A Little More Fortune

My life has changed so drastically over the past month that it's hard to believe I come home to the same apartment and the same boyfriend every night. It's as if I flipped a switch and started life over, just with the same bed