Retrospective, Two

"Katie?" she asked when I stepped in the small room and wrinkled my nose. I shook her hand, smiled warmly and immediately asked if she wanted to go walk around. When she declined, I sat down across the table, smiled again and asked how she was doing.

In three years as a post-doc, I participated in exactly zero interviews. I rather like talking to candidates - I'm easy and I like to think I offer a pleasant break from the tougher questions and discussions. So I was thrilled to get an email request to talk to someone after just two months. It made me feel like part of the team! Important! Like my opinion counted! So I pranced across our campus at my assigned time, folder in hand with a CV inside, and met with a young woman just finishing grad school.

"I've only been here two months," I confided, beginning to chatter while I admired how composed and alert she looked after a full day of meetings. I was more rumpled than she, tugging at the hem of my pink sweater and adjusting the strap on my black shoes. I led my first major meeting this morning, making good progress and feeling good about the experience. I participated in two other gatherings, wrote a presentation for later this week and went for an afternoon coffee with a colleague.

Interviewee asked about the transition and I grinned. "I'm so happy," I told her, leaning forward as if I was sharing a cool secret. "I don't know that it's for everyone, but it was such a good move for me." So we talked about the environment and goals, the differences from academia and the amazing people with whom I work and she'd met. She asked some questions and I elaborated greatly when replying - offering her time to sit back and rest, though she stayed focused and interested the entire time.

I finally asked a few questions of my own, laughing over shared graduate struggles and talking through some decision points on why I wanted my job and why she wants the one we advertised.

"I hope you find something that works for you," I said sincerely, shaking her hand warmly when our time was up and her next appointment arrived.

"I'm glad you found something you love," she offered and I paused to smile a bit more brightly at her.

"Me too," I replied after a moment. "And thank you."

I don't know if the meds are kicking in or if I'm relieved about my progress that I noted on my graph today (I need them for my biweekly meetings with Adam), but I felt truly content today. And given a month that included closing on two houses, settling into my new home and making time to stay reasonably caught up at work, that seemed like quite the blessing.