Note to self

Memorandum: Characteristics of the Best Jobs

To: The next few months

Through: 20 years of working

From: Me

Last week I resigned from my contract job in anticipation of starting my federal job in a couple of weeks time.  If you've been following along and are particularly good at math, you'll know that I'll be starting over a year since I interviewed for the position.  It's been--to put it mildly--a long, hard slog to get this job.  For various and sundry reasons, I was rejected three times and it will have taken three months from the date of the preliminary offer to approve my salary and finalize the start date.  Ah, bureaucracy.

Halfway through the process, I told my prospective boss that if it wasn't such a perfect job for me, I'd politely decline to apply again.  But, fortunately or unfortunately, it's an exciting job, back in my chosen career, a leadership position and, frankly, my new boss has proven himself not only the most patient person in the world (which he may very well need working with me!), but also an honest, stand up guy.  And that buys a lot in my world.

When I wrote about my resignation on Facebook, I said it had been one of the best jobs I've ever had.  Mark suggested that I write down what made my current position so suited to me so I know what to seek out and value and cultivate as I begin this new adventure.  As I thought about it, I recognized characteristics that have been found in other jobs, other colleagues and other supervisors I've enjoyed over the past 20 years

Here goes:

1. A boss who allows me to perform at my best and trusts me to be the expert in my field.
2. A boss who serves as a sounding board and wise counsel when I need it and who will act as a buffer from stupidity that rolls downhill.
3. Colleagues who like to laugh - a lot.
4. Colleagues I can trust.
5. Young staff or mentees who can benefit from my wisdom and experience (OK, so maybe not the wisdom) as I have benefited from my very wise mentors over the years.
6. Diversity - particularly of nationality (not that there was any of that in my latest few jobs, but it's one of the things I miss dreadfully from higher ed).
7. Bustle and noise and conversation.
8. Busy-ness and deadlines and the occasional fire drill
9. Smart leadership who recognize the benefit of measuring success, performance management and simple solutions.
10. Believing in the work product.

Good luck me!