a new job in the city

Posted on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

About a month ago, I noticed a lot of recruiters reaching out. I don't think it was just to me-- a friend told me first quarter is when recruiting season really gets busy. But it did get me a few interviews that I went into thinking I would just see what's out there. I didn't really expect to be leaving my job, but I guess having those conversations and re-assessing my skillset led me to think a little more deeply about what I wanted and how much I think I'd grown. Looking back on my year (and on the last time I wrote in this blog), I think I've honestly been trying to keep up an unsustainable pace. Working from home-- something I adored 3 years ago-- has become lonely and socially isolating. I'm beginning to take less pride in being a workaholic and noticing I don't fully enjoy the time with friends because I'm thinking about something work-related I have to do in the back of my head. Most of all, I want to focus what I want to learn next and work with a team. The last year has given be a wonderful breadth of experience-- but I think what I want to focus on now is design, front-end development, and web application development. Design is the broadest term of the three, but I think at the point what I'd like to do  is make sure that I have enough me-time to work on personal projects and develop experiment with different styles of design. The thing about working at an agency with many clients going at once is you're constantly translating client vision and goals into a design that fits their needs, which is a great skill. But I'd like a chance to experiment with projects that don't have deadlines or the pressure of someone else's dime. I just want to play for a little bit. And that's true in life too. I'm more interested than ever in growing the skillsets that I already have-- it's been stressful but fun to learn Dojo and javascript web application development. But I also want some room to play, spend lazy weekends at home or walking around, take trips and not think about shifting 50 things to do it. Another thing I noticed is I am reading so much, and I'm developing a taste for historical fiction. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns, Fall of Giants, and am now almost a quarter way through the sequel Winter of the World. While I'm sure there is so much more to the actual history than these fictional tales, they bring to life the periods they describe more than even the news has done for me in the last few years. I'm just sad that I'm going to have to wait until 2014 to read the third in the Century Trilogy. Also going to need to wait to read the next Game of Thrones book. I love being caught up in a good book, I found, and I'd like more time to do that without feeling guilty also :) Part of me wonders if my reasons for leaving this job is partly my fault-- could I have tried to fight for more resources so I wasn't so overworked? Did I take on more than I could handle? But I do think this move is more than just that. Health insurance for one, commute for another, working with a team, focusing my skills... I guess I tend to second-guess my decisions even though I'm so good at making decisive moves. My new company is in downtown SF, and I will be doing front-end development, web and graphic design, and Drupal development. If that doesn't sound like a fit! :) I'm excited, but also feeling the nervousness that comes with joining a new group. I haven't worked with a company larger than 3 people since 2011... Well, here's to another chapter.

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