Friday, April 10, 2009

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

For the past year, there has been a solid group of assistants at work. There have been four working girls (including myself) and two working boys who have held our office together. The boys are great but the four of us girls have developed a great friendship. One that goes beyond the day to day work conversation.

We've eaten lunch together almost every work day for the past 52-weeks, had dozens of happy hours and celebrated special occasions together. These working girls are the only ones who truly know how bad a bad day is for me or how I feel about certain co-workers and why.

Mom Boss and Promo Girl have both told me that there's nothing like the bond that you have with the people that were assistants with you. Being an assistant is a roller coaster of an experience and many people, in different industries, do it. But they were right, the only people who will really understand the experience are the people at your company who did it with you.

Friday marks the day the first one of our little group of four is leaving. Not only is she leaving the company, she's leaving Manhattan. We begged and bribed our working girl to stay but her home state is calling her back.

A new girl started training today and she's sweet, but she's not the same. She's the first of the next generation. Soon there will be two new assistants; one replacing her and one replacing me.

I've moved to a different position, one working girl is leaving and it's only a matter of time before the other two move on to bigger and better things. I'm used to a lot of change in my life but I don't know if I'm ready for this. We've had a fun and comfortable friendship for the past year and it's all about to change.

15 comments:

Dollface said...

Its so weird.... when work people change its like highschool friends leaving.. you end up being SO close with them.... I hope you like the new girl... xxxooo

A Dilettante's Perspective said...

Life is full of change, embrace it.

mary evelyn said...

i have a hard time with changes. especially those kind of changes. it's hard though, b/c time only goes forward. at least you had a great time while you were all together!

Sarah said...

I totally understand that you are a little sad. I'm not good with tons of changes and to me a co-worker leaving is a big change. I am going through a change in my job right now and next Friday will be my last at the current position I'm in. I'm sad that I won't see the same people every day but at least I'll still be in the same organization that way we can still keep in touch.

Look at it this way, now that they are your work friends you can keep in touch and hopefully make them your "real" friends.

shansPLC said...

I've grown close to the people that I've worked with. It's a small office and they've become like a pseudo-family to me. The thing is, I think I've outgrown my current position and need to move on, but what keeps me from leaving is the familiarity and how I comfortable I feel here. I'm afraid that I'll lose the connections I've made here, but i know that this can't last forever.

Good luck with the changes. I wish you well!

christinamg said...

Totally know what you're talking about! One of mine just left yesterday. :*( Change can be good but it also feels like the end of something great!

Teach.Workout.Love said...

i hear you...its really hard to leave co-workers.. esp when you are with them SO often ---some people its easy to leave but others, its like your changing your life too, along with ur job.

Anonymous said...

B/c of you WGs I finally gave into The Hills. Yes, I realize I'm a late bloomer. And, extra yes, I'm not ashamed to say...I really, really like it.

Thanks WGs!

Anonymous said...

Speaking of changes, I love the new look!

You guys seriously have the BEST looking designs ever!

ipv6 said...

nothing permanent but change! so get over it...

;oD

Amy said...

Being the new girl is hard too. Maybe she's feeling uncomfortable and shy since she's new and doesn't know anyone. She'll probably open up and be more fun soon. And I agree, it's funny how close the friendships with coworkers can be!

Sandra Costa said...

aww.. i read that and almost cried. i have 2 workmates, but we don't get on very well, we just talk on the job, nothing far from it. i wish someday i have not just work mates, but friend, like you did.
good luck!

Angela said...

Don't write off the new girl yet! In my early professional days I was an admin, too. A few of us started at the same time and were super tight. As we outgrew those positions and transitioned into new ones, new girls (and guys) came in. I was no longer an admin but reached out to my friend's replacement and we became BFFs over time - she is a bridesmaid in my upcoming wedding and I love her to pieces! Those new girls can be totally cool, too :)

Sarah Alway said...

Hello, new reader here!

I completely agree... I worked as a marketing coordinator at my previous position at a horrible company, and to this day no one could really understand those experiences like the girls I worked with. Most of us have left the company but we're still close and STILL get together to complain about the old job(s) sometimes!

There's nothing like a great co-worker!

Needs Help said...

Good luck as you move on to your new position. Its great that you had the experience of being an assitant. While you'll never know exactly what assitants are going through when you work with them as a higher up you will have been in their shoes at one time and will be a better person for it :)