Many moons ago, I relied on a former co-worker to get me a job at PopCap Vancouver. He was the one who told me about the position, forwarded my resume, recommended me, and then kept in the loop during the hiring process. It’s so much better when applying for a job when you know a person on the inside. As many of you know, I did get that job, due in part to my former co-worker, who was then going to be a current co-worker again. To thank him, I promised I’d take him out to lunch once I got settled in my new position.
Unfortunately, fate intervened and my co-worker was laid off in my very first week at PopCap. There was a shift in studio strategies sent on down from the HQ in Seattle, which often means a change in personnel. It left me in a difficult position as I didn’t want to force him to have lunch with me as the wounds of being laid off were still very fresh and raw. So, I left it with him that he could contact me when he was ready. I’d assumed he’d probably want to focus on his family and his job hunt first. So that’s where we left it.
Fast forward to last week and I saw my former colleague in the lobby of my current workplace. He’d been hired by another company in the building. He greeted me with a warm smile and a handshake. I reminded him that I still needed to repay him for his generosity. He said he was open to it anytime. Now that we both work so close to each other, I’m looking forward to holding up my end of the bargain next week.