Last November (Y2004) while in Portland on a short-term assignment, I made up my mind to leave Seattle for good and to experience ‘big city life’ in either SF or NYC. I thought NYC was too intimidating and chose SF instead. After several job interviews and the lengthy internal firm transfer process, I announced to Seattle office that I was leaving.
All this time, I was debating between NY and SF, and I remember telling my family and friends that ‘only if I could get a temp assignment to NYC to try it out. And yeah, like it will happen.’
Must be destiny, an hour after I made the announcement to the entire firm about my transferring, I got a firm-wide email about this ‘temp assignment to NYC’. It’s gotta be a joke, I remember thinking that. I thought I shouldn’t say anything since I’ve made the announcement about my transfer, and related personnel from both office have put in so much time dealing with my tranfser paperwork. Luckily a coworker came by, and she encouraged me to speak up. She said, ‘who cares! maybe your boss will like this arrangement better since you’re still in her group and she can take all the credit of the extra hours you work in NY!’
I gathered enough guts to tell my HR mgr. And a few days later, here I am, in NYC! Heart of Manhattan for 3 months, everything paid for!!!! I totally postponed my SF idea. It turned out my coworker was right. My boss was more than happy to hear that since I’m still under her ‘headcount’ when i’m sent to NY from Seattle, instead of being given to the SF partners.
The morale of the long, boring story? ALWAYS EXPRESS WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR MIND! YOU NEVER KNOW IF IT MIGHT TURN OUT BETTER.
