So much has happened!

Holy shit, has this been a crazy ass week! In one week I got hired permanently at my temp job (YAYYYY!!!), and then just 2 days later my boss left the company. WTF??????? I still don't know what happened, and I think I'd rather not know. But the good news is that I still have a job (YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!) and it might just be better than the one I signed up for.

I started at this company 3 months ago as a temp-to-hire Executive Assistant for a high up executive that was always globe trotting. He was in the office 1, maybe 2, weeks out of each month. Most of my job consisted of arranging his travel and schedule. When he was actually in the office I was really busy. Sometimes a little crazy busy, but better to be busy than bored. Which is what I experienced the other 2 - 3 weeks per month. Pretty much nothing to do for hours and hours sounds like a brilliant thing, but it makes the day go by sooooooo slowly, even if you are reading an amazing book. (Which I am at this time --- "I Am Legend" --- never seen the movie, and the book is FANTASTIC, so check it out)

Then by crazy random happenstance, a corporate lawyer named Joe ran into my boss in the break room one day and mentioned that he needed some Administrative support because his Admin had just resigned. My boss volunteered me, as he knew I had plenty of time on my hands. So I've been assisting Joe here and there over the past 2 months and we get along great. He hires 2 more people (a paralegal and another lawyer) and mentions to me that he is looking to hire a full-time Admin. to support the 3 of them. I give him my friend's name, as I know she's looking for a change, though I know she's also possibly looking to move back to her home state. In the meantime, I help him with his 2 new hires, getting them set up with office supplies and stuff, and they are really cool and friendly.

Fast forward 3 weeks to now. I am hired full time on Monday, and I go through my first ever real salary negotiation. I've never experienced this before, as in the past my salary was not really up for negotiation -- it was "this is what the budget can afford, and what the position warrants, so this is what you're getting." It was really cool and grown-up to be able to go back and forth at the bargaining table with my boss. He was very respectful of my requests and took me seriously. I ended up with a salary that I am really proud of. I'm excited to start earning it and building my financial future, and our house fund! Finally, Jesus. These past 6 months since I left the hotel have been just sucking all our cash away, and I am so excited to start paying down debt again, instead of building more up!!! :-)

So 2 days later I get a call from HR. More specifically, the HR Rep for my boss, who is located in the UK. He tells me that my boss will not be working for the company any more. But don't worry -- I still have a job. He explains that Joe really wants me to work for his Legal team. But if I'm not comfortable with that, they will work to find a department that I like. So the whole time I'm on the phone, I don't know if I should cry or pass out from shock. I then realize this is a golden opportunity to work for a department that will challenge me, giving me a more consistent and interesting workflow, as well as the chance to work with people that I have a great rapport with already. I tell the HR guy that yes, I would love to work for Joe and his Legal team.

I was still shocked for the next 48 hours. I couldn't tell anyone at work about my boss until it was officially announced the next day. That was a bitch, as many people were calling me, asking me where he was and why didn't he show up to certain meetings, where was his report to include with such and such packet for the CEO, etc. I was so relieved once they actually made the announcement, so I didn't have to pretend everything was ok anymore. It was really nice to see so many people come up to me and ask how I was doing. I explained that I wasn't going anywhere and they were relieved. I also got to meet with the very top HR person for the entire global company. She asked to meet personally with me to make sure I was alright and assure me that she met with my boss and he is doing fine --- that he was actually very worried about me! I don't know if he felt it coming or what, but it's just a little too coincidental that he pushed to get me hired quickly on Monday, only to be gone on Wednesday. Whatever the case, I am very grateful for what he did --- if I hadn't been hired before his departure, I could very well have been back to square one as a temp again.

The last 2 days consisted of packing his things, cleaning out all my files regarding work for him, and getting ready to move down to another wing of the building. That's another thing I'm excited about --- the legal dept. is in a great part of the building, with lots of windows and great sun exposure. I'm so excited to sit next to a window again, and I might even have 2 windows!!! There is so much more space there and I think the stark contrast from what I've been sitting in up until now (small, cramped cubicle in a dark corner with no windows and a really narrow aisle) will make a HUGE difference. And their new color copier is just 2 steps from my desk --- quite a difference from having to walk literally a 1/2 city block to the copier I've been using!!!

So in the end I am still very sad for my old boss, but at the same time this is a whole new adventure for me. I'm excited to see what happens next!