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Celebratory chair spins, because....I'm not going to be unemployed in September! Two weeks shy of my current contract ending, I'm **more** than happy to report that I accepted a new 12-month contract as a recruiting coordinator via my staffing agency (Adecco)....I'm staying at the Googz!

I am.....relieved.....tired....happy...and...slightly sweaty, probably. Always that last one, you know? It's summer. I wear too many layers. OK let's move on.

A flood of potential job things came at me these last few days, riiiiight when I was pretty sure I was going to lose it if I had to write one more cover letter or face unemployment again in September. I'm fairly the last year of  my career life has given me some serious stress ulcers.

So.....recruiting. What about writing?

So here's my thoughts on this. I spent the last year either freelance writing, or trying to find a full-time writing job. And, if we're being honest, I realized pretty quickly that there are really very few things I want to write about for 40+ hours a week. And, working a creative job full-time can really juice your brain to squishy little pieces.

So when the opportunity came a few months ago to try out my current role in HR, I was like, sure! Mostly because it was at Google, but also because HR has always intrigued me....I just never had the background to get into it, as far as I could tell.

I also had this identity complex about the whole writing thing. When you meet new people, they always ask you your name....and then what you do. And I had a hard time not saying, "I'm Katie, I'm a writer." I felt like I had sold out, and I was worried I'd always feel that way a little bit.

But here I am, 5 months into it, and......I like it a whole lot. I really do. I worried that doing more administrative things all day would bore me after being a full-time writer, but it turned out that I actually loved the straightforward, task-oriented work. And, then I could save my writing for the things I really WANTED to be writing, whether that was freelancing or blogging on this ol' blog, etc.

Also, there's the obvious fact that all my own interviewing and job hunting this past year has given me some valuable empathy that I will gladly use when interacting with job candidates as a recruiter. I think it will feel really good to help people going through everything I just went through.

These reasons are really just bonuses to the fact that I feel legitimately good about trying out this career switch, somewhere down in the part of my gut where the good decisions are made. (So, probably not the part of my gut that told me to eat a bunch of raw tuna at lunch today and follow it up with fruit snacks. Errmmmm.) (OK, that tuna was DELICIOUS.)

So here I go! Who knows what will happen in 12 months? Or after that? You never know. But that's what my adventurous little life is for.......risk and uncertainty, right? Right.

My name is Katie. I work in recruiting. (And....I'm a writer ;) Posted by Katie Elizabeth Hawkes at 5:14 PM 
Yay, congratulations! Writing is one of those skills that employers mention right off that they look for in employees, so even if your job title isn't "writer" there are still tons of jobs out there that incorporate significant writing. My job as a career counselor is one of those, and I love all if the writing I get to do...now if only I had awesome company perks like hammocks and free lunch!

August 15, 2014 at 5:45 PM 
Congrats! I've always thought working in HR might be fun.

August 15, 2014 at 6:34 PM 
that's so awesome, katie! congratulations :)

August 15, 2014 at 6:36 PM 
Hooray! On a completely unrelated note, where did you get your adorable shirt? I've been looking for a blue gingham button-up forever!

August 16, 2014 at 2:19 PM 
Yay Katie!! Congratulations!! I feel really happy for you! This seems to be a great fit for you. I like what you said about having the empathy for it. You have such a kind AND fun personality, perfect for a people-oriented job. YAY!!! Celebratory chair spins!! Good job celebrating with tuna. That was the right thing to do.

August 17, 2014 at 8:18 PM 

August 20, 2014 at 3:46 PM