TEDDY ROSALIE WAVES GOODBYE. TOO BAD SHE DOESN’T HAVE FINGERS.
It’s over.
My job of 17-1/2 years has ended. My personal effects have been boxed up and put into storage.
Goodbyes have been said to those that matter, and instructions have been relayed that I will never again answer a call from that office, so don’t bother.
Yes, it’s bitter-sweet. I loved my office with all the windows and a door I could close. The boss, although oftentimes difficult, was good to me when it counted over the years – accommodating the constraints caused by my illness, allowing me to drop down to 4 days a week, letting me take long lunch hours, and even backing me up when I made a mistake that cost the firm hundreds of dollars.
But at the end, there wasn’t even a thanks for 17-1/2 years of hard work.
And I certainly won’t miss the grief.
I mean, I really won’t miss the grief …. I have a new job!
Yesterday, I met with that first attorney I had contacted upon notification of my imminent unemployment (refresh your memory, here).
On the way to that interview, my phone rang and I picked up through the SYNC feature of my car. It was an attorney referred to me by a friend and who was considering adding a paralegal position. She indicated that her firm was definitely interested in speaking with me, but that the hiring person was out of town until next week. Would it be ok if they called on Monday or Tuesday?
Sure, why not. That firm is downtown, meaning no free parking and annoying traffic, but big downtown firms tend to pay more – simply because no one wants to work downtown these days.
Meanwhile, I had reached my destination. I pretty much knew I had this job if I wanted it and this interview was to get the nitty gritty out of the way, but still I was nervous. Only one more day to joblessness, and nothing else on the horizon! This was a small[er] firm in the suburbs, and the likelihood of getting a salary I could live on was negligible.
But this attorney (let’s call her Attorney A, to keep in line with the prior posts, and I apologize for having to start all over at the beginning of the alphabet) had become a business friend over the past several months, so I was hopeful. In fact, it was this attorney I had turned to for advice about the previous interviews I had gone on.
In short, we discussed job duties, hours, and work week. I would have to go back to 5 days a week, but accommodations would be made for my IV therapy days and for doctors’ appointments and such. With the office being only about 15 minutes away, I could still go home at lunch time. Two part-time positions were being combined into one full-time position just for me. The medical insurance would be paid for in full by Attorney A as part of the salary package.
Ah, but, what about the salary?
Attorney A took a notepad and pen and wrote down a number. I held my breath, prepared to counter-offer. As she passed the notepad to me, she stated, “This is the best I can do, and I’m doing it because you’re you – there will no other offer.”
While going through the job hunt, I had, of course, sat down and calculated my salary requirements. I had a figure in mind below which I could not go and still be able to meet all my bills. Most firms were offering below that amount, no matter how much experience I had.
Still, unemployment would be even lower.
I took a breath and prepared to just suck it up, take whatever was offered, and figure out a way to juggle. I needed a job. My current job was ending! I didn’t want to be sitting home unemployed.
The figure written on the paper was halfway between my current salary and what I had determined was my minimal salary requirement. Insurance would be paid on top of that. The pay would be enough to meet my monthly expenses without touching the savings that I’ve worked so hard to accumulate.
While my inclination was to jump up on the conference room table and start dancing, I forced myself to say that I would need the weekend to “crunch the numbers” and get back to her on Monday.
At which point, she invited two of her employees in “because they wanted to meet you in person.” These were other paralegals I knew by voice only, having worked with them on numerous deals between our offices.
They came in, introduced themselves, and hugged me.
Hugs count. The decision was made.
I asked Attorney A for just a few more minutes of her time, and after the paralegals left the conference room, I told Attorney A that I had decided.
I start work on August 15. I will have two weeks between jobs to do whatever I wish, and I suspect I will spend most of it just sleeping and playing with Puppy Cody.
Life is good. Networking works! And apparently, God is kind even to those of us who are completely non-religious.
***
Thank you to all my readers who suffered through this ordeal with me. Your support means more to me than you will ever know.
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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom
Cordelia's Mom, Still 
Woohoooooo!!!!!!! 🙂
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Yup. That’s how you spell R-E-L-I-E-F (to quote that old commercial).
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I second VD’s Woohoooo! Complete coverage of medical benes for us is HUGE!
