Building a new career - why?

Construction zone. Photo by Ralph

Building my future is imperative, says I. Yet, attention as to what move to make is harder to ascertain. Perhaps I need to review the positives of the part-time position I hold. I am a Transition Coordinator (TC), working for a (non-profit) contractor to the state. I am to help people transition from nursing homes by setting up transition teams to work all the issues. 

Click to enlarge

To make sense of it, I am posting the formal job description (above). Admittedly, I have been unable to achieve the transition goals stated - given that I work 18 hours, the goals may not be achievable. 


What is not said anywhere in the description is the the TC really has most of the responsibilities - but zero real-world authority. Too many anecdotes to list in one post, but should any other party (state social workers, nursing facility personnel, other care plan agencies and state workers) fail, the TC is the point person for those failures. 


Working in the jet engine machined parts business in the past, all parts were carefully engineered to avoid a single point of failure. As a TC, I am considered that single point. (Never did I consider that similar design flaws existed between the aerospace and non-profit business models...)


I will be involved in a discharge tomorrow, Sept. 8, 14 and 27. To be involved in helping people being discharged from nursing facilities (places I do not care for much) can have its own rewards. I like the consumers for the most part, but the other players so often erode any satisfaction there may be.


Am I being negative? There is a probability of that. However, I am thinking beyond this position. I would be happier if all the players had the same sense of urgency about the discharge as the TC’s in this state all do. And they really do - alone, it seems.


I have to make a change!

Long term planning - sort of

In my part-time position I work as a transition coordinator to assist persons being discharged from nursing homes. Basically I have to keep all the disparate elements focused on the goal of the discharge - be they state personnel, facility personnel and so on.

Emphasis needed. Photo by Patti

Today I was swamped with one woman who must be discharged on September 8. Busy afternoon, after about 15 different e-mails in regards to this case. I guess I haven’t been thinking about my transition today, as time to think (straight) was in short supply. So the thinking is going like this - I like the consumers that I have been assigned, the process and I differ as to what is effective vs. the process that exists...




I think that I have a sense that payment terms from the state to their contractors may be delayed due to the budget deficit issues in the state I live in. So payments may slow substantially - would my break occur if operating cash at my employer runs low. Therefore, my long term goals remain as before, my smarts to lead the way. Or at least I hope so... 

Indecision should be harder than making a decision

The title seems perfectly true - however, the inverse is often the reality. It is Sunday, and I need to go to the office and visit a consumer tomorrow. I want to break away, but as I dither, nothing has yet been decided on the October 1 by any party. I said I would reconsider, and I did. I really want to move out of the project that funds my part-time position. I would have no problem with being a part of this non-profit, although I know that there is probably no funding source for anything else.

Ah, guilt shows up on occasion, too. Co-workers would have to take up the slack, and consumers I have would have to be reassigned to others. Would I be running out on co-workers irresponsibly? Naturally, it is a selfish move, but is that bad?? What about me, should I be preeminent in my moves, or accede to other people and entities? 

Do I hit the ball hard and miss the hole, or hit it softly and not make it? Likewise, should I stay (the easier course) or move on (fraught with some peril)? Photo by Cam  

I need to contact the one who (sort of) rejected my resignation - and we have to make decisions. I need to make the first move, as I do not want to keep hanging on without making a decision on my future...

Driving a wedge?

I missed a couple of days, my part-time job requiring a bit of actual busy work, that took up blogging time :>(

Much of this time was spent driving to various sites in a far-flung territory. I am working with consumers in the Connecticut towns/cities of Middletown (40 miles from home and/or the office) and Norwalk (30 miles fro each) in some of the toughest traffic on earth, I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. It’s not that I am adverse to driving per se, but I have amassed 6,000 miles on my 2008 Grand Caravan wheelchair van since March. Even if the work miles are reimbursed, this van has to last at least as my previous Ford, which was donated to a non-profit with twelve years and 158,000 miles. I do not wish to wear out this vehicle at a 15K per year

The (unnamed) governmental entity I work with makes it hard to understand how anything gets done on that level. If (unnamed) personnel are to be at an important meeting, sometimes the meeting may have to be postponed because their local office doesn’t have a state car available to make the trip. No car available? Surely not their own…I wouldn’t mind having a company car with other entities (taxpayers) are paying me to drive. I utilize my employer’s general liability when on the job. I thought everyone else did.

No state car available. Important people missing events because no car is available? That is irritating.

Not to knock government, but it seems that process matters most - not necessarily outcomes. Perhaps not in reality, but appearances speak quite loudly…

Spam to the left, spam to the right

The search continues. Photo by Patti

I recently created an ad on craigslist for a position wanted for myself. Interestingly, I received the following reply, which is spam. Why I chose not to continue is the syntax, as the structure and text is not American English. But where from: India? Bahamas? Jamaica? Or perhaps the place of Mass scams, Nigeria. I see many oddities, can anyone else?

ATTN: Sequel to your resume on (Craigslist.org),your resume have been reviewed by our company (------ ---- Inc) and our hiring officer will like to conduct an online interview with you to discuss more about the Job Position that you are yet to occupy. Set Up a Screen name with the Yahoo Instant Messenger or if you have a yahoo or msn or hotmail, you can use it and add up Mrs Mcjenny Mayne:  On Comprehensive online training shall be provided as this is work from home.

I am not used to adding up anybody, and the name of the contact? Thanks, but no thanks…Opportunities exist, and in general I like craigslist, but really, I don't speak their style of English, and thus will skip the reply...