Wednesday, June 10, 2009

I Quit My Job

I gave my seven week notice yesterday. In August, I'm officially leaving my first full-time job as a newspaper reporter.

For weeks I'd struggled thinking about how I'd tell my immediate boss the news. And then it just happened - I pulled her into my office after she put a frozen meal in the microwave and said that I'd been offered another job. She knew it was a possibility, since my new employer actually interviewed her a few months ago before I was officially offered a position. She said she didn't expect that me leaving would happen so soon. And that was really all there was to the conversation.

I hoped that by giving early notice I could help prepare my materials for my successor. What concerns me is that our publisher is probably not going to hire a replacement for me, meaning that my editor will have a whole lot more work dumped on her. I know this isn't my problem. But it bothers me that this company's product, the newspaper, takes a back seat to marketing and networking. I think it will be a real shame if they don't bring a new editorial person in. Especially if they hire a new sales person instead of putting that money toward a new reporter.

Other than that, I feel pretty good. I'm writing my third and last cover story this month about people over 50 who use social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc. I'm taking more than five weeks of vacation between my new jobs, too, so I hope to write, spend time with my family, and travel. My tentative plan is to be willing to travel just about anywhere a friend will offer me free lodging (and in exchange I will cook!).

So yes, that brings me to the fact that I do have a new job lined up as an editor. It's a much more lucrative job with a lot of potential for advancement. How much I will enjoy it remains to be seen -- as is the case with any new endeavor -- but I'm excited to take this next step in my life.

I kind of feel like Lauren Conrad in the Hills season finale (I haven't watched the whole thing yet!Couldn't bring myself to...) when she says that for once, she doesn't know what comes next. It's scary, it's exciting, and a few weeks from now, it's where I'll be. :)

6 comments:

mayaari said...

congrats on the new job - I hope that it offers you more opportunities than your previous job!

...and I am totally jealous that you're able to take so much time off in between your jobs =P ..I was so frazzled with moving that I only had about a week off between work

ABC said...

Congrats on the new job :)

Unknown said...

Congrats for sure, I would love to read the story about the over 50 social media users.

Crystal said...

"The rest is still unwritten." :D Ahhhh so excited for you!! Don't you feel liberated? I hope you are happier and more challenged at your next position as an editor. You've got a lot of potential, and life is short. Aim high!

BTW love your Hills reference, but you need to see the whole episode! P.S. did you hear that Heidi has posed for Playboy? Can't believe it. Anyway, I'd love to be interviewed by this reporter! Thanks for passing along my name! And it's good to know you're back in Maryland, let's make coffee happen soon. :)

gio said...

Congratulations on the new job!

Emilita said...

Thanks guys :)