Anybody who knows me, knows that I intentionally keep lines of communication open, sniffing about for new opportunities that might provide that next step in my career. I've been in my current role for a little over three years, am generally satisfied, but am also ready for something different, even if just by making some changes internally.
Last week I turned down one opportunity because it was with a local company that has a poor reputation. On the other hand, another opportunity popped up that sounds quite intriguing and could provide a nice vehicle to the future. As of today, I've been told that I'll be submitted for the gig this week, so we'll see what happens.
Now, out of the blue, I was contacted by an org that I had interviewed with last Summer (June, per my notes). I never heard from again after the interview; well, until today. The interview hadn't seemed to go very well and I didn't leave with a good vibe, which is somewhat unusual for me. While I generally feel definitive after interviews, this one just seemed flat and non-committal. Well, it now turns out that I should have heard from the recruiter that yes, they liked me, but no, they couldn't hire me due to requirements for the position (clearance, etc.) that I simply didn't meet.
Enter today... random email from the hiring manager asking me about my status... my response of "still here, but looking to move in about 18 months, not overly keen on a federal gig." This evening we spoke by phone, and now I am meeting with his team first thing Wednesday morning.
I'm, of course, apprehensive. I'm not overly interested in dealing with the feds as everything I've heard places their pace between glacial and evolutionary. In this case, I asked, and was told this agency team in particular moves faster than average, but still, I have to wonder. The opportunity itself is somewhat interesting as the project is very high profile and could provide a way to contribute in a meaningful way to US society. Or maybe not. With the government, there's always that strong risk of being the laughing stock.
So, we'll see what transpires and go from there. If nothing else, I'm generally fine with my current job and so not required to sacrifice satisfaction for dissatisfaction.
