We all know to make our demands before we sign the contract for a new job. A private office. A window. A computer with two monitors. Those demands were met. But I should have made one additional request--empty shelves and cleared floor space.
When I was a teaching assistant in graduate school, we handed out hard copies of syllabi and made transparencies for the overhead projector. We entered the classroom with a sagging briefcase, overflowing with papers and worn books. I could identify with the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s business associate, condemned to carrying chains wherever he went.
Nowdays, we carry a wealth of information (presentations, articles, music, photos) on our USB keys. I don’t even have a briefcase.
When I moved to my current office in 2010, I had few books, a handful of memory sticks, three coffee cups (you never know) and a singing hamster (a gift from my kids).
The former office resident, now retired, left me a career’s worth of slide carousels, an overhead projector and transparencies, file cabinets crammed with articles and manuscripts and course syllabi. Because office space is tight, and I could use some shelf space, my supervisor asked the retired professor to please move or discard his materials.
One day, he dropped by, glanced about. Obviously, horrified at the walls of slide carousels , specialized dictionaries and yellowing course outlines, he only grabbed a framed photo of his wife and has not been seen since.
Who can blame him! So my tip--before you sign the contract, request an empty office to make room for the singing hamster. . .
What are your tips for moving into a new office or taking a job?
The professor was smart!
ReplyDeleteLOL. And another colleague just showed up--same reaction!
ReplyDelete