I have sent out three applications. Had one interview in a rush. Now I have to wait and see if I will be offered a job and a career path. My hubby also had an interview which he thought had gone well and we are on our toes on their response/decision, too.
It has been full 4 years plus a few months since I had been in this situation. Less desperate this time, perhaps, as I have a job that I probably will not lose if this mid-life career transition attempt does not produce a concrete and desired result. I am faced with an entirely different kind of problem, though. In the event that I do receive an offer (a big IF), how do I go about announcing my departure to the current employer and colleagues. Where I work, people do not leave their jobs easily. In fact, hardly ever! Every permanent staff around has been hired at an age appropriate for his/her career track (technicians were hired when they were 21-23, engineers at 23-26, and researchers at 27-35 years old) and .... well, never left. Most people in my work place have held only one permanent job. I doubt that my decision be incomprehensible to them, but it will come as a surprise, a shock and a burden. As nobody has ever doubted the presence of others around him/her, subconsciously or consciously, we all count on each other's presence a lot. And the hiring process of a new staff member is excruciatingly long and laborious. I have been (and still am, of course) afraid of making many people unhappy and being criticized for betraying their trust.
I thought of transferring the responsibility to someone else... my husband and say that "well he wants to move, so I follow," or flat out lie and say "my family wishes to have me back in the US." But THAT would not be very dignified. Not so long ago, I was advised to meet conflict with dignity. As stupid as it may sound (not the dignity part, but what I am about to write), I take these words to heart. That said, thought of facing and announcing my decision to quit frightens me. So this cookie is an up-lifting one. It maybe saying, and may not be saying, that I will be successful (in getting an offer or two) and people around me will be happy for me. Of course, it maybe saying, and may not be saying that the world around will be brutal toward my success and only my true friends will joy. A warning that this will be a rough ride, but focus on what people who matters to me think and learn to grow thick skin against those who will be disadvantaged from my success. Whatever the correct interpretation (and there probably is no such thing), a success is mine. And since I am so focused lately on a new career opportunity, I just decide that success means a 'job offer'. Let me leave it at that. Got problem with that? I didn't think so.
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