Work
I just realised that it's over a year since I blogged anything at all about work. I've been reluctant to write much because it can be hard to say anything interesting about a job I'm in within the limits of what's appropriate to post publicly, and a private post would be redundant since everyone who can see one would also be hearing other things from me. But enough has happened that I ought to post some kind of update.
In November of last year, I left NWETC/EOS Alliance, where I had worked for almost two years, and joined the staff of Sustainable Seattle. I was brought on board to set up and run a new training program, so really it was a continuation of the type of work I had been doing, though this one is intended to be broader (sustainability in economic and social senses as well as the obvious environmental sense), more local and more personal, with the majority of classes being rather smaller than I had been aiming for in the old job. It's been going quite well, though not unreservedly so.
The good
In November of last year, I left NWETC/EOS Alliance, where I had worked for almost two years, and joined the staff of Sustainable Seattle. I was brought on board to set up and run a new training program, so really it was a continuation of the type of work I had been doing, though this one is intended to be broader (sustainability in economic and social senses as well as the obvious environmental sense), more local and more personal, with the majority of classes being rather smaller than I had been aiming for in the old job. It's been going quite well, though not unreservedly so.
The good
- I had been hankering for some more control over the program I worked on; it's now entirely my domain.
- I have a very good relationship with the executive director, and am mostly self-managing.
- Having moved from being the manager of classes outside the region to running an almost entirely local program, I get to meet many more of the instructors in person and go to all the classes.
- I strongly believe in the mission and work my employer does, and feel privileged to be able to contribute to that.
- Part of this is that I strongly believe in the importance of the aspects of sustainability that are not traditional environmentalism, which were not emphasised in my old job, so it means a lot to me to be able to address those issues as well at work.
- I get to dip my toes into a bunch of other interesting projects.
- I get to walk to work.
- So far, the program's going pretty well, with really good evaluations for the classes we've held so far and monotonic growth in revenues.
- That growth has been at about half the speed I'd hoped for back in November, mainly because I'd underestimated how long it would take to initially get the program off the ground.
- Sustainable Seattle is in a parlous financial state, so I'm effectively on 100% commission - I am earning some money, but if I'm lucky this month will be the first in which it amounts to more than minimum wage, and everyone who works there is in a similar position.
- Our financial problems cause terrible staffing instability, as good people repeatedly get lured away by jobs that can offer steady pay, and more than half of our staff have a second job to pay the bills.
- This staffing instability means that those of us who are full-time have to wear multiple hats; almost everything I've been asked to help out with has been very interesting, but it conflicts with making time to develop the program that can actually pay me.