Opportunity of a lifetime
As I said here, I have a few options opening up to me. The followup to the first position occurred on Thursday. I spent the day with the team in the huge company. They all seemed to think that I was hired, because who hangs out with the team all day unless they are hired? I spoke with everyone there, discussing everyone's roles, the perks of the job (of which there are CONSIDERABLE, including awesome annual sales rallies, trips to Vegas, Beijing and iPods) and how a typical day works. It was a pretty slow day as well, so I was not disturbing anyone. The people are super friendly, the atmosphere is fairly calm and it's 50-50 English-French all the way; linguistically ideal. If I were offered the position right there I would have taken it. As it stands, the manager will talk to everyone I talked to, then talk to the big boss and make a decision by Tuesday. As for the other position, she can't seem to get her interviews to happen in a timely manner, so her decision will be made on Wednesday, so she says. I've heard such things before. At least I am still the leading candidate.
But something happened today to change everything. Back in May when I received my letter of admission to HEC, I started fantasizing about going back to my first company in a completely different role. A powerful one, well-paid. So I decided to email some key people there, including "Sylvie" my old boss. Long-time readers might remember my struggles with that guy. (For the record, he wasn't bad. I just hated my position. We were actually quite friendly when I didn't hate him.) It was like this:
Gentlemen,It's been quite a long time since speaking with any of you. I just wanted to give you a mini update of what I am up to these days.
Rose and I are still living together. She is doing administration in a really cool place (the name of which I am not allowed to discuss, but their products taste great) and will be starting a special care program in September. I am about to start a project management certificate at HEC (trois ans avec une québécoise de souche m'ont aidé. Ça plus le certificat en français langue seconde…). One day, I may return to work with you in a completely different role (emphasis mine, way after the fact).
(I don't know why the French characters aren't showing up properly...)
I wrote them for three reasons. I did want to touch base with the guys. It had been years. But I also fantasized about working with them again. Being a consultant or being some kind of manager. Being important. Liking what I do. And lastly, I wanted to just put a bug in their ear to let them know that I am more than what I was before, and that I will be even more later. Think of me from time to time.
Yesterday I received an email from the former VP Technology, now president. It read:
Hey bud!
Long time no see no talk no hear!!!
Please give me a call. I would like to discuss an idea with you and get your feedback.
An idea, you say? Turns out that there have been a lot of changes in the company since I left it. They are in a growth phase. The flagship product needs documentation in terms of web content, knowledge bases, internal and external communication and so on. They even need to run a user group for it. As someone who was there from the beginning in terms of marketing and sales, and who has written and co-written papers about the industry and the relevant verticals, I was seen as the obvious choice to pick up the slack for those who cannot do the whole job themselves. I would be Product Manager, managing several projects simultaneously. Impressive, no? And how easily it ties into my program of study, project management. And I assume it pays well, although I I would take the job for very little, to be honest. I have a meeting with the president on Wednesday to discuss the proposed job further. He wants the person to start immediately, but in reality it wouldn't begin before mid-to-late August. If I can get some sort of commitment to this (he hasn't even seen what kind of money is available for that) then I will turn down both other offers.
I don't know anything yet, but sometimes great things do happen to people like me.