A Rollercoaster of Emotions

I have so many emotions running through me right now, shock, happiness, nervousness and sadness. Yesterday afternoon I accepted a job offer. You may remember that I went for an interview for a job back in early December. I didn’t hear anything for weeks after the interview so I had assumed they picked another candidate. Even when I applied for the job I knew I wouldn’t get it, even though I qualified for it. I thought for sure they would hire someone from within their department. Imagine my surprise on December 22nd when I received a phone call to come in for a second interview for the position on December 23rd. The second interview went well, a lot better than the first in my opinion. Then on Christmas Eve I received a phone call at home offering me the job, I accepted, but I was told I would have to go through an extensive background check before I was hired.

The background check was very extensive. I had to have an employment, criminal and credit background check ran. I also had to go through a phone interview with an Internal Affairs officer from the State Police. The interview was the most stressful half hour of my life ever. The Internal Affairs Officer asked about previous employment, my family life and of course my personal life. He asked me numerous times if had ever experimented with drugs, and when I told him no, he laughed at me. He said “Come on Ms. A, you are telling me you went to college and you never even tried marijuana.” I told him “No sir, I didn’t.” I can’t help I was a goody two shoes; I feared the one time I smoked marijuana, I would get caught and with my dad being a police officer I knew my punishment would be horrible. Don’t think I didn’t do my fair share of partying though, I just drank, no drugs for me.

The job is still within the Accounting field and still within the organization that both Daniel and I work for, but I will be dealing more with the budget side of things then what I do now. I will also be in a supervisor position which is something I am excited about. I am excited to have a team under me and I hope that all of the employees will be happy with me coming in. There is a downside to the job, the schedule, because where I will be working is a 24 hour facility they need coverage 24/7. So since I am the new person I get stuck with the schedule that no one else wanted. My schedule will be Friday through Tuesday from 2 pm until 10 pm. Yes, it’s horrible! I actually considered not accepting the job based on the schedule, but I needed to do what was best for my family and because of the very significant pay raise I accepted it.

The schedule has its advantages and disadvantages. I try to look at the positive in everything. The advantages I can find are I will be able to spend more time with Ci during the day. Since she typically wakes up around 6:30, we’ll be able to spend from 6:30 until 1 together. Instead of just three hours at night like we do now from 5 until 8. When I have off Wednesday and Thursday off, I’ll be able to go to park with my friends and their kids. I’ll be able to schedule my doctor’s appointments and Cecilia’s for those days too that way I won’t have to take any sick time for work for appointments anymore. I also think not having to go in until 2 will give me more time to get things done around the house and still have time to work out.

Another advantage is the pay, like I said before it is a very significant pay raise and it will be wonderful for our family. We’ll also save by not having to take Cecilia to daycare anymore, since I won’t go in until 2 and Daniel gets off at and has Fridays off, we’ll only need day care Mondays and Tuesdays from 1:30 until 5. Luckily with our family between Daniel’s mom, his sister and my grandparents we won’t have to pay for daycare. That alone will save us almost $1000 a month!

The disadvantages are obvious; I’ll have to work weekends. I will miss out on so many things such as birthday parties, family picnics, family dinners, football games (mainly the Super Bowl since I start on February 1st) and most of all I will miss my weekend nights with Daniel. There won’t be any Saturday night date nights or going on day trips on a Saturday or Sunday, since I have to be at work by 2:00. I’ll still get most holidays off so occasionally I’ll have a day off here and there I’ll spend with Daniel and Ci. I am going to miss giving Cecilia her bath at night and reading her a story, which is one of my favorite parts of my day.

It was hard for me to give my two week notice to my boss, she knew that I was offered the job on Christmas Eve, but I don’t think she was quite prepared for me to leave quite yet. I have been in my current position for four years and for the most part I have loved almost every minute of those four years. I work with a great group of people and most of us work well as a team. I wish I could move up within my department, but unfortunately at this time that isn’t possible due to no vacancies.

My last day at my current job technically is January 29th, but because I will be on vacation that week my last day will actually be on the 22nd, which means I only have a little over a week left here. I am sad; I am going to miss everyone I work with. I have made some life-long friends in the four years I have been workinghere. I hate change; I worry that everyone at the new job will hate me. I worry that I won’t like the work. I know those are irrational fears, but I think most people go through them when starting a new job. One advantge is it will make for some interesting blog entries.