New Job, Career, Life

Glenn had been in the High Tech Industry for 10 years.  Many years it was great.  Towards the end it was a little frustrating for him. An inability to move into positions he felt more suitable for him never materialized. There were major layoffs happening in the Summer of 2011.  Glenn would always say how he hoped and prayed he would get laid off with a severance instead of being forced into quitting by a complete unhappiness with the direction, or lack thereof, his career was headed. 

I was making the kids pancakes when Glenn came downstairs and told me "I am done".  

I was completely in shock.  I couldn't believe that the life we'd had, the job, the stability, the paycheck, the health coverage, was over just like that.

I went to bed that night thinking 'I should be homeless instead of sleeping in my king size bed'.  Isn't that what happens to people without jobs?

I knew Glenn was unhappy.  I knew it was inevitable that his career was going to change.  It just stands to reason that when you're miserable in a job they don't lay you off.  Murphy's law or something like that.  Yes he wanted a change, but it still stung. 

For a few months he joked that he was retired.  But severances don't last forever, and pretty soon he was in full on job search mode.  A small dream in the back of his head was to go into law enforcement.  He went for it and was soon in the thick of the application process, which in law enforcement means picking apart your entire life, friends and family.  No stone is left uncovered.  Every bad choice you ever made is put on the table.  Luckily for Glenn he has always been an upstanding guy and had nothing to hide.

During this time he also started a successful Construction Management Company with a good friend.

Months went by.  Then a year.  Glenn went for interviews, meetings, was turned down, more applications, tests, physicals, tons of paperwork, and round and round it went.

Last month, after almost 2 years of this process, Glenn was hired by the San Diego Sheriffs department.

When he was laid off from Cisco he said "I'll never work in High Tech again".  Apparently he meant it.

He is excited beyond belief to be entering into a career where he will interact with others.  Do good.  Be physical.  Better his community.

I think it's a perfect fit for Glenn.  He decided to follow his heart with this career, and at 40 years old he made it.

He has spent more time than a supermodel getting his hair cut, recut, shorter, shaved.  Workouts have been stepped up, uniforms washed, ironed, folded.  Shoes shined till they're mirrors, gear in order,  making room in his closet for a ton of new work clothes, and of course mentally preparing for this new career ahead of him.

Heraclitus is credited with saying "The only thing that is constant is Change".

I concur.