Boomerang Employees...Will I become one?

I know I should be in the bed sleeping rather than doing this post...but I'll do it anyway.

As you kind readers know, I just left AlphaGraphics of Cary after being there almost nine years. May 7th was my last day...and to be honest with you, I didn't have much of an appetite that day and it was sad to know that it was my last day. It was a challenging day, but a good one.

I rested on May 8th and on Friday, May 9th, I was busy getting drug-tested for the new job, going back to AG to check on a few last things, and going to the doctor near home for a checkup. BUSY, BUSY! I was shocked to realize the finality of knowing that I'm leaving and what remaining vacation hours I had will be paid to me in full...and I had a quite a few!

While I was there at AG for the last things to take care of, a co-worker at AlphaGraphics told me that someone who used to work there has been rehired to fill some of my position. This person left in October of last year and went to work where my own former supervisor as well as another former co-worker worked (and both of them have since left). This "other" place of work wasn't working out too well and I did even apply there last year. I'm glad that I didn't get job calls and offers from that company! (Sounds confusing??? It's quite the soap opera!)

Anyway, I heard that on May 8th - the day after I left and when this former co-worker of mine was rehired (he's starting next week), there was this rumor that I might be back in July to work at AG...and to be honest with you, if that's God's Will, then fine. I have had resentment toward AG in the past, but I'm over it now. I wouldn't mind going back, but if I did...then I would request a pay rate increase - even beyond what my new job will be paying me. (Really? Sounds tough, huh? *sarcasm to myself*) Not to sound selfish, but with the increasing gas prices and health insurance premiums, what pay rate increase I did receive from AG last year (after waiting almost 5 years) was shot.

But, I can't lie...I do let my emotions get to me at times and they could get me in trouble. (I've been dealing with breakdowns...ETC.) I will miss AlphaGraphics and the people with whom I worked there over the years. I am planning to take the store manager as well as the scheduler of AlphaGraphics (along with their wives) out to dinner sometime in June or after. I want them to accept my offer because I really appreciated them and their personalities.

Both of them were fun to work with and I'm honored I did have the opportunity to work with them...and if our paths cross again (which I would want them to), then great! (If they offered me a part-time position at AG, I almost might even take it....just to help them out? Would that make me a boomerang employee?)

Don't get me wrong, boomerang employees are good. In fact, I assume some of you kind readers have returned to some former jobs/employers. I did in the past during the late 1990's when I rehired to two former places of employment prior to AlphaGraphics. In fact, I almost encourage one to keep in contact with a former employer as to not burn bridges. Burning bridges is a terrible thing to do and something which could really haunt one for a long while. Doing that to AlphaGraphics this time really concerned me and it didn't sit well with me because I didn't know if I really was making the right choice of accepting this new job.

You also don't know when your path might cross again with someone you once knew in high school, college, work, etc. In fact, I know I've mentioned this in another post, but one of the vice-presidents of the company I'll be working for is someone who I went to high school with and the person who will be my immediate supervisor is married to someone who I used to work with at a job when I was in high school/college. Interesting, huh?

Well...it's time to close this post for now, right? It's getting long. As for other things happening, I'll share more later....maybe even about how the drug-testing went. Really, I guess I was nervous and even had to wait an extra hour (after waiting an hour)...and I'll spare you the rest of what happened. :-)