So, let's talk about my job. For once.
I've had this schizo job for five-plus years. Half web developer, half administrative lackey. One minute, it's coding. The next minute, it's copying. Or printing. Wait, put this up on the web. Now edit this document. And you have a campus committee meeting at 11, but first please fix the database and make 15 copies.
By April, I'd had enough. I decided that by the end of 2006, I wanted out of my job and working someplace else. The web was my passion. It's what I understand. And I wanted to work somewhere that people understood what my skills and gifts were and said, "Hey, here's a full-time web management job. Run with it."
So, I had this plan. I was going to write up a proposal detailing how I should be free of the administrative crap and should be paid accordingly. I knew it would never fly in my office, but at least I could hold it up, say "Hey, I tried," and tender my resignation with grace and dignity (and the hope that MSFT had a blue card with my name on it... or at least an orange card).
I needed some data, though. Data was the only way to prove that I needed a promotion. I needed to get a sense of what the other schools had in terms of web support. So, I sent out this survey and asked some of other schools in the university what sort of staffing they gave the web. One school's IT director called me. We chatted about what they were doing. I told what we had done in five years.
"YOU DID WHAT? YOU HAVE A ONLINE CALENDAR? A FACULTY BIO PAGE ENGINE? RSS FEEDS? PODCASTS? OMGWTF??? WE ONLY DREAM OF THAT!!"
(I should note here that this other school is laden with cash and employees. It's not like they couldn't do this stuff themselves. It's just they're not.)
OK, whatever. Except that that IT director talks to one of my cow orkers, who talks to my bosses' boss....
And suddenly I'm employee of the year.
But I'm unhappy. I hate the recognition. I'm bored. But I need to press on with the master escape plan.
So, I talk to more schools. Start building out this document. A co-worker tells me I need a one-page summary on the front. Another one strips out some useless language. A third tells me how to strengthen the case.
And now, I have The Proposal. Six pages worth of why I deserve A Real Job and More Money. Guaranteed to float like a lead balloon.
The word from the money people is that I shouldn't expect this to work. Fine. I go on some interviews. I make dream plans of quitting on my birthday in September sine die. Just walking out would feel good. It would be a sense that I'd done all I could and my schizo existence is someone else's problem.
And then one of the money people decides to take it to the top. Tells me to revise it a bit. OK. Won't make a difference. Back to checking Monster for new postings.
But, then, something odd happens.
The head of the organization thinks my six pages of why I deserve A Real Job and More Money is brilliant. Well written. Spot on. And clears some money out of the budget.
That's not the way it's supposed to work. Oh well, the board will veto it. I mean, why should they give me money when they have their own web people.
And then, the board says it's the greatest thing ever, applauds the move, and rubber stamps it.
I've been promoted. I don't have a new title yet, I don't know how much of a pay bump I'm getting, but I have been promoted to A Real Job with More Money. Someone else will be handling the administrative chaos. I can go about a full day of being a web person for an 800 student graduate school. There are more loose ends than a sweater in a combine, but they're rapidly being sewn up.
I'm stunned. This wasn't supposed to work. I had my cardboard boxes picked out. But, now, I'm suddenly... in charge. And not making a damn photocopy for anyone but me.
Sic gloria transit mundi.
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Comments
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Huzzah! Super-congratulations! (Also: about damn time.)
Posted by: Elaine | October 7, 2006 09:43 AM
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Hooray! Congrats--that's great news!
Posted by: samantha | October 7, 2006 10:34 AM
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Congrats bro! The wait and work finally pay off!
Should I send you some celebratory BBQ?
--R
Posted by: Yo middle brother | October 7, 2006 05:46 PM
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Damn! Congratulations!
Posted by: Manuel Wanskasmith | October 8, 2006 09:04 AM
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Congratulations! Proud of you as always!
I love the new photos you posted also...they are beautiful.
Boomer Sooner got bombed!
Posted by: Grandmother | October 8, 2006 12:24 PM
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Congrats! That's great, Dylan!
Posted by: Kat | October 9, 2006 12:23 PM
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Two things:
First, I haven't heard "cow orkers" used in casual conversation since my days on Usenet. Reading it again made me smile (though I guess Dilbert did adopt the phrase, so it's not as rare as I'd thought).
Second, congrats, dude! I think...?
Posted by: Dave | October 12, 2006 09:58 PM
