The last week has streamed past in a blur. Last Friday night, E-chan and I were left on our own as C-chan had a wanky law retreat (roughly his words there). E-chan picked that night to get a cold. I managed it OK and calmly, as you have to when you are on your own. The cold has dragged on now, and developed into a chesty cough and icky eye. He and his dad had a blokes day at home together on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, but not really much fun as they were both feeling below average. I think I got the cold fleetingly, but seemed to have only had it mildly and kicked it by Monday.
And Monday was the big first day at work!! At first I was worrying - they think that 3 days in the office may not be enough, and I worried about what they had to do to accomodate me doing this. But as the day went on, I realised they hired me with their eyes open, wanted me for 75% of my job experience, and are prepared to review the situation after a few months. And by review, I get the feeling we might either employ another person part time to do some things on my "days off", or get someone else in the unit to formally cover the part of my job that needs someone there in the office all the time. Part of my job is being an EA to my boss, the other part is being a Program Manager - the latter being more along the lines of my past work.
So I think it is a pretty good job. Much of what I'll need to do I can do easily, I just need to familiarise myself with a new research area and new people. This is the first time I have taken a job that hasn't stretched me far at first, and I think that was the right decision (not that I had heaps of choice!). It's a bit strange to be someone's EA. Interesting to see how someone at that level has to delegate lowly stuff to be effective, but also the hours and travel they have to put in. Possibly something for me to absorb and use 15 or so years down the track, if I ever feel like/am capable of a high flying job. It's also bizarre to find myself in the medical world. It's interesting to be in the area of health policy development, with people beavering away at strategies to reduce chronic disease incidence.
I know it's all very important, but I'd be suprised if I end up staying in health research. I've always felt that health research gets all the glamour in the research funding world (research, as opposed to the actual funding of hospitals), and money thrown at it by governments and anyone else who has had someone close die of cancer for example, while other worthy and important causes struggle to get the funding and recognition they deserve. But I do find the policy development side interesting.
My new boss is a pro. She knows how to work effectively at a very high level, and delegates and manages better than anyone else I've encountered so far in my sector. She's had kids (albeit 30 or so years ago), and seems sympathetic to the needs of someone working part time with a family. I think I saw her having a cranky day yesterday, and that wasn't so bad. I actually heard her say "go home, your family is more important" to one of the other people in my unit who works part time. A few people I work with also work part time, which is a relief (I'm not the only one!), and I find myself in a female only unit! That's a first for me!
Went to a staff meeting yesterday, and the head of the Institute (not my boss) is very fond of exploring analogies whilst talking ("...throwing a frying pan into the fire, but not adding vegetable oil to fuel it, then taking it out before it gets too hot and cooking something else..."). Some of them (e.g. frying pan) went on for a few minutes! But importantly, the meeting only lasted an hour or so, had excellent cake, was mostly concerned with research and communication of it, and didn't digress into a complaining session, which is a good indication of job satisfaction in the Institute.
So thumbs up so far.
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