Today, Lord Malarkey started his new job! The wheels of motion began turning for this change 9 months ago, when Andy left his details with a representative of a new business when he was attending a veterinary conference in Manchester. ‘You are JUST the kind of person we are looking for,’ enthused the rep.
And nothing more was said for another 5 months…
…until Andy received an e-mail inviting him to apply for the role. Which he did!
What followed was a lengthy interview process. A pre-interview, followed by a proper interview, followed by an assessment day. This all happened over August and September last year. Of course, because Andy is highly intelligent, kind, funny, clever and supportive, AND he has almost 30 years experience as a veterinary surgeon, he sailed through all this malarkey.
And then the call came. ‘We’d like you on board,’ said the company. ‘We’d be thrilled if you’d join us. This will be your salary,’ at which point both Andy and I nearly fainted because it was almost double his current salary.
‘That seems a lot,’ said Andy, because he is a modest kind of person.
‘It’s called being paid what you are worth,’ said I, because I am all for recognising the value of talent and experience.
Anyway, Andy had to give three months’ notice at his old job, and of course, they tried to persuade him to stay. But no. It was time to take a new pathway, so Andy accepted the job offer. The recruitment manager called him to say the board members punched the air when they heard he’d accepted because they thought his loyalty to his old job meant he would turn down something new.
Sometimes, though, loyalty gets you nowhere other than running yourself ragged on the same metaphorical hamster wheel for years on end. Loyalty can quickly turn into taking someone for granted. Loyalty can mean you get used. Sometimes, you just have to stick two fingers up at loyalty and move on to different and better things.
Andy finished his last shift with his old practice at the end of December. He had two weeks of being ‘unemployed’ before starting today as a supervising vet at a brand new, sparkly, all-singing, all-dancing veterinary training school based at a local university. He will be working in the new veterinary hospital supervising student vets as they learn their practical skills in a clinical setting, and he will be doing some teaching, too. It’s all VERY exciting! The new business presents an entirely new, innovatory concept in offering veterinary treatment to the general public.
I’m so proud of Andy for taking this step. Everyone has told him he will be amazing in this new role. And I know he will. Closing one door will open many, many more.
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KJ