So after five and a half years with Subway, I have found a new job that's actually in the industry I have real talent in. Not to say hadn't done a good job managing over a hundred teenagers, it just isn't what I want to do. Not to mention it requires me to work about 50 hours a week over 6 days. If I were single and had no friends, it wouldn't be so bad, but considering neither of those are true it really gets to me sometimes.

But no more. I just signed and returned an offer letter.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a company regarding an opening in their engineering team. I was called before the job was made public, and my initial conversation went very well. I was asked to send over some examples of my work, which I did, and we scheduled a phone interview with one of the existing engineers. That went very well. After about an hour, we hung up our phones and I expected to hear back maybe later that day or the next. Nope, I got a call about ten minutes later - to setup a time to fly me out there.

This was a Thursday, I was at their office on Monday. Talk about short notice. The experience was fantastic, and a lot of fun. I spent the day with them, and since I knew many of their names ahead of time, felt very comfortable.

My return flight was terrible, I literally spent twelve hours returning home, only six of which were actually flying. It was 2:30 when I actually made it back.

I didn't hear anything for a couple days, which worried me. Then I get an email from the lead engineer stating they had decided not to hire me.

What? Really? After all that? Why?

Basically, I don't have any experience with a team development environment which was a source of concern and the main reason they had decided not to hire me. I spent another day pretty depressed, because I was really looking forward to working there. Then, literally as I'm talking to a friend about the entire situation, I get a call from the original person who contacted me. He explained what happened, and brought up the idea of a different position. The new position would work more with the website and such like that, which I have a lot of experience in. It paid a bit less, but still acceptable. This way, they could see how I work and potentially get an engineer position in the future as it becomes available - granted I prove myself. Which I will.

So I talked to a different couple people on Monday. It went well. Well enough that a couple hours later, I was offered the position.

My head is still wrapping around the idea. I love it, but I've been with Subway for so long (and never left a job before) that it almost doesn't seem real. But it is. I have to move. Far away. To a state I'm less than fond of. But Kelly loves the idea and location, so it's not all bad. And the cost of living is cheaper. I'll lose seasons, but that's okay. (note to self: stop using sentence fragments.)

Luckily, I can work remote until after the wedding, then we'll move. That makes life much easier, since we already have everything booked.

My last day with Subway will be May second. I have the weekend to adjust, then I fly out Monday the fifth for my first day on May the sixth. They need me on-site for the first two weeks - which won't be ideal as I have to live out of a hotel with no car for the time. But it'll be okay.

Oh, and the company is REAL Software, makers of the wonderful REALbasic. I figured I'd save that until the end.