New Job in Houston

By now I have told many members of the family that I've been offered an opportunity for an IBM job in Houston. This is the answer to numerous prayers over the years. IBM is a place in which its easy to get lost and have no meaning. Its also a place to travel hard. I've done both.

In September 2007, I got an email from a partner in IBM asking me if I was available to help with a client in St. Louis. I responded back quickly and said I was. At the time I had been "on the bench" for a couple of weeks and was pretty stressed about finding another assignment. So it was off to St. Louis to do an audit of a project that was deemed as "troubled". Three days later, I presented my results and was offered the job to manage the project to completion.

Over the next few months I would have the opportunity to meet and work with client executives and IBM executives that showcased my best side and capabilities. I discovered an area in IBM where I felt valued and could do some good.

In December, 2007, I approached a manager about transferring into his practice. He said he would welcome me with open arms, if my current manager agreed. To my surprise, my current manager did not agree and said he would consider transferring me in six months. This conflict provided a seed for substantive discussions about my role in IBM and what I was important to me. I expressed that the highest priority was to find a position working with large petroleum clients in Houston which would reduce my travel and allow me to be at home more. My manager offered to introduce me to the leader for petroleum business in the U.S. and ask him to talk to me. I agreed, though I was set on transferring and did not think much would come of the introduction.

It took three weeks, but I finally arranged to have lunch with the petroleum leader in Houston. To my surprise, he said they actually had a need in Houston that fit me like a glove. He said it would require the cooperation of my current manager to allow me the time to get up to speed and do the job. So I made several phone calls and wrote several emails. Everyone was so busy and it was discouraging. I finally got a lunch appointment with another manager in the Houston area that I thought was key to the potential role in Houston.

Fast forward.... my persistance looks like it may finally pay off. Everyone has agreed to give me the chance to work in the new role - developing business with key petroleum clients in Houston. They specifically want me to work in the area of custom application development and systems integration. This is something in which I have years of experience.

I am excited. I am blessed. I've asked everyone to pray for me to do my best for this opportunity. If I do that, I will succeed and I could be working in Houston a long, long time.