Tuesday was my last day at a company where I had spent 16 years. I know. Unheard of these days. I worked there for six years, took a three year hiatus (freelancing), and then returned. I had worked there ten years before deciding to resign. My team (above) made my last week memorable by bringing treats in each day, hanging streamers in my office, taking me to lunch and basically--just being their typical awesome. Building this team over the last couple of years was truly satisfying. Through a combination of intuition and luck, we found the perfect mix of personalities and talent. They were not just colleagues but real friends who will be missed.
One reason I stayed so long was because I liked working for my (female) boss. She understood how important flexibility is for working people (not just women). When I came back the second time, I negotiated for a flex-schedule and for the last ten years have worked 30-40 hours over 3-4 days a week. Plus, I had awesome health and vacation benefits and when you are starting a family that stuff makes a huge difference. It goes without saying that I believe more companies should offer real flex-time options and those who don't are missing out on a lot of great talent.
I am moving on to a job where I will be able to work from home more. It too will have a flexible schedule and I'll be able to pick my kid up from school and spend more time with her. That is a priority for me. I'm excited about learning a new industry and working with another super cool female boss, Dawn Griffin. She was the realtor who sold our last house and I know I'm going to learn boatloads plus bring a lot to the team. I'm nuts about houses and still look at real estate online all the time, even though we have no intention of moving. So, it's a match. I'm ready.
A lot of changes ahead. Looking forward to having more time for exercise and more time for writing. See you here more, I hope.