The AfterMath

I rebounded last week a lot stronger than i thought i could.
but i'm subdued today again.
met a recruitment agent yesterday who messed me up again.
so this will be a subdued post.
more pensive maybe.

the 2 books i borrowed from the lib "in 3 min" are pretty good books.
I suddenly realise there's a class of books i haven't been reading - career books.
I've read stuff on starting businesses and finding passions and all that jazz but the ideas are not so readily applicable because there is that big step to take - are you really ready to start a biz etc.

but career books....you can implement the ideas in there immediately because i'm right in the middle of the zoo.

so these are the gist of the ideas i've gotten so far, all which i agree with. (they're much better than the "the more you work, the more pple will make you work, so don't work so hard." or "no happiness can be found from work" kinds of advice i get sometimes)

1) Nothing gets you a new job faster than a great performance in the old one.

From Jack Welch the GE management guru. If you're thinking of leaving, don't quit in a huff. instead do even better at your current job, and send your feelers and signals out that you're thinking of moving. If you do a good job, someone will know.

2) Get on the boss' radar.

A strong performance is the foundation. but sometimes you need a few tricks to get noticed faster.

(i'm particularly guilty of not doing this well. i've been aiming for radars that are too small.)


3) Never be a victim.

Or rather, never have a victim's mindset. Don't blame everything else but yourself. Take control of the problem and do something about it.


From the book "The New Success Rules Of Women":

1) If you like music, work for Sony - find your passion

2) Keep your eye on the ball - know your career goals. If you don't ask, you don't get. And don't take "no" for an answer.

(again i'm guilty of this.)

3) Learn. All the time. - Each day in the school of life we will learn lessons. Like them or hate them, we have designed them as part of our curriculum. The lessons will be repeated in various forms until we've learnt them, and then we move to the next lesson. What you make of your life
is up to you.

4) Leadership is inspiring others to do their best work.

5) Be a mercenary for experience. - do different things, go to different places. you grow as you learn.


That's where i stopped at the moment.

the last line of the book i read:
"women are socialised to be nonconfrontational in approach and deferential in tone, which often leads to an impression of weakness."

This one completely resonates with me. Sometimes i empathize and try to help so much that it no longer is a strength. it has become a weakness.

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So i started last week rejuvenated from my new found enlightenment.
i almost wished i got my "happiness inflation correction" depressive episode sooner.

For one i started arriving to the office early.
(i planned to leave on time too since i needed time at home to send my "feelers" out but somehow that never works out)
And because i read on the bus, usually i'll get to the office feeling high from what i read.
I started working again with rejuvenated focus and enthusiasm,
and the "slacking" of the rest don't bother me anymore.

I wonder what my colleagues think.
one week i'm moody and angry-looking and the next i'm suddenly so enthusiastic.

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Perhaps it's like the renewed living enthusiasm of someone with 5 month's left to live.
you could go the other way and be depressed for 5 months,
or you could go skydiving and other things you've never done.

I have 5 months left to leave a legacy behind.

This "countdown" syndrome may actually make me better overall.
i could, for example, raise suggestions and points to the big bosses where i would otherwise be more afraid of getting into their wrong books.
I could take risks in getting onto the radar.

i plan to have a discussion with my boss' boss (whom i'm targetting as a career mentor, who is someone you can learn and seek advice from) on my prospects in the company.
never be a victim right, and you don't ask, you don't get.

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I think some of them already suspect i won't be around too long.
because i just give a wry smile when they ask and i never deny it.
but i won't put it on my lips and say i'll leave every 2 sentences i spurt.

i've had 3 pple i've worked with so far that i respect (they've all since left),
and like them, i plan to leave with esteem.

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So my feelers have already gotten me some leads.
but unfortunately the bond has become my biggest baggage.

The recruitment agent said she was "shocked" to see what i was getting,
and i could easily get a lot more outside.

I was never one to work just for money, but now i feel a bit exploited. and bonded.

i just did my sums and it won't really make financial sense for me to break the bond.

maybe i should channel some time and effort thinking of ways to earn back my exploitation/opportunity-costs money.

while continuing to send feelers out.

and while giving my all to build that leagacy where i am, and use it as the career lab to try out some of the ideas in the books.

that sounds like a good plan.