3rd time's a charm

Or at least I am hoping.

I had my face-to-face/video conference interview Wed for the job I really want. Of course following most interviews you contemplate all the answers you should have given versus the rambles you did give.  Some of us kick ourselves and wish for a do-over.  Well today, I did get my chance to expound on 3 items that came up during my 2nd interview. 1. An issue was raised about my needing training. I think that was taken out of context from my telephone interview. 2. Working in a fast pace environment. Everyone thinks their environment is faster paced than others.  Science is a hurry up and wait arena. So you learn how to balance priorities and stretch out the days, if needed. 3. What would I look for in an admin (if I was on the other side). Future goals, an interest in constant learning and great customer service skills.

These folks know I can do the job, now it's time to see if the personalities will fit.  I promise to squash the voices in my head and keep my personalities to 1, if hired.  So I welcomed today's one-on-one coffee meeting.  I know the group was impressed when I showed up with writing samples on Wed and I think today's person was even more impressed because I came with written notes from Wed's interview. I think she likes my anticipation level.

So I sit here in anticipation of news. And prepare for another interview Monday.  What will I wear (I only have 1 interview suit which now needs to go to the cleaners).

Thanks Merry and Kim for your votes of confidence and well wishes.

What's in a name?

Would a rose smell just as sweet if it wasn't called Rose?  Would a scientist be just as smart if she wasn't called Dr.?

A few years ago when I worked closely with a certain hospital Administrator, I had to correct her from calling me "That Girl".  Guess what? This girl has a name and if we deal with each on various occassions/on a regular basis take the time to learn it and use it properly. But this is not the point of today's ramble.

Working in a 'good ole boy' institution, where those with additional appendages and missing legs on the chromosomes kinda reign supreme, it's become an unsettling phenom to listen to how some of the female brains are being addressed by their first names, while broken chromosomes are referred to as "Dr So-and-So".  This happens not just from colleague to colleague (to be expected) but also lower level staff members as well.

I can consider a few of the female physicians "friends", women I will meet after work for happy hour or on the weekend for non-work related events. Off campus, we dispense of formalities (although it has taken me an entire year to drop "Dr" for one in particular). And although I am older than some of the med students/residents, I still give them their respect (some days) and call them Dr, especially in the presence of my boss. I would never, on the other hand, even fathom to address my boss or his colleagues (researchers or clinicians) by their first name to their face.  Age does not necessarily trump those initials behind that last name.

So do you become the snooty, uppity PhD and correct everyone within 5-mile radius or do you let it ride?  Do titles really matter?  Hmmm, Secretary's Day is coming up.  Oh wait, that's been changed to Administrative Professionals Day (now everyone gets a piece of the pie). But that's another rant for another day.

Administrative Issues

Lately, it appears that I am being asked to schedule a good number of meetings that include my boss, but he is not the actual person requesting or hosting the meeting.  The first, maybe even the second time, it was no big deal.  So why are my feathers getting now?  Because these "hosts" have assistants of their own who are just as capable of scheduling a meeting, especially when the host decides at the last minute to add additional folks (who I've already checked with and aren't available). Contrary to the popular belief that I can make miracles appear out my rear end, I can't. I'm not the most flexible person in the world and get a lot snarky when outside influences attempt to disrupt my schedule.

So how do you handle such a situation? Do you push this back onto the host's assistant and let her schedule? Or do you go back to the original party, include the new editions and start the scheduling process all over again? 

My quick fix answer is, invite the new editions to the already scheduled meeting.  If they can attend, awesome.  If they aren't "technically" essential or can be briefed after the meeting, then I leave it as it is scheduled.  If these new editions are essential, I will offer the option of conference call or look at alternate dates.  What I would really like to do is gently nudge it back to the host's assistant as it is now her problem of getting all these folks together in 1 room, but that's not being a true team player.