Well, I received the call the confirming the “start date” the next day, Thursday, after my last blog entitled, “Anxious”. Then it was the welcomed scrambled to pack the car and leave on Friday so that I would have a day (Sunday) to rest and prepare for my first day of work on Monday, Dec. 7th. My two-day drive to Savannah, Georgia consisted of me re-living my compliments and well wishes from family and friends --- in between the “check engine light” that came on in Texas, meeting snow and ice in Mississippi the next morning, and worrying about my listless cat, Candy, several hours from our final destination.
Orientation is the usual orientation with three direct hires and a dozen contract employees (from Kelly Services) with varying lengths of assignments and representing a wide range of talents; few for administrative assistant positions. Everywhere you travel is a visualization of the company’s product from spectacular pictures on the wall, on video monitors, to watching co-workers on the assembly floors known as hangars.
I was hired by one of the largest employers in Savannah, Georgia called Gulfstream Aerospace Company, A General Dynamics Company. In my capacity as a Senior Administrative Associate I am responsible for one extremely busy Director of Final Phase Materials – his meeting schedules, presentations, etc. He is a superb executive manager overseeing a department of about 70 people.
The employees and managers at all levels are friendly, helpful and each has an outstanding pride in this company and the job they do. With approximately 5,500 Gulfstream employees, being at the company for 10 years or more is the norm with so many exceeding the 25 years of service and/or being second or third generation employees.
Gulfstream is the Rolls Royce of private jet planes whose customers are the rich and famous, heads of large companies, and heads of countries. The starting price for our product is $45 million and we have a backlog. You have probably have seen our aircraft in the movies and television – most prominently is on the television show “Criminal Minds.”
Besides each air vehicle’s interior cabin being custom designed by the customer, luxury abounds in its soft, supple leather seats, in the hand-woven silk carpeting (around $100,000), its distinctive large oval shaped windows, and its wings have a signature upturn forming a perpendicular (90 degree) angle. Walking pass our products daily is a joy to behold. In my position, I will have an opportunity to ride in a Gulfstream on one of its test flights with my Director. I can hardly wait for this highlight in my life – something that would have never made my “bucket list.”
Needless to say, I am thrilled to go to work each day as I chiseled away at the learning curve consciously ensuring myself and Gulfstream that they made the right decision in hiring me. After all, my director received around 200 applications for this position (I heard about this later). I appreciate my exceptional array of benefits that began on the hire date. I doubly appreciate another opportunity to save in a company matching 401K program. My generous starting salary is enhanced with my desirable work schedule of 9 working hours a day Monday to Thursday, leaving me off every Friday at 11:30!
While I have found my home, returning back to Savannah, GA (hooray!) that I left two years ago due to illness, and a work home with a prominent company utilizing work skills and knowledge not in my recent work history, I wish for you your version of connecting to a “work home” - right now! Please add flexibility (explore related alternative career paths) to your version of staying strong (confident) and focused (devoted to getting out the resumes and networking every day – it’s a numbers game). The end result may pleasantly surprise you. Happy holidays and much success now and in the future to you and yours.
Signing off - Nancy Wood -
resumesreviewed@yahoo.com
