Five Years
Over the weekend while I was busy celebrating other things I hit my five year anniversary working at Steelcase.
In that time I’ve worked in two different roles, reported to four different bosses--including my favorite boss of all time, made lots of really great friends and traveled (for work) to Cleveland, New York, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Boston, D.C., Chicago and Strasbourg, France.
Since starting at Steelcase I got engaged, got and gave up a dog, bought a house, got a new car, got married, got pregnant, had a baby, and bought a new house.
Within the last five years I was in a major car accident with coworkers (right after my first year), saw a new CEO take power, had a huge hand in launching a new website/platform, was rewarded for crazy hard work with a big off-schedule salary raise, was in a work photoshoot, switched to work in a different building on campus, left for a 12-week maternity leave, made a fool of myself in front of said new CEO at least twice and have a handful of stagnant periods of less thrilling and less challenging work, too.
I’ve switched my career focus/path. I’ve never had a desk of my own. I’ve gone by two different names/email handles when changing names post wedding.
I had been working professionally for three years before I took the job at Steelcase and within my five years here I’ve learned the most in terms of skills, professionalism and have felt the most confident in my contributions to work and how I want to grow career wise.
Five working years doesn’t really feel that long until I think about all that it’s happened through it. I’ve worked hard and have gotten lucky I think in equal amounts. I can’t imagine what I’ll report back at my 10 year anniversary, but I bet it’s going to be great.
In that time I’ve worked in two different roles, reported to four different bosses--including my favorite boss of all time, made lots of really great friends and traveled (for work) to Cleveland, New York, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Boston, D.C., Chicago and Strasbourg, France.
Since starting at Steelcase I got engaged, got and gave up a dog, bought a house, got a new car, got married, got pregnant, had a baby, and bought a new house.
Within the last five years I was in a major car accident with coworkers (right after my first year), saw a new CEO take power, had a huge hand in launching a new website/platform, was rewarded for crazy hard work with a big off-schedule salary raise, was in a work photoshoot, switched to work in a different building on campus, left for a 12-week maternity leave, made a fool of myself in front of said new CEO at least twice and have a handful of stagnant periods of less thrilling and less challenging work, too.
I’ve switched my career focus/path. I’ve never had a desk of my own. I’ve gone by two different names/email handles when changing names post wedding.
I had been working professionally for three years before I took the job at Steelcase and within my five years here I’ve learned the most in terms of skills, professionalism and have felt the most confident in my contributions to work and how I want to grow career wise.
Five working years doesn’t really feel that long until I think about all that it’s happened through it. I’ve worked hard and have gotten lucky I think in equal amounts. I can’t imagine what I’ll report back at my 10 year anniversary, but I bet it’s going to be great.