of resignations, counter-offers and conferences

Of Resignations
So, this morning I walked in and handed my official letter of resignation to the illustrious leader. CB wasn't there, so I didn't have to see her, not that i would have regardless ... but anyhow, I walked in, sat down, presented my "thanks for the fish" version of my resignation letter ... and was moved in a heart-wrenching moment to tears as he proclaims (and, yes, this is verbatim):

Well, you have been here for four years which will look respectable on your CV, and it's not like we haven't gotten our money's worth out of you. So thank you and good luck.

That sentimental old fool, really knows how to tug at your heart-strings and make you feel like a used two-dollar hooker ...

Meanwhile, I spent all day fielding congratulation messages from colleagues, phone calls and e-mails from people far and wide both from within and outside of the corporation, it's truly amazing how fast that grapevine can run!

Of Counter-Offers
Last night (as per my previous post) I decided that I would stay in Melbourne and take the local offer. So, I put together an e-mail and sent out notices to the other offers and to those whose interview process cycles I had not completed as of yet.

So, as the saying goes, when it rains - it pours. As I complete the said e-mails, I get a call from a friend of mine in the nerd-herding game who tells me he has the perfect opportunity for me ... sorry mac, got a role or three I say, usual congratulatory small-talk, and we're off again ...

Then I get a call from an outside contender. They've only spoken to me over the phone until now, but upon hearing that I'll be out of the market, decided to ramp up the process - overnight to an eight am meet and greet this morning!

I say there's no need, don't want to waste your time, probably couldn't meet the ca$h any-hows ... they say how much, I give figure, they say we can still talk ...

So, this morning, we talked. We starbucked. We talked some more. They organised for me to speak to members of their architecture team, their EA and their CIO ... all of which was very nice and worthwhile and appreciated, but in the end, solely affirmed my resolve that for the long term of my career, I was right to choose the offer I had chosen last night.

It hurts to actively decline a whole lot of dollars ... not just one or two G's, but tens of G's ... it really, really, really does.

Of Conferences
As part of my self-development plan, I'm sending myself off to Sydney for the Enterprise Architecture conference. It's going to cost a lot (especially after giving up so many dollars) but will be worth it from a learning curve and networking standpoint. I'm sure I'll discuss this in a lot more detail in my other blog.