Promotion Premonition?

After observing Jessica write a blog entry when waiting in an airport, I decided I could drain my battery doing the same thing. After all, there's only so much that you can get out of a free USA Today while traveling, right?

I am sitting in Reagan National Airport (Washington DC) waiting for my flight. It will total 4 1/2 hours if the flight leaves on time. I don't mind waiting so much because I usually bring along something that I can do off-line, but today is different. Here's why:

I have just finished interviewing for a job. That's right, after 19 years at the same company, I've decided to seek a consulting position at a company here in Arilington. These people are leaders in Lean / Six Sigma process management - consulting with companies all over the globe as well as the federal government. The interesting thing for me is that it is EXACTLY the kind of work that I love!

Following the slow work week of July 4th, I changed my resume on Monster-dot-com because I had just been certified as a Lean Master. This lead to a flurry of activity. If you ever aspire to be a financial analyst - just post something on Monster... according to the recruiters, you can make a thousand dollars a day using someone else's money with no training while working from home part-time! I'd investigate the opportunity, but then again I'd have to become a financial analyst so I've decided to stay poor an over qualified. Anyway, one of the responses was a call from George Group.

That initial call lead to a more detailed call the next week which lead to a technical call the following week and has culminated on this flight to Arlington for face-to-face interviews today. In the week before this trip, I have been studying this company and their publications. After last weekend, my brain officially topped-out and I've had to scale back, rely upon God and the talents He has given me because more learning is not possible.

Therefore, I intentionally left all of my (heavy) study books at home and only brought my notes and summary pages. Now that the interview is over and the USA Today has been read, there's not much else to do but blog - hence this entry.

It's an intriguing possibility to assume a consultant's role. If I end up in airports like this, I might actually read more and blog more just to pass the time. So if I translate that thought, it might say: "If I get busier, I might have more time." In the words of Johnny Depp, "It's a funny ol' world, in't it?"

I have been strangely quiescent during this time. Ordinarily, I would be nervous and stressed out, trying too hard to make a good impression. During this period of time, I have updated my resume with a much more professional version and changed my online profile. I've written down a lot of history, quantified accomplishments and tuned the words of my public personna to more accurately and succinctly reflect my career and personality.

I arrived with this updated information as well as examples of my work and a CD of presentations and articles that I have created. None of it was used, the interviewers all used my old, unpolished, verbose resume and seemed to be just fine with that. Clearly I am in Virginia due to efforts not of my own making. Clearly God is guiding me!

Does this mean I'll be given an offer to become a consultant and leave Seagate? I don't know. I confess I'd be disappointed if I don't get the job, but I won't be devastated like I have been in the past. I actually have a couple of other calls from other companies as well and my current job is getting into very interesting things. Through it all, I have a wonderful sense of peace!

It is so much more rewarding to really give these concerns over to God. As I say this, I wonder why I haven't done it before. In fact, I wonder if I'm really giving over control to God (will I indeed be devastated if I don't get the job). So far, I believe I'm OK and of course, God is great!

I've intentionally avoided the discussion of consulting work in this blog. I've intentionally avoided the names of the companies as well. I want to focus on my observations and especially the blessing of God's leadership. I highly recommend it. God's peace in times of stress - any time of stress - is simply wonderful. I will update again soon. Which ever way things go, all is well and I am positively blessed!