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That’s only because I can hop onto my husband’s policy, and she will pay the premiums and the yearly out-of-pocket. Hubby works for a huge company, so premiums and out-of-pocket only come to about $4000 a year. Coverage under the attorney’s insurance would have cost $4800 a year just for the premiums, and the out-of-pocket would have been $5000 or more (which I would have had to pay). Win-win for both of us.
And I can continue my Remicade! Double woo-hoo!
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I’m glad. I remember reading that they think that it’s not good to stop Remicade because it loses its efficacy in some people when they do. Of course, with its price tag, that happens a lot! Then again, it might have been a pharma article!
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Many people think that benefits are ‘just a little add-on.’ I was surprised to find that most companies calculate that benefits = salary. Nice going. 🙂
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Company-paid health insurance was the one point I wouldn’t negotiate on. I need that health insurance, and it is very expensive.
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I am so glad that I got to take along a great contract-mandated pension/benefits plan from my closed-down employer. Wife and I each rate $30,000 in benefits/yr. Never maxed it out, but, a couple of times, she’s taken a big bite out of it. 😀
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I’m very happy for you. It sounds like a good package when all things are considered.
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I think it will be a good move, Dan. It just feels right.
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That’s worth a lot
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I am so pleased for you! Good luck in your new position and enjoy the break in between! Congratulations! 🙂
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I intend to enjoy it. If nothing else, I can sleep in every day!
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Congratulations! Wonderful news! Glad it all worked out! 🙂
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Thanks. It was such great timing, too – they day before I was going to be unemployed. Made it so much easier to leave work today.
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Yay….☺☺☺ So happy for you, CM. Wish I could “like” this twice. ❤️
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You got three Smiley faces in there. I didn’t that matches two likes.
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what a happy ending! great news!
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A very happy ending, and such a relief!
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Hurrah! I know you will enjoy your two weeks! I’m so very pleased for you! 😀
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I won’t know what to do with myself, other than eat, sleep and play with Cody. 😉
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It’ll be fantastic! You’ll feel so fresh and ready 🙂
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Checking in on my last day before traveling home and this is such great news! I’m so very happy for you!
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What a sweet comment! Have a safe trip home, Kalista.
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Networking works better than anything else! CONGRATULATIONS. This is the perfect job segue!
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I’d currently be unemployed if it weren’t for networking. There have been absolutely no appropriate jobs listed on the boards, and the agencies have been useless. It’s good to know I built such a good reputation in the community that so many people jumped in to help.
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Pawsome news, CM! I’m so happy for you. Thanks for the wine. I can take my nap now..
(≚ᄌ≚)ƶƵ
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Me, too. Last night, I had the best sleep I’ve had in several months. Definitely made the right decision.
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♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)
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Impressive CM, impressive. Congratulations – you deserve it.
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It worked out well, Paul, but I had a lot of help from my friends.
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Well done, congrats, best wishes and hope you enjoy the break!
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Thanks, Jean. The only time off I’ve had for the past few years was for renovation of my house and for hospitalizations, none of which were enjoyable. I’m looking forward to two non-eventful weeks.
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Awesome!!! Congrats!! Proof that good things happen to good people!
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Or proof that making friends with business colleagues, and not burning bridges as you move from job to job, develops an awesome network.
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Not what you know but who you know?! This proves that is true.
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Both, actually. If I didn’t have the knowledge and experience, I never would have gotten the new job no matter how many friends I had. The network just made it easier to find the right person to talk to.
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Wow, I read through all your posts and all I can say is what an amazing month you have. I am so pleased for you that you found something that will work and will make you happy. Best of luck and I hope retirement will also be soon 🙂 and then it won’t matter, right?
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If only. With no 401k or pension, I’m stuck with only Social Security, so retirement is still a long ways off. But meanwhile, I’m confident that the new job will be a good fit and something that will help me get through.
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Good things come to good people, CM. Way to go. Way, way, way to go. ❤
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I was a little surprised, actually, but very pleased with the offer.
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You deserve this and more. I wish you all good things. Plus joy; major helpings of joy. Huzzah.
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It’s certainly made my time off more enjoyable, knowing I have a decent job to go to afterwards.
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