I Prefer "Evolution" To "Transition"


It's amazing just how busy one can keep oneself without a silly distraction like a full-time job! I've begun putting serious effort into launching my own freelance consulting business, and I'm already beginning to feel a little overwhelmed, but more on that later. The main thing that led me down this path was looking at the job openings on the web and exploring "career transition" options with the "career transition" consultants that Apple retains for "transitioned" employees. I've learned a lot of really valuable information from these consultants, but it's also been kind of depressing to keep hearing about my career making a "transition." That's because in some religions, the word "transition" is a synonym for death.

Of course I know that they're not approaching this from a religious standpoint, and in this context, the word "transition" is meant to be a positive term. But I just couldn't help it when every time someone referred to my "career transition," I heard "career death." I had a pretty good laugh the other day when, more than a month after my departure from Apple, I received an e-mail from my previous manager apologizing for not being in the office to help with my "transition!" Hmmmm.

I think "career evolution" would be a much better term. It also makes more sense when viewed as a metaphor; my previous job is now extinct, and new opportunities are rising up in an attempt to dominate my career. Some of these die a quick and merciless death after I talk to the hiring manager or take a tour of the facility. Others seem to have more potential, and develop further and climb higher up my food chain. Hmmm. "Higher up my food chain," has a funny sound to it....

At any rate, the career that has evolved most rapidly from the cockroach stage to the small furry mammal stage is a consulting career. After interviewing for several full-time positions with established firms, I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into depression at the thought of going back to work in a large corporation and having to deal with all the "corporate culture" BS. Being my own boss as a freelance consultant is something I did before I landed at Apple, and it's something I often dreamed of returning to while I was at Apple. Since evolution is a natural time for wildly outrageous ideas to take hold and possibly thrive, I've decided to go for it and try to build my own consulting business.

So far things look promising. I've managed to land a fair amount of work subcontracting for two other established consulting firms, and in fact, at this point I'm finding it difficult to find the time to devote to the infrastructure of my own fledgling company. But that's a good thing, right? One of these firms is putting the spit and polish on a product that they'll be showing at MacWorld. The product will be featured in FileMaker's booth, as well as their own. This little company has already expressed interest in having me spend some time in their booth during the show, and as the date draws near and plans are finalized I'll post more specific information. I hope you'll stop by and say hello if you're planning to attend MacWorld. And then you can also see whether my new career evolution has survived to the primate stage!

Posted: Sun - December 14, 2003 at 02:09 PM          

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