my boss told me that one of the people at Lawrence had taken a job in a another department. She mentioned that we would probably need to got out there (probably rotating) to help Carolyn. They had just hired a new part timer, but with Taranae leaving that left Carolyn to train the part timer and run the lab.

A few days later, her (my boss's) boss came in and told me that after my vacation, I would be reporting to Lawrence. I would be out there until they filled the position. I was more than welcome to apply for it, but as always there were no guarantees. Due to some odd circumstances, the job at Lawrence was a grade up from the job I had downtown. Plus, it was a guaranteed 5 day a week position (except for midterms and finals), where I was working 6 days a week on a regular basis downtown.

After a fun filled week in Vegas, I reported to Lawrence. I liked it out there. I was good with the students. I quickly adapted to the changes. Really, I didn't want to go back to the downtown campus. I applied for the job and hoped for the best.

On the first round of interviews, I was a nervous wreck. I interviewed well, but then I would see the other candidates and second guess myself. I'm not sure *why* I thought I wasn't good enough for the job. I mean I was already doing it and doing it well. Still, I am a stupid girl with self esteem issues, so I worried non stop until I got the call for the second interview. The way HR explained it to me I would be interviewed by: My boss (Rhonda well my new boss/the hiring manager), her boss (Rod) and his boss (Dr. Lee).

Okay, I could do that. I knew my boss and Dr. Lee well enough to read them. Rod was newer to the college, and I really didn't know him.

The day of the second interview came, and of course per my luck: everything went wrong. I managed to put holes in 2 pairs of thigh highs before I left the apartment. One of the birds was molting, so I kept finding feathers everywhere. I bought another pair of thigh highs on my way to the downtown campus. Tried putting them on when I arrived, put a hole in those. As I was walking down the hall to the interview, (and as my boss told me that Rod was all about professionalism) I realized I was still wearing my Hello Kitty watch. Rhonda laughed as I quickly removed the watch as shoved it in my purse...my Halloween purse (it was October and is a Demonia bag with a bat on it).

Rhonda walked into Rod's office, introduced me, and left. I was horrified. It was just the two of us, and I had no idea what he was thinking. I answered all his questions honestly and as concisely as I could, and then left his office certain I was facing another disappointment.

I returned to the Lawrence Campus (after stopping at Arby's for a jamocha shake to "make me feel better"), and went back to work. Around 3:00, the phone rang. I could see it was HR. Wow, I was getting the I'm sorry phone call already? I prepared myself to hear that they had chosen the other candidate and that I would be training them before returning to the downtown campus.  I picked up and to my surprise, this time it was good news. They wanted to promote me...and it would be effective the end of the week. I was ecstatic. Finally, someone was giving me a chance.

What I didn't know is that they had pretty much already picked me. I just had to make it through the interview with Rod. They signed my paperwork right after I left. It was probably in HR before I cleared the building. I had nothing to worry about.

It turns out, the job was a great fit. I'm still at Lawrence, and I've actually been promoted once since then. I fell into education on accident. I needed to pay my bills, and they were willing to give me a job. Now it seems I have found something I do rather well.