Rising or Settling to the Challenge
I've discovered that I pretty much adapt to whatever job I'm undertaking. Let me explain.
I few months ago, I broke out some of my textbooks from when I was a Physics major in college. It turns out that I used to be a pretty smart guy! Now it all looks like greek. I tried to follow along and got nowhere. I saw where I had highlighted something or made notes in the margin. At the time, I knew all this stuff. Now, nothing. I think I know what people mean when they say, "He's FORGOTTEN more about this than we'll ever know." It's not the compliment I used to think it was.
Taking my current job, was a bit of a step down for me, both in pay and aptitude. I took it for several reasons:
1) I'd been laid off and was without work, and it was winter.
2) I'd be working for a guy that I'd worked for before that I knew that I really liked him, and he is brilliant.
3) The company is a small, family-owned and operated business; not corporate at all.
4) I have a very good chance of moving into a very important position in the company.
5) The job dealt with new (for me), very hi-tech design work that would give me good
experience.
Shortly after I started working there, I found myself sliding to a...let's say, less professional, less skilled level than I was working at before. I basically dumbed down to my job description.
Not too bad, mind you, but I felt it.
Recently, I've been promoted (Yay!). IMMEDIATELY afterwards, I found myself sharper. I was more confident in my decisions, I was multi-tasking better without forgetting details. I was on my "A" game, if you will.
I started thinking how I had done that on all my previous jobs. My first (real) one in Atlanta was a very small, screwed up company. I was thrown into a bunch of different job rolls that I had NO experience with. After a while, I was pretty good at just about every aspect of business AND the technical stuff.
At a later job, I was micromanaged to death. Not only was I afraid to make a decision, I forgot HOW to make decisions. I'd lost it.
Wierd, huh?
I few months ago, I broke out some of my textbooks from when I was a Physics major in college. It turns out that I used to be a pretty smart guy! Now it all looks like greek. I tried to follow along and got nowhere. I saw where I had highlighted something or made notes in the margin. At the time, I knew all this stuff. Now, nothing. I think I know what people mean when they say, "He's FORGOTTEN more about this than we'll ever know." It's not the compliment I used to think it was.
Taking my current job, was a bit of a step down for me, both in pay and aptitude. I took it for several reasons:
1) I'd been laid off and was without work, and it was winter.
2) I'd be working for a guy that I'd worked for before that I knew that I really liked him, and he is brilliant.
3) The company is a small, family-owned and operated business; not corporate at all.
4) I have a very good chance of moving into a very important position in the company.
5) The job dealt with new (for me), very hi-tech design work that would give me good
experience.
Shortly after I started working there, I found myself sliding to a...let's say, less professional, less skilled level than I was working at before. I basically dumbed down to my job description.
Not too bad, mind you, but I felt it.
Recently, I've been promoted (Yay!). IMMEDIATELY afterwards, I found myself sharper. I was more confident in my decisions, I was multi-tasking better without forgetting details. I was on my "A" game, if you will.
I started thinking how I had done that on all my previous jobs. My first (real) one in Atlanta was a very small, screwed up company. I was thrown into a bunch of different job rolls that I had NO experience with. After a while, I was pretty good at just about every aspect of business AND the technical stuff.
At a later job, I was micromanaged to death. Not only was I afraid to make a decision, I forgot HOW to make decisions. I'd lost it.
Wierd, huh?
posted by Exador at
3:16 PM
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