Job Update

I have had several friends ask me how my new job is going and I realized I never really posted an update about it! My new job is wonderful!! I am SO thankful for this new opportunity and I actually look forward to going to work each week. I am the budget analyst for two of the five programs at the Department of Revenue: the General Tax Administration Program and the Executive Program. It was an easy to transition over to this new agency since most of the job functions are so similar – writing budget amendments, doing bill analysis, monitoring expenditures, completing rate and salary reports, and the two biggies: creating the Long Range Program Plan and the Legislative Budget Request for the Department. I honestly can’t believe I have already been there two months already – time flies.

Looking back at my old job, I realize now just how much is was draining me. There was a lot of long hours, skipped lunches, weekend work, limited days off, a few frustrating co-workers, a lot of griping among the staff and an overall discouraging work environment. Some days were better than others, but most days were rough. I would be bombarded with phone calls, emails, office visits and work would pile up faster than I could complete it. A lot of this was out of the control of my immediate boss, but she was so stressed out that I never knew what to expect when she called me into her office – was I going to get snapped at or complimented?

However, everything at the Department of Education wasn’t negative – I spend so much time with several of my coworkers that they became like family to me. My boss was very accommodating during both of my pregnancies and with Justin’s health concerns, which was what I desperately needed during those hard times. Also, my mom was just a couple floors away if I needed or wanted to temporarily escape. I really enjoyed being the budget analyst for the Division of Public Schools and developed some great working relationships over the past five years. It felt strange when I went back to work on March 1^st not to be walking back into the DOE building. 

I have proven to myself that I can perform in a high stress working environment but I have also realized that it doesn’t appeal to me (at least not at this point in my life).  Maybe one day I’ll be interested in working in a fast paced environment again, but for now I’m enjoying leaving at 5:00 sharp each day, taking a daily lunch break and wearing jeans on Fridays. It’s the little things in life that mean the most to me right now!