Settling into New Job

So here I am, a week and two days into my new job just some 15 miles from here.

Week before last was a blur as I prepared for my new position as the advertising executive at the Jackson Progress Argus (JPA). I had a wonderful weekend full of work and celebrated Sunday with friends and family at the pool, in the rain.

Sunday night I got my “professional” clothes all ready and laid down to rest. Little did I know that I was so wired from either the great day or the anticipation of a new job that I got little sleep Sunday night.

Monday at the job was great as well. I already knew most of the daily doings as I did those here in this office, but had to learn an entirely new process of writing up advertising orders.

It turns out that there is a lot of back and forth over at the JPA, as they have a creative team that designs the ads on the computer for you.

This is different from taking mine or the customers ideas and putting them into an eye catching display in the grey and white newspaper pages to intrigue the reader to want to do business, shop, invest, get automobile maintenance, etc.

So basically I mock up a rough draft and then I send it over to the creative department to generate a “proof” to show the customer and then changes are made, as many times as necessary until both sides get it right.

This was a bit of a change but nothing I can’t handle.

I have to admit though, that the office over in Jackson is a bit like it is here—small in size and in staff members. There are writers that bring in columns and e-mail features. There are familiar faces and weekly contributors that come in and out.

I do the same job in Jackson as I did here throughout the week. I sit at the front desk, take ads, articles and wait on the public when they come in.

It’s very familiar.

What I do have to admit is that change is scary in any situation. I lucked up by having the opportunity to apply for and being awarded this job. I had been looking to widen my horizons for some time, yet didn’t look too seriously because I own a house here in Monticello.

I knew that I didn’t want to move and still have my house here, so I wasn’t too aggressive on the job hunt.

I also wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in a new job. I have come to like writing a lot, especially when I get to read a lot too.

I tend to be pretty good at most of the jobs that I do, but wanted to focus on people and anything that allowed me to be more social.

In Monticello, we work closely with Jackson as we share some of the advertisers being that Butts Co. is our neighbor, and a number of our advertisers benefit from those at Jackson Lake which Monticello and Jackson share.

Brenda worked at the JPA for the last 25 years or more, and I learned that she would be retiring at the end of June. I took the initiative to apply for her position seeing it as a step in the right direction, close to home, and an opportunity to learn.

Learn I have.

My first week has shown me personal potential that I can use to make me better in this business…and yes, it’s only been a week.

I can’t wait to continue this journey. I’ll keep you all updated here in the coming months.

Until then I have to say thank you to Mr. David Wease for his lovely complimentary letter last week, as well as all of those that tell me how much they enjoy this column. I appreciate your praises and will continue to do these columns along with other writing in the future.