One of the things I am most anticipating about moving back to KC is that I will be working from home.
When
fyreseer and I first decided to make the move back, the biggest potential obstacle was a job for me, since I bring in the bulk of the monies (and this is not intended to reflect negatively in any way on her contributions, as they are equally as important). To say I was hesitant and anxious about the whole job search is the only accurate way to describe things. I have been monitoring the job market in KC for my line of work (ColdFusion Web Development, Database Administration, Computer Geek, etc.) pretty consistently since we moved up here in November of 2003, and it hasn't been all that active.
A very wyse woman told both
fyreseer and I over Thanksgiving and again in early January that 2006 was the year of "I Want"... basically a year of the manfestation of intention. She couldn't have been more right. As we committed to this move, I framed my intention that the job would be there for me. I stated quite clearly that my ideal situation would be to find a job making at least what I am currently making, doing what I am doing now, but where I could work from home and have the freedom and flexibility to pursue my other loves, passions and hobbies.
Of course, the job that fit that bill was my current job - if they would agree to let me telecommute. I work for a small, family-run (but "employee-owned") packaging supplies distributor. The senior management are a very conservative bunch. They let me do the telecommuting thing for the first 9 months that I worked for them, since
fyreseer and I both had commitments in KC that we weren't willing to abandon, but it was a somewhat strained situation. As a new employee, they had their skeptic glasses on when it came to my abilities (I don't blame them for this, it's a natural thing when assessing new-hires), and they required me to be in Chicago for 1 week of each month - and they weren't thrilled with paying for that travel.
Needless to say, I had my doubts that they would honestly even entertain the idea a second time around. Of course, the situation has changed over the last 3 years. I have proven myself to be an extremely valuable asset - and most of that proof has really only come in the last 6 months to a year, when other circumstances changed to allow me to really showcase the stuff that I can do. And, even though the technology to enable remote workers has been available to the company, it is only within the last year that people have become more aware of it and more comfortable with it.
So I got up the nerve and went in to my boss and told him what was going on, "We're going to move back to KC no later than July of this year." I told him that I didn't want to leave the company, and asked for his feel of how receptive they (sr. management) would be to the idea of me telecommuting.
I will interject here that my immediate boss was one of the best guys I have ever met - both professionally as a manager and personally as a human. That will be another post sometime. We had a great relationship (he's no longer with the company, having found his dream job about a month ago and leaving to pursue it) and he was very open to the idea. He said that he would take it to sr. management and build the case for it with me. So we worked on a proposal for a few days and then took it to "mahogany row."
And, lo and behold, they said yes! The CFO (who is also technically the CIO) called me into his office and asked me if there was any way he could convince me to stay locally longer, including dangling the carrot of more money/responsibilities. I stood my ground and said no, that this was what needed to happen. And when he asked me when we were planning on moving, I said no later than July, but that we would like to move in April. And he said that we'd better get started on making this happen, then. I was floored.
fyreseer had called me earlier that morning - upset about the crass way things were being handled at her job - and told me that we needed to make this move happen sooner rather than later. So after my talk with the CFO, I called her back and said, "Is April soon enough?"
So the pieces have been falling into place. We are transferring our lease to an apartment complex in KC (they're both owned by the same management company, AMLI), which will cost us a great deal less than the $2800 they would extort from us if we broke our lease. We are getting quotes on moving (both movers and truck rentals). We are starting to plan our packing attack. And we're starting to eye everything suspiciously to see if we can purge it before the move.
And I am getting something akin to "short-timers syndrome," even though I'm not technically leaving my job. I simply cannot wait to be working from home.
When
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
A very wyse woman told both
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Of course, the job that fit that bill was my current job - if they would agree to let me telecommute. I work for a small, family-run (but "employee-owned") packaging supplies distributor. The senior management are a very conservative bunch. They let me do the telecommuting thing for the first 9 months that I worked for them, since
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Needless to say, I had my doubts that they would honestly even entertain the idea a second time around. Of course, the situation has changed over the last 3 years. I have proven myself to be an extremely valuable asset - and most of that proof has really only come in the last 6 months to a year, when other circumstances changed to allow me to really showcase the stuff that I can do. And, even though the technology to enable remote workers has been available to the company, it is only within the last year that people have become more aware of it and more comfortable with it.
So I got up the nerve and went in to my boss and told him what was going on, "We're going to move back to KC no later than July of this year." I told him that I didn't want to leave the company, and asked for his feel of how receptive they (sr. management) would be to the idea of me telecommuting.
I will interject here that my immediate boss was one of the best guys I have ever met - both professionally as a manager and personally as a human. That will be another post sometime. We had a great relationship (he's no longer with the company, having found his dream job about a month ago and leaving to pursue it) and he was very open to the idea. He said that he would take it to sr. management and build the case for it with me. So we worked on a proposal for a few days and then took it to "mahogany row."
And, lo and behold, they said yes! The CFO (who is also technically the CIO) called me into his office and asked me if there was any way he could convince me to stay locally longer, including dangling the carrot of more money/responsibilities. I stood my ground and said no, that this was what needed to happen. And when he asked me when we were planning on moving, I said no later than July, but that we would like to move in April. And he said that we'd better get started on making this happen, then. I was floored.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
So the pieces have been falling into place. We are transferring our lease to an apartment complex in KC (they're both owned by the same management company, AMLI), which will cost us a great deal less than the $2800 they would extort from us if we broke our lease. We are getting quotes on moving (both movers and truck rentals). We are starting to plan our packing attack. And we're starting to eye everything suspiciously to see if we can purge it before the move.
And I am getting something akin to "short-timers syndrome," even though I'm not technically leaving my job. I simply cannot wait to be working from home.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-22 08:38 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-02-22 08:45 pm (UTC)From:Two more people to visit when I come to KC. :)
Wish you could have found a home here in Chi-town, but I understand why you're leaving. I hope the move goes as smoothly as the preparations have gone, and that you are blissful and wealthy once home again!
no subject
Date: 2006-02-22 08:59 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-02-22 08:53 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-02-22 08:55 pm (UTC)From:Thanks!