Friday, May 1, 2009

It's nice to be wanted


Crazy crazy crazy has been April's theme and since we are still in the last week of April (kinda) I guess the fates could resist one more spin of the cuckoo-crazy wheel of fortune to see where Tracey will land.


Let us recap shall we....


I started with TriStaff Group, a recruiting firm in November '07 and as of March I was still there and happy and productive. I took over as the General Manager in Nov '08 and started the healthcare division with a great partner. Things were settled and as peaceful as my life gets.....then March rolls along and my draw gets cut in half. For those non-sales folk I was 100% commission and getting paid up front for the future commissions I would earn since I had been doing well I had a big draw but once the whole office was coming out of my paycheck it wasn't enough ergo the reduction.


As happy as I was there that ripped the loyalty card in half for me and I think started my partner to worry. He has a family to support so he took a job back in his former profession. I couldn't blame him at all and that left me all alone in the office. I am a social creature and need some kinda stimulation during the day (lord if that ain't the truth!!) so I got bored. Bored plus broke means Tracey gets into trouble.....


So I put out some feelers and started kicking some tires of new opportunities. I had a couple of interviews with former clients and started getting some offers. If I, as a professional recruiter, can't land myself a gig what the hell good am I right? Well I was close to deciding on one offer when outta the blue a former co-worker called and asked if I knew anyone who knew healthcare and could develop new business.....that's kinda my sweet spot so I called her and asked her to tell me more. We talked and I ended up going in and speaking with the CEO. The company is a high level healthcare consulting firm and the CEO is amazingly talented (and British which I love, everything sounds better with a British accent....if you don't believe me drop everything and go and watch the entire series of Absolutely Fabulous a BBC series sweetie dahling). She wanted me to come onboard right away and take over the recruiting division which she plans to spin off into its own division. The cool thing to me was the potential to also learn the consulting side of healthcare so I agreed to take on the position.


That was a Tuesday. On Wednesday I quit TriStaff which I thought would mean the office would close. My boss went from we're closing to, interview this temp while we decide to, I hired a temp to, we are staying open and the temp is perm and she is going to sit in Phoenix but recruit for CA and btw did I mention I am driving out and will be there tomorrow- all in a 10 min period....so not kidding about that! So Thursday he is there and I transition everything and the new place wants me to start on Monday because there is a big medical conference they want me at on Tuesday and Wednesday BUT I tell Jason (at TriStaff) that I will do what he needs. So he goes from wanting me to work Monday then come back Thursday and Friday to just Monday to on Friday having me come in late then we go out for lunch and him telling me after lunch he is done with me and to just go (he was being funny and kidding- kinda, either way I left).


:::are you dizzy yet?:::::::


So I wrap up on Friday and start the shiny new job on Monday. I don't have email or access to the database so I busy myself getting ready for the big conference the next day. I do that, check. Then get up at the crack o dawn on Tuesday and Wednesday to spend a grueling day(s) at this event talking to docs....not really knowing what to say mind you cuz its only my second day and no one has told me anything about anything and most everyone thinks I am there to do marketing which is -so- not my bag.


::::::Oh- fun side note....saw a few former co-workers at this event and got the oh-so fun BIG jaw dropping reaction at seeing me. Which is just cool.::::::::


Ok, so at this event blah blah and then I am off on Thursday and Friday (I know Jason was gonna have me work those days in the OG plan but as you can tell he changes his mind A LOT so I never bothered to remind him that I had those days off no matter what) because Toni and Dave are in town for vay-kay and Rapport.


:::::nother side note- they are still all bright and shiny from their PC high. New grads are soooo cute::::::


So have the family in town (which the details of is a whole separate blog) then drop them off this past Monday am on the way into the office (good god, was it just this week???). Get into the office and my recruiter gets sick and is out all week leaving me to follow up on everything. There is NO discernible order to anything. No notes, nothing in the database,no contact info for anyone. Nothing. So I spend all this week trying to put together -some- kind of system to make things trackable. My boss is hella pissed about the mess but pleased as punch that I am fixing it.


Then the phone rings on Thursday.


It is my former partner and he tells me he is recruiting me and pretty much won't take no for an answer and I need to talk to his new boss right away. Because he asked me to I would do just about anything for him so I called and spoke to his boss who was a super cool guy. He asked if I could come see them and I told him I could fake losing a limb and probably swing by Friday am (this morning). In the meantime I find out 2 other former co-workers have or are about to come onboard. So I go in this morning and am VERY impressed by the office and the energy and all around its a good vibe. I have a very good convo with the boss man and then I talk to one of the other partners. He is super zen and mellow and at one point he just asks....so when are you starting? I was like....ummm, did I miss the part where there was an offer made? He said we haven't made you an offer yet? Let's fix that and bada-bing I was made an offer. Now the convo I had with them the day before I threw out a pretty big (for me) number for what it would take to get me since I wasn't looking to move. He said that was no problem and didn't flinch a bit (damn, shoulda asked for more). Little did he know that is was a huge chunk more than what I am getting now.


So I head back to the office to wait for the offer letter (always get it in writing before you do anything kids....lesson from me to you) and start dreading tell my brand new boss I am out. I get the letter around 3 and a call from my now new boss welcoming me onboard all excited to have landed me. I weigh out when I am gonna give my notice and how much notice I am gonna give. I wait until after 5 and tell my boss I am not going to be staying and giving a week's notice.


Her first reaction is to literally collapse on her desk sobbing. Then she collects herself and offers to MATCH MY NEW OFFER and offer me 20% of the company in a partnership agreement over the next year.


Are you kidding me??


So that is where we are boys and girls. I am going to meet with my current boss and the other partner to disucss the new counteroffer and partnership on Monday......and mind you ALL of this has happened in the last 2ish weeks and add my family's visit PLUS a trip to Vegas ontop. Not to mention that the month started off with my Grandma passing away.....


Seriously? Where is the pause button?


On the upside.....it's nice to be wanted :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I've been gone all weekend and just got to read the details. OMG!!! Congratulations?!?!?! Can't wait to hear what you decide : )

Jessica Cotton Petty