Transparency and Transfers

In my experience, it is always a tricky thing to navigate the waters between leaving one job and starting another. It becomes trickier still when your position is as unusual as mine is.

I've spent a fair bit of my morning on the phone with various people, including my mentor at head office, trying to figure out the best plan for me in Calgary. Some of the news was possibly more encouraging than I had thought, as there may be a management position opening up, but it's not entirely clear yet. Otherwise, though, the only position open is a sales associate position, which is where I started with the company. I would still be able to perform some HR functions, but in a strictly limited capacity. Ultimately, then, this would really only be a temporary solution for me, and it would be taken largely for the consistency of a paycheque coming in and a job to walk into while I looked for something else. Since I have no desire to burn any bridges with this company, I could only accept that kind of a position on the condition that everyone understand that my intentions are only to stay temporarily. If there is a management position available, though, that I would certainly look into taking, as a gateway to a permanent HR management position. So I'm still trying to sort out the possibilities.

The other thing to consider is that I did get a call the other day from a recruiter based in Calgary. She actually was interested in getting me to work for her, as opposed to a job placement. I hadn't considered a career as a recruiter before, but she felt that my sales background combined with my HR experience would make it a good match. I'm certainly not opposed to the idea, but my fiscally conservative little soul is not sure how to feel about being the only income for our household and working on a comission basis. My sales numbers in other positions have always been very good, and I think I would do well as a recruiter, just that the idea of a variable income makes me a touch nervous. Ultimately, since the recruiter was hoping to have someone start before I am available, it may be a moot point. She did. however, also mention that with my combination of skills and experience, that she would be able to place me very easily. Her office does contract positions as well as permanent ones, and they place administrative positions, so I am going to give her a call once we arrive in Calgary and see what's available.

In talking to my mentor today, he once again advised me that my best career move is probably to leave the company for now. There is not going to be an HR management position for at least a couple of years, and I am going to be tied to Calgary for at least that long while my hubby finishes school anyway, so the long term possibilities are still open, but we'll see. As much as I think this company has been wonderful to work for, I am eager to start the next chapter in my life and see what new challenges there are in store for me.

For now, I have an email in to the regional manager in Calgary asking to speak to him, mostly so I can make sure he knows that I would be walking in to a role there only temporarily, unless it is a management position. That way, I have been open and transparent about my intetions (which makes me feel much better) and he is free to decide whether or not that suits his hiring needs as well. And we'll go from there.