Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

starting over

I started my new job this week. Because this week is the print deadline for a larger-than-usual edition of the company’s trade magazine, I’ve largely been left to my own devices to get a feel for the site and the company. After the frantic round-robin “shake hands with everyone in the building” orientation I went through on Monday and Tuesday, it’s nice to have some time to step back and look at things on my own. (As an aside, I have to admit that it was the most thorough company orientation I’ve ever been through, although, with my complete inability to remember names on the first try, I could probably only name about 10 of the people that I’ve met — and that’s counting the people I interviewed with.)

For all my enthusiasm about leaving GW and starting over with a company that’s far more in line with my career goals, it’s incredibly disconcerting being the newbie. I’ve transitioned from an office where I knew exactly what was going on — projects, people and politics — to a new place where I have to rebuild that knowledge and confidence all over again. This momentary lull I’m in hopefully will allow me the opportunity to quietly observe and get my bearings, so I can get at least a tenuous handle on how things work and minimize my chances of saying something horribly impolitic.

I’ve certainly begun to gather some ideas about what I’d like to do with the site. But regardless of my job description, I think I have to be a bit careful about how I introduce my ideas. Being new helps me see things with a fresh perspective, but I lack the institutional knowledge of how and why things came to be the way they are now. I’d like to make a bevy of suggestions, but I don’t want to ruffle any feathers or unknowingly cause offense by seeming rash and insensitive.

So, in the meantime, I’m making a list, and waiting for the right time to speak up.