Contrast and change

Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.

- Victor Hugo -

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It's been a week of great contrast and change and, let me be clear, I dig it! I'm not one to fear change, I embrace it because through change comes opportunity, growth, development and new horizons. Yes, change can have ill-effects however if one works at it change can be strategised, shaped and designed to one's advantage.

I began this week in the tropical far-north of Australia at Cairns where I was visiting my brother, his wife and my nephew. It was a really nice, and much-needed, vacation and it did me much good to spend time with my family.

The tropical north is just coming out of its wet season, summer, and it was very hot and humid. It rained hard at times but the weather was generally decent, hot but agreeable. I took the above image at Palm Cove on one of the days and you'd have to agree it looks ok right?

In contrast, this week back home in Adelaide has been gloomy, very cold and raining. There's a stark contrast between tropical rain and 30 degrees Celsius and rain that feels like ice with temperatures of 12 degrees Celcius and the change was...well, it was unwelcome.

Having said that, it's not the contrasting weather that was the biggest change in my week...You see, a couple of weeks ago I was approached by an interstate recruiter in respect of a potential job prospect and I thought I'd investigate, even though I was reasonably content at my current job.

I interviewed over the course of this last week and late on Friday was contacted by the recruiter and offered the role with the new company.

I'll admit I hadn't thought I'd gone all that well in the two hour interview. I didn't think I went badly, just that I didn't think they'd respond to me all that well. I was wrong, they loved what I offered, telling the recruiter, (apparently) that I was the best interview they'd ever seen. Ok, now I get to ask for more money. Fools! 😂

The long and short of it is that I was offered the role.

I've spent the last twenty four hours thinking about my options and have decided to accept.

The remuneration is well-higher than I make now and they offered a vehicle also. I don't have that currently, just an allowance paid fortnightly to compensate me for using my own vehicle. Of course, an office, laptop and phone are also included as is a generous commission structure giving me the ability to take my income well higher than I currently earn. Sounds ok right? It's an autonomous role in which I'm left to my own devices, provided I meet the budget. That's ok, I'm confident.

I spent some time investigating the culture, management style, which is the level I'm entering at, where the company was two years ago and where they want to be in two years. I did this in the interview and behind the scenes and I'm pleased to say I was satisfied the company was a place I'd be happy to land and in which I'd thrive.

This coming week I'll see the work contract outlining all the details, review and sign it and set a start date prior to handing my termination over at my current employer. I'm pretty excited to get going.

I used the above quote as I liked the, change your leaves, keep intact your roots, part.

I have a strong work-ethic and am very good at what I do. I'm dependable, tireless, focused and results-driven, they are some of my core attributes and are unchangeable.

But, my leaves? Sure, I can change them. I mean that I am flexible enough to pivot to new directions, opportunities and paradigms which is what I'm doing now I guess. My responsibility is to myself and those who are dependant upon me and so I'm happy to make changes, to learn new things and bring my skills to a place in which they may work better for me and the company both.

Change brings opportunity, not only for me, but for those around me, including my employer. First and foremost though, I need to be happy and content, to give away some of my life, to work, and until I don't have the need anymore I'll ensure that the company that gets those hours of my life actually deserve it.

If you've moved jobs in your career, or want to, feel free to tell me about it below, I'm interested to hear about your experiences; how you've dealt with contrast and change, and if it went well or badly for you.