Just Google it.

Well, looks like I am taking another new job.

What?  Didn't you just take a new job?

Why, yes...I did.  Not that long ago.  In fact, I don't think I even put it on the blog when I left The Climate Corporation.

Long story short, I left The Climate Corporation for Amazon.  I was pretty excited as Amazon is easily the #1 brand that gets my money.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be.  I am not going to go into a ton of detail on this because I remain grateful for the opportunity.  I will simply say that the Amazon culture and I are not a fit.  This isn't to say that it's a bad place to work.  On the contrary, it's a great place to work for a great many people.  I am just not one of them.  I look for different things in a company I get passionate about working for.  And, I am pretty sure Amazon wants different ideals from their employees.  If we were reviewed by eHarmony, we probably wouldn't have even made it to the "What if" section.

With that said, at the beginning of the year, I put some feelers out.  Got some solid bites!  But, as processes dragged on and baby got closer, the choices basically narrowed themselves down to 2.  Both exciting in different ways.  But, in the end, there was only one.  The Googs!

That's right...I am hopping over to Google.

I am really excited about this!  I have not been this excited about a new role since I joined Xbox way back in 2004.  I am skeptical that I will ever love my job as much as I did between 2010-2014...but, I think this one has the best chance to come close.

First of all, I am going back to recruiting...just plain ol', grass roots recruiting.  This is something I was striving for when I was interviewing with Amazon.  I have been a "Program Manager" for about 5 years, now.  But, as I learned when I was reorged out of Xbox in 2014, I am not a PM in the sense of a true PM.  It took me a while to fully accept this.  My heart wanted to be a PM more than my brain did.  But, then I took the job at Climate and actually started to get my hands dirty recruiting again.  I forgot how much I missed it!  To the point that, when I got to hire a team, I didn't really want to give that part up!

Alas, when I moved to Amazon, my job was, once again, as a PM.  Eh.  Still don't love it.

So, when I started interviewing, I had to explain myself a lot.  "Why do you want to take a step back in your career?"  or "Why don't you want to be a manager?"  or "How long until you're bored and want to move back into management?"  Considering I didn't consider this taking a step back, that I have no interest at the moment in being a manager and that I am actually itching to get back into recruiting and out of management...these questions sometimes seemed hard to satisfactorily answer.

Googs got it.  I love recruiting.  I love engaging with people.  I love the challenge of finding talent.  That's what I want to do.  And, now I get to do it for the #1 company in the world!  It's pretty exciting!  When you think about the cutting edge of technology, I can't think of a company more at the forefront than Google.  I was part of that when Microsoft built Xbox 360 and Kinect.  I haven't been able to have that excitement in a while.  It feels really good that have that feeling back!!!

The kicker...they are giving me 12 weeks paid parental leave.  12 weeks!!!  That's 3 months!  I remember being stoked about the 4 weeks Microsoft gave me when Desmond was born.  Amazon offers 6 weeks paid, but you have to be an employee for a year first (I wasn't).  This is huge.  And, as someone who values employee value proposition, what a huge statement to make to a bran new employee.  We are hiring you for you and we don't mind that you're about to have a kid.

Anywhoo...my first day is Monday.  Works starts with a 2 day orientation in Mountain View.  So, cross your fingers, say a prayer, close your eyes and go "LALALALALA"...whatever works for you...that Owen stays put for a few more days.  We're cutting this really close.