Reasonably Content

The first few moves of my three-pronged assault have been made. I'm gradually being shifted into a design role on the project that I was angling for when I first considered this move. It's too early to tell how this gambit will impact my career, but it has had an immediate impact on how I feel about my job. It's given me a challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate my skills. That's what I really wanted when I started looking at other career opportunities. With my reputation established in the analytical labs, I'm left to take care of what needs to be done without too much interference. I like the autonomy, but that autonomy has come with more anonymity. I'm just doing what's expected. My skills are taken for granted. Working with a design team presents a fresh opportunity to demonstrate what separates me from my peers.

This assignment also gives me an opportunity to gain more experience in the area of the industry that is ripe for growth. I want to make this my niche. While I was hard on myself about the interview a few weeks ago, that trip did provide the industry intelligence that I was looking for when I starting floating my resume to various recruiters. I needed to find an aspect of the industry that requires technical skills but also offers opportunities to get closer to the customer. I've found a role that provides this opportunity.

My complaints about the quality of my projects still apply, I would much rather be working on something a little more cutting edge, but I've made peace with my role in the organization. I've also come to accept that I'll be working on what other people think is important for a while. Getting the job done is the only way that I'll get to a point where I can have a bigger influence in the culture and strategy of an organization. Pouting about it won't put me in the mindset required to achieve my maximum impact in my present role.