I want to share how fortunate I am at the moment. I worked since the age of thirteen years old whether in paid employment or a voluntary capacity. Some of the jobs I had have been in child care, education, government employment, and retail. I have a diverse background as I explained in various posts.
In January 2023, I was promoted and moved to a different division. I am currently an administrator and I handle some of the personnel matters for my division. I am finally using my master’s degree and I couldn’t be happier. I work in the director’s office with the best team of people. Now there are others who are not as easy to work with, but I am grateful either way.
I remember the days of being so discouraged and frustrated based on my experience in prior roles. I hated a lot of jobs. In fact, when I was younger, I would only work three months before quitting. I have nearly fourteen years with my current company, which is the longest. I worked in situations where there was a lot of nepotism. Unqualified people were promoted. Qualified people were often overlooked or dumped on. Every job has good and bad qualities. I am used to the bad.
I feel valued in my current role. This job taught me to be more assertive. I play a key role in operations and management. It is a lot of work. It can be stressful. It is rewarding. I enjoy it. I am able to be creative. It is the best work-life balance of any job I ever had. I no longer need to work a second job, which is an added bonus.
My director is one of the most dynamic women I have ever worked with. I aspire to be like her and many others should I continue to move up. She is highly knowledgeable. “M” takes no nonsense. “M” leads by example. She works incredibly hard around the clock. She is often called to lead other units too because she is so good. My deputy director is just as good. “J” although relatively new is just as dynamic. They work collaboratively and harmoniously with each other. Outside of an internship I did during undergrad, it is something I had not seen prior to this role. Then there is “R” who is also in this mix. She is the eldest (sixties) and wise. The four of us run the office, which is a great thing. This group of women embraced me from day one.
Here is an interesting fact: during my initial interview for this role, one of the panelists was incredibly curt and crass with me. I did not do anything to her. I almost declined this role because of her. Thankfully she does not work in my division. The other panelists work closely with me. While one was seemingly nice during my interview, she is pretty problematic. She is challenging to work with in general. My second-round interview with my director and deputy director sealed the deal. It is honestly the best decision I ever made.
Life is about taking a leap of faith and finding the best role for you. Reach goals. Continue to grow and elevate. Trust your instincts. Stay encouraged. Lastly, never settle for less.
Please stay safe and blessed. Enjoy your day. ~Rayne Elise
Discovery Journey 