I suppose we all reach points in our careers where we wonder what it is we really want to do. It seems likely that we also similarly run into times when we wonder what it is we do in our daily jobs and if there are ways to make that dreary existence just a little sunnier. I know I've been facing thoughts like that for the past several months. Luckily for me, I'm being given an opportunity to propose refinements to my role, hopefully with an eye toward sustaining my employment with AOL, maybe even beyond the Summer 2008 limit we've identified in living in this region.
Behind the motto "Research - Application - Innovation" I have identified 6 tenets within my proposal that encapsulate my hopes in a redefined role. Following is a listing of those tenets with a brief sentence or two explaining what it means.
Tenet #1: Flexible Work Environment. I'm a "play by the rules" kind of guy. In an environment where there are strict rules, this can become stifling. Co-workers are able to bend the rules without problems, but I am personally and ethically bound not to do so. This tenet seeks to address that issue.
Tenet #2: The Office of Special Projects Approach. I hope to be very selective in my work, proactively identifying interesting work, and then allocating time to work on it. This tenet also speaks to getting out of "dumped on" mode so that I can serialize work, focusing on projects with minimized disruption.
Tenet #3: Outreach. I like working with people. I also firmly believe that it's important to take an infosec message to the masses.
Tenet #4: Increased Visibility. How many people know that AOL has one of the strongest security departments around? Time to showcase that talent, getting some white papers out there into the community, presenting ideas and findings, etc.
Tenet #5: Creating a Niche, Building a Legacy. I have an identified limit of Summer 2008 for living in this region. If this experiment works, I'd very much like to continue it pass that limit. I'd also like to ensure that my work is not in vain.
Tenet #6: Supplement Assurance Program. This is the most functional of the tenets, giving a nod to the need to continue contributing to our existing work load, despite being freed significantly to be a dreamer.
Overall, I hope to create a new role that allows me to have more fun, be more creative, and work in a manner that better fits my natural life rhythm. More fun means solving interesting problems, I think, more than anything else. 'Twill be interesting to see how this proposal is received. I've written it into a formal, formatted document, complete with executive summary. The goal here is to show how seriously I take this proposal and demonstrate how much thought has been put into it.
