Me too. I tend to understate and underestimate because I don't want to disappoint anyone. It's worked out well for me so I'd advise others to take that path. Thank you for your reply L! :)
Depending on the job requirements, I am a quick learner, so there were times when I felt I could handle a job, even though I hadn't done it before, but the task was with my capabilities. I once took a job that required being able to transcribe from a dictaphone. I had never done it but figured it couldn't be that hard. I told the secretary next to me that I had never used that particular company's equipment and she showed me what I needed to do and that was that. Stayed on that job for six years.
I remember back in the day job hoppers were frowned upon. Longevity in a job meant you were stable loyal and worth investing time in training. I don't think it's that way today. I've been out of the job market since April 8, 1999 but who remembers? Things were different then. Thank you for your reply L! :)
I some fields, the only way you work your way up the economic ladder (if you aren't a college grad or a professional) is to job hop. You'll never make any big jumps salary-wise with just annual raises. Once I reached the point where I was earning more than enough money to maintain myself, I stayed longer. Sometimes, a firm went out of business or merged with another firm and it was not a nice an atmosphere as the original one. There were always plenty of jobs for good legal secretaries. My boss and I celebrated out 30th anniversary together back in May. I had a feeling when I went for that interview that it would be my last job. :)
Head hunters are always on the prowl to fill job orders. I was actively headhuntered once. A gal with whom I used to work headed the human resources department at the place she left us for. She dealt with headhunters all the time and when one called and ask if she anyone who could fit the job he described to her she thought of me and gave him my number. I liked where I was but as a single mom and sole support of my son I was interested to see what the pay would be. I went for the interview on a Saturday. Met the man I'd be working for at a restaurant in Westwood and we got along. He gave me the address of the company location because I'd need to also be interviewed by the Vice Presidents secretary. So I went to that interview and was hired. At the time I was making $18,000/year. They offered me $23,000 and gave me a raise to $26,000 in 3 months. There was fully paid pension plan and the medical insurance was 100 paid for. You'd pay 20% during the year and at year end you'd get a check for the other 20%. Plus the yearly bonuses and pay raises were very generous. So bI got headhuntered into a very sweet job and I enjoyed the work a lot. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven at the time. I still think I lucked out. I traveled to Tulsa twice a year for audits. Went to Long Island once for a week to do audits there. I think it Was Grumman but that was so nlong ago. They did work for the company for which I worked. They were subcontracters. In Tulsa it was McDonnell Douglas. I met some really nice people. My son was in high school at the time and he is a very trustworthy guy so I had no fear that he would get into any trouble while I was gone. Plus his best friends (there were two) folks were there if he needed them. Geez that was a long time ago but it's still very fresh in my memory. The job I had included profit-sharing so when I left I had a nice little chunk to invest in something stable for my retirement. Not a bazillion but a nice little cushion. I have been very lucky. I think you have been very lucky too. I often wonder why. Do you?
I had been recruited several times by headhunters. There were two women in particular that I liked to work with and they always found me something good. One of them got me an interview with my current boss and that was it.
SpunkySenior 