My Job

I was reading through my older blog posts this morning, and I realized that I never gave an update on my job. As you know, I was offered the VTEU position, and I originally accepted it. The last post I wrote on the subject had me waiting to hear back from H.R. about what my final salary would be. I never got a chance to hear.

Had I not been offered the job, the original expectation was that I was going to be Acting Program Manager of the Malaria Section starting in November, when my supervisor went out on maternity leave. She was going to be out for 12 weeks.

God had other plans. The same day I was going to break the news about my new job to my boss, my supervisor went out on emergency bed rest. (This was back in August) I was honest with my boss, telling him that I was conflicted. On one hand, I was presented with a great opportunity that I didn't want to pass up. On the other hand, I didn't want to abandon him and the Malaria Section during a difficult time.

He ended up giving me an offer to stay. He was aware that I would be making $48,000 as the new VTEU Coordinator. He offered to give me $45,000 starting immediately, and in 6 months, as long as I handled the duties of Acting Program Manager well, I would be promoted and make $50,000. I decided to stay, and I told our Department Administrator that I couldn't accept the Coordinator position.

The very next day, my boss said, "I offered you something we can't actually do. We can't promote you 6 months from now. It will have to be in September 2011." It was too late to do anything because I had already declined the other offer. Definitely a little disappointing.

But to summarize....I am still an Administrative Assistant in the Malaria Section. I am also Acting Program Manager, and will continue to be at least until January. One of my new friends in the CVD is helping me to update my resume. Right now, I am selling myself as an Administrative Assistant. I need to be selling myself more as a Manager. Otherwise, I won't be getting any requests for interviews for management positions.

Hopefully this post explains why I have said recently that I will begin job searching soon. Because I am still exactly where I've been for the past two years. Nothing has changed.