I have started a new job! I haven’t left my graduate scheme, I have taken the opportunity to work somewhere else, for experience. So, I left my original company, to do a different job at a different company to improve my skill set. I’m only going for 6 months, and it’s with my original employers permission. However, my story of changing jobs is interesting to tell.
I do not have any pictures of my work. My graduate job is against personal images, and I haven’t checked with the new role yet.
Why am I doing it?
Not every graduate scheme offers this opportunity. Mine offers a 6-12 month secondment, to experience a different part of the company or industry. This allows me to gain more skills so early on in my employment journey. Normally, it’s advised you move jobs every couple of years, to allow skills development, and growth. Having spent 12 months on my scheme, it felt like a good time to do something completely different.
How did I do this?
Depending on the industry, applying for a secondment is different. My industry is very stringent with rules, so I started planning this role 6 months ago.
I started off by asking my manager and network for places to find Project Management roles. I wanted to see what it was like, being involved in bench science, meant I had minimal leading experience. As long as certain conditions were met, my company was happy to let me go.
I did a shortlist of all project management roles available, and chose who I wanted to go with. It’s not just them interviewing me, I had to interview them too. I had some paperwork to go through, which took me literal months to get completed. It got kind of stressful at some points, like dragging myself through clay. It’s really hard to push paper work through HR and high level individuals. My contract was finally completed 1 week before my proposed start date.
What am I doing now?
So, my normal day job consists of reading and writing reports, using data analysis to assist my industry’s performance and safety practises. I also liaise with many people in academics and outside the company, and play a central role, in bringing those links into my company’s department. Collaboration is key in any industry, so I am pretty crucial for allowing further branching in my department.
Now, I left that for 6 months, to do project management for my industry. I’m hoping to use my organisational skills, to help direct groups within the industry, to improve the skills management. It’s a pilot project for the new company I’m working for, and the hope is that what I complete, will be repeatable in the future when I leave, and have an influence on the industry as a whole. So, again an impactful job role.
How do I feel?
I am really excited for this role. From this blog post, I have only been working for 1 week, but I am having fun, and I enjoying the work so far. We’ll see my progress in the future months.
It was weird leaving my current role. I had to make sure I left projects at a reasonable point to either finish off when I get back, or for anyone else to continue whilst I’m away. I am doing work which is completely different to my day job, which gives me variety, and so far I’m enjoying it.
Moral of my story:
- Interview them as well as them interviewing you- It’s not just one way, they will be liable for you, so you need to feel safe and comfortable with the idea of them, as well as them relying on you for work.
- A little variety doesn’t hurt- If you find a job that you want to keep doing until you retire, then that’s fine. Not all of us are lucky enough to find that early on, so explore what’s out there!
- Be prepared- No matter how many times people say “It’s fine” “It will get done” “Be patient”. DON’T LISTEN! Push for it, don’t wait for them, because not every industry is on top of their timings. Be prepared.
