Late August 2024, I was given an amazing opportunity to work in another business area doing a Developmental Job Assignment (DJA). It came from an unlikely person from my past. I met her years ago at work and we became friends but had a falling out (of which I still don't understand fully on what actually happened) but we worked it out. She asked me if I wanted to do a DJA with her unit and without even thinking or hearing the rest of it, I blurted out, yes! I told her the only hang up would be getting my supervisor to agree to it. She said she would get some paperwork together and set up a meeting with my supervisor. I told her that I appreciated her thinking of me and thanked her for calling me.
My mind literally exploded and I was jazzed the rest of the day. I was getting a chance to try something different! I was excited to see where this went and the new skills I would learn along the way. I was not excited about bringing this up to my supervisor, but I had to bite the bullet and get it over with.
I met with my supervisor the following week, and she did not sound that excited about it but somehow, I said the right combination of words. She said she would consider it and meet with the potential DJA supervisor and the program manager. I crossed my fingers that everything went well.
Everything went well except a few bizarre things that were said during their meeting. I got the great news and all we had to do now is sign the paperwork and agree to a start date. I would be doing my actual job in the morning and then after lunch my DJA work, Monday through Friday. I was to go into the office on Thursdays. I was stoked this was actually happening!
My first day was October 14th and my DJA supervisor eased me into everything since I had no prior experience with anything that program area had to offer. I was going to be exposed to a lot of stuff and I was! The unit was months behind on just about everything. A lot of changes happened to the unit since 2020, and it was slowly recovering. I was brought on board during a weird time, and I was able to help bring the unit to a reasonable turnaround. Between the four of us (until one of the gals left in January), then there were three, we got a lot of work done.
Each piece I was given, I tried to learn as much as I could about it. I asked questions, I double checked to make sure I was doing it correctly, I asked for help if I came to a roadblock and I even asked other people in the other units we worked with for advice. My DJA supervisor kept giving me more challenging things to do but keeping it within the parameters of our paperwork. I felt like I was positively contributing to the team.
I was only supposed to stay until the end of January, but my supervisor asked me if I wanted to extend it out to March 31st. I thought it was weird because she was adamant about the end of January when she originally spoke to the DJA supervisor and the program manager. I agreed. Of course, I wanted this opportunity to go as long as possible.
Sadly, all good things come to an end. I was with my DJA team for 96 working days, and it really did end on March 31st. I had this to say:
"Today marked day 96, making it the conclusion of my DJA, working from home, in my sweatpants. I believe it is a fantastic program for many reasons - each experience depends on what the three parties agree upon (length, money, scheduling, etc.)
This opportunity allows business areas in need to educate potential candidates about their work. At the same time, it gives candidates a chance to explore the field without fully committing to a job. It's a low-risk experience that offers valuable exposure to the work, collaboration, and integration with a new team.
Participants can gain new skills, learn new programs and expand their professional network. If positions are available, there's even a potential for advancement. Essentially, it serves as a working interview to assess the fit. And if it doesn't work out or isn't the right fit, there's no harm, no foul - you return to your job with additional experience for the future. I believe everyone should experience it if they find themselves needing a change or wanting to try something different.
I actually had a conversation with someone about this a few months ago and we both agreed - it's a great way to see if you want to actually work there.
I created an exit report, a daily schedule of what I worked on and a list of my pending items. At the end of the day, I had a quick chat with my DJA supervisor. I hope to learn more in the future.
I appreciate everyone who put the time, effort and the patience into making this happen for me. I learned a lot about stuff I didn't know, put it into practice and was able to refresh my memory on stuff I used to do many years ago."
I felt a little lost that first full day back at my old job because I was going back to not having enough to do. However, earlier that month, a job opening in that unit came along and I applied for it. I was nervous that I wouldn't get the job even though, I just finished doing a part of it for the last five months. I mean, there could be better candidates than me that also applied for the job. I submitted my application, resume and cover letter after working on it for several months and having a few people look over it. I'd say, I had a pretty good chance, but nothing was guaranteed.
What seemed like immediately, I got an email from human resources, letting me know that my materials made the cut and they were being pushed through to the supervisor to look over. I knew it would take a couple days to look all of them over to select who was going to move onto the interview process. I hoped that I would get an interview. Near the end of the week, I was notified that I was selected for an interview and was directed to go and pick a slot for the next week.
Everything about my being went into anxious mode and it stayed until I was contacted whether or not I got the job. It was on my mind all the time. I had a hard time relaxing to go to sleep. As the interview got closer and closer, it got worse and worse. I listened to podcasts in the park as I walked off my nervous energy...it helped a little, sort of. While I wasn't working making dinner or sleeping, I worked on interview questions and came up with answers to just about anything they could ask me. The day before the interview, I was out of my mind and wanted it to get it done and over with. It was slowly eating away at me. I couldn't prepare for it anymore.
The day of my interview was difficult. It was hard to focus on my job and I got distracted easily. I called Ben's mom for some advice and for her to calm me down. She did the best she could, but it was nice that she took the time to talk to me before I put on one of my nice shirts. Yes, this is my first interview since 2018 and my first virtual interview in the comfort of my own home.
I did the best I could during the interview. It was so hard to not let the anxiety get the best of me, but it did. I answered all the questions the best I could and when the interview was over, I criticized myself all day long thinking I could have answered a question differently or I should have said this instead of this. I tormented myself for days. I still went into the office on Thursdays just to see if the DJA supervisor had anything for me to do in the afternoons.
The rest of that month I played seesaw with my emotions. The interview panel had great poker faces when I did see them around the building on Thursdays. There are days I convinced myself that I got the job just to turn around the next day to second guess myself. It was a cruel ongoing battle that finally ended on that last Friday of March. That is another story, but I can tell you that I did get the job and I was looking forward to April 25th, when I start my new career path. I am forever grateful.
Next Adventure: Easter
