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.

Dear New Co-Workers

Having worked at one company, largely on one team, even, you get to know your coworkers really really well.  Likewise, they get to know you!  They get to know all your quirks as well as all your strengths and weaknesses. 

It struck me recently, as I am getting to know my new team, that my methods may confuse some people.  They may seem odd.  Or, to put it better...they may seem annoying.

You see, I have ADD.  Like, the real ADD.  Not that, "Oh my, I am soooooo ADD" kind of ADD that people like to say they have when they forget to do something or to explain why they talk so much.  My ADD is legit. 

What does this mean?  Well, for one, it means I am almost always moving.  Movement can come in a variety of ways.  It could mean I am getting out of my seat.  It could mean I am bopping to the music I am listening to.  Or, the one that is usually most noticed and certainly most annoying, it could mean my legs are bouncing almost non-stop during meetings.

You see, I am typically able to manage my ADD.  However, I think it requires an outlet.  I believe this outlet comes in the form of constant bouncing or fidgeting.  The good news is...if I am bouncing, it usually means I am paying attention!  If I am not bouncing...well, chances are good that you have lost me and I am actually wondering if snails have a sense of smell. 

Another thing about me...I almost never bring my laptop to meetings.  To some, this may seem like I am unprepared.  But, really...unless I am presenting something, why do I need my laptop at a meeting.  One of my biggest pet peeves at work is when people sit there clicky clacking on their laptops while someone else is talking.  Someone took the time to meet with you and they have information that they think is valuable enough to share and you sit there sending mail, or worse, looking at Facebook. 

Also...I distract easy.  If I have something in my space that can easily pull me away from paying attention to something, you can bet your bottom I will eventually find my way to that thing.  It's not personal...it's just part of who I am.  So, I eliminate the distraction by not bringing my laptop.  I will bring a pad of paper and a pen and that's about it.  Any action items I have will be written on that pad and transferred to my task list later.  Double work?  Maybe...but more efficient in the long run.

Finally...I talk to myself.  I actually didn't realize how much I talk to myself until I took this new job.  I seem to talk to myself quite a bit.  It helps me think.  Maybe I am a schizophrenic.  Point is...I talk to myself.  And, I often have headphones on, so I have no idea how loud I am.  Sorry about that. 

That's all!  Have fun working with me!

Goodbye Microsoft! Hello Climate Corporation!

Yup...you read that correctly.  I have left Microsoft.  My 2nd home for over 10 years.  Wow...it feels weird reading that back right now.  But, it's real.  Today was my last day.  I have turned in the ol' Blue Badge and rode off into the sunset.  Well...actually, I left around 3 so the sun was still pretty high up there.  But, whatever.

I have left Microsoft to join another company.  The Climate Corporation. 

Climate is a San Francisco based company with an office in Seattle.  In a nutshell, they make technology for farmers.  Imagine getting to work on products that impact our every day life in fundamental ways.  I spent 9 years working on a super fancy product...Xbox.  It was amazing, it was sexy...but, at the end of the day, it was a toy.  Something only some people could afford and not everyone was interested in.   Outside of Xbox, Microsoft focuses mainly on productivity.  Our tools impact people all over the world...but, in ways that, ultimately, we could live without.  

In my new role, I will be impacting everyday life.  I will be impacting something that affects billions of people in ways that we can't live without.  If the world crashes, we can live without our computers.  We can't live without our food. 

The job is super cool.  I'll be working on college recruiting and staffing programs.  It's a lot, but it's a small company. :-)  My focuses, as I understand them now, will be on university relationship building, college hiring, and programs such as diversity.  I get to work on things I am passionate about and I get to take myself out of a comfort zone I have sat in for a long time.

Microsoft has been amazing to me.  I have zero hard feelings.  I grew more in my first year at Microsoft than I did in my 5 prior years recruiting.  My life is so different now.

Ten years ago...

• Desmond wasn't around,
• I was married, but not to my current wife,
• I had 2 cats and an adorable puppy with perfect eye sight and a weird itchy problem we couldn't figure out,
• I lived in Tacoma,
• My list of close friends was almost 100% different (save for the longtime besties like Eric, Liz and MichaelPaine),
• I was in the Navy Reserve,
• John Paul II was the Pope,
• George W. Bush was just elected to his 2nd term,
• Pluto was still a planet.

Whether or not to leave Microsoft was a super hard decision.  But, it's the right one.  It's time to grow and it's time to evolve.  Microsoft is on a great path and I plan to continue to be a Windows/Xbox/Bing user for a long time (Windows Phone, on the other hand...well, I may have already switched there). 

I'm excited!  I'm ready to go!  Let's do this!!!

Selfie Sticks are All The Rage

Microsoft hosted an event this week called Codess.  It's a networking event for women engineers.  As is typical when we host events, we like to give away some kind of swag to the attendees. 

This year, we gave away a Codess branded Selfie Stick.

As is also typical when we host these events, I have snagged one for myself. :-) 

Immediately, Desmond took it away from me and busted out his inner...whoever a famous photographer is. 

Kim charged up her old iPhone and we basically let him have at it. Here are some of the results:

 

This was all in about 10 minutes.  I suspect there will be more where this comes from. 

 

#Fabulous