Sunday, December 14, 2008

old papers

I've been going through old everythings in the still possible event that I transfer overseas. In such an event, I am likely to move the bare minimum with me which in this case would equal computers (work and personal), clothes, small personal effects, and whatever will fit in standard airline luggage plus one extra overweight bag. Even if I don't end up overseas (which means I get to take my furniture, tools, car, kitchenware, soft goods, etc with me) this is still a good exercise to go through to winnow down all the things that I have (or used to have).

This has included paperwork and records, things like old checks, bank statements, receipts, old apartment leases, and some of the original materials I had with me when I first interviewed where. I found an old resume from four years ago along with some sample questions and answers that I prepared to make sure I'd stay on all my talking points and not forget about examples of whatever they might ask about. Looking at what used to be on my resume and the kinds of answers I would have given to some stock and not-so-stock interview questions, it's amazing how much my answers have changed given the last four years. Almost all my old preparation is dated now, even a lot of my methodology. The experiences I've had in the last four years trump almost all my college-era experiences.

I'm the same core person, for better or worse, but there's been a lot of shaping and a lot of hardening. All in all, college was a lot of fun, there's no denying that. There's a certain lack of responsibility that accompanies being a college student since it's not the so-called 'real world'. Work has often been fun, especially out in the field getting a job done on a given day (or two). It has to be to make some of the rest of what goes on worthwhile. But at the end of the day, this is serious, this is a business and it gets played for keeps. Actually, it doesn't get played at all. It gets taken very seriously when you boil it all down to its essence. This is peoples' jobs, livelihoods, safety, health, and everything that impacts the type of life someone tries to build for himself.

I can't seem to get away from these posts. They start somewhere else, but they always circle back to trying to get a handle on the essence of the experience that I have had, especially in the last year. I know what has happened since I moved from Farmington, pretty sure about most of what I've learned, but I just haven't figured out how it's changed me, if at all.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's put the last four years into perspective, to wit.... The experiences you have had in the last four years trump almost all career-long experiences most of us will endure. Period.

Anonymous said...

Over a 5-year period as a departmental supervisor I had written many job performance evaluations and documentations. I also interviewed and hired many. Gave lots of “lay-off” notices and exit interviews, but I don’t remember "let-go(ing)" that many employees like you did in all of that 5 years!

The “lay-off” process was a little bit complicated. It wasn’t on a last in/first out system. Most companies want to keep the better employees even they may not have senority. Good things that we had “job performance evaluations” and the decisions always made by “three-member” committee. The personnel manager and/or the legal counsel had the final say!

You really obtain such a great experience in such a short time. Managing people is the most difficult task in any business.

That buickguy said it all.

Anonymous said...

Why do you keep paperwork and records? Those can be kept easily in your computer. No scanner? No problem. Digital camera comes in very handy. Keep one set of your records in your computer and another set sent to your trusted family member or friend. All other important documents should be copied and stored in 2 different places just in case one get lost and you can retrieve the other. Take pictures of all your household inventory and personal effects before you have them shipped. Theft and insurance claim come to mind.