I applied to a management position on March 30 of this year after my supervisor of 13 years bid out on another job. Completing the application, preparation, interview and second interview process has been challenging, and fitting it into an already stretched-to-the-limit schedule has been even more difficult. Toss in a couple weeks of being extremely ill, the end of my daughter’s school year, and stir in the completion of an entire term of school and started another, and the end result is a whole lot of Jane, how do you stop this crazy thing? (Jetson’s reference)
Finally, after much waiting and back and forthing, it’s official. I am now a Team Manager II!
With my new position, I inherited a staff—HOLY COW! I have a staff!—of six. So far, after three months of interim management, I’m not the boss. The head honcho. The big cheese. Boss lady. The one in charge. Whatever you want to call me.
This is an exciting and trying time for me. I got the phone call informing me that the position was mine late on a Thursday—week before last. The recruiter requested that I keep it quiet until official notification had been given to all parties. Not a problem; at that point, I had no idea who was left to tell. My start date of record was June 19, 2016. Sunday.
I will admit, after getting that phone call, on my drive home I had a mini panic attack and couldn’t help but wonder what the hell I had just gotten myself in to. I’ve come this far, I can’t give up now. At this point, there’s far too much invested at this point.
To say the least, this first week, which I have just finished, has been extremely busy. We’re still in the process of closing out the fiscal year—and there’s quite a bit left to do—and to add to that, evaluation season has begun. Processing evals and data change forms are now my responsibility.
I got this. I can do that.
Of course, I’m still editing documents and processing orders and trying to complete variance reports and a million and one other things all at the same time. So far, I’ve managed to keep up pretty well and haven’t found myself completely overwhelmed. No doubt that will come at some point.
I’m fully expecting changes along the way; and I’m quite sure that I’ll make my fair share of mistakes. But I’m bound and determined to do the best possible job I can and not let everyone—including me—down.