Keeping my eyes on the prize

The past couple of weeks have been very tumultuous for me.

Last Monday the company I work for announced a restructure. This meant that two entire departments were made redundant as our roles did not exist any more. Wow, that was a shocker I can tell you! We were informed that we could apply for the new roles within the new structure. We had 4 days to apply, would be interviewed in the week just gone and then find out if we had one of the new positions or were officially redundant yesterday. The restructure was not a surprise, but the redundancy was.

My poor parents worried significantly more than I did. I was excited. There were at least a couple of positions I wanted to apply for; one which was a similar level to my redundant role and a new more senior opportunity that would be a great development. It was all about interviewing well and selling yourself. My interviews were short. I hoped it was because I was succinct, not because I had failed to showcase my skills or passion.

“If you believe in yourself, anything’s possible”

Yesterday was quite horrible. We have the fortunate work policy whereby we do not have set working hours. We have outputs that we need to achieve and where we work and when is left up to us to decide. We’d been told we would find out the results of the interviews from 2pm, so I rolled up to the office at lunchtime. To then leave 20 minutes to actually go and buy lunch. Anything to fill the waiting time.

2pm came and went. The senior managers were still deliberating; deciding the future of all of us who had applied. A couple of people had already decided to take the redundancy, but there were at least 14 of us in the office talking with a kind of nervous, apprehensive confidence. It was a strange atmosphere.

Then, the decisions were finalised and we started to be called in one by one. It suddenly became very real when one of my talented colleagues was told he did not get any of the three positions he had applied for. Then another. Suddenly, the mood shifted. We were no longer being overt in our behaviour. It was hushed whispers, voiced concerns and shock.

Other colleagues were told of their successful applications and confirmed job offers. I had butterflies. I knew which role I really wanted and hoped I had proven myself enough. But, I had just seen two talented former colleagues be told “thanks, but no thanks”.

I was called in. Their faces were unreadable. They told me I interviewed very well and my stomach started to settle. “But”; that one word which casts doubt again. I had been unsuccessful in my application for the more junior position, but they wanted to offer me the more senior role! I was ecstatic! So, from Monday I will be a Key Account Manager and will be taking on a new set of challenges and development!

Despite being relatively calm for the past two weeks,I was nervous. Not because I thought I would not get a role, but because I knew which one I wanted. I had told myself that if I got the account manager role then I would book a holiday. So here we are, 24 hours later, still nursing the celebratory hangover and I’m deciding on where to go! I had considered a quick pop to Tunisia in March/April, but it’s not really on my travel bucket list. So, although tempted by a bargain hotel-based holiday, that’s just not me. I’m thinking two weeks in Vietnam instead. I’ve not been to Asia yet and I have a strong urge to visit many countries in the region. Vietnam is near the top of the list, alongside Cambodia, The Philippines, China and Japan. So, there is a very real possibility that I will randomly book flights soon and continue to progress on my mission to visit 30 countries before I’m 30!

So, do you have anything to help inspire my Vietnam itinerary?