Being between contracts, as I've been, is a more pleasant way of looking at my current state than being "unemployed" even if the net difference is minimal. From my point-of-view, though, the former provides a certain headspace that makes it easier to see that status as temporary. After all, I've been doing contract work for years now and the usual contract lifecycle isn't completely alien. In fact, I was able to prepare amply for this gap and have been relatively comfortable for the last couple of weeks.
Why the gap? I simply didn't have time to find a job before closing down my project with the large local medical school (LLMS). As I was shutting it down, I was also taking classes to finish my degree at SFSU, as well as get the education credits necessary for my PMP certification. 4 classes, total. It wasn't accomplished gracefully, at least from the schooling perspective, but it was (finally) accomplished. But that load was almost unsustainable. Seeking a new contract on top of that was pretty unrealistic. As a result, I wasn't able to overlap my search for a new position with the end of the project. The resultant gap, as I sort my way through a number of interesting opportunities, as given me time to deal with a problem I've been ignoring for the past year.
I've forgotten how to have hobbies away from my computer.
Why the gap? I simply didn't have time to find a job before closing down my project with the large local medical school (LLMS). As I was shutting it down, I was also taking classes to finish my degree at SFSU, as well as get the education credits necessary for my PMP certification. 4 classes, total. It wasn't accomplished gracefully, at least from the schooling perspective, but it was (finally) accomplished. But that load was almost unsustainable. Seeking a new contract on top of that was pretty unrealistic. As a result, I wasn't able to overlap my search for a new position with the end of the project. The resultant gap, as I sort my way through a number of interesting opportunities, as given me time to deal with a problem I've been ignoring for the past year.
I've forgotten how to have hobbies away from my computer.
Continue reading Between Contracts.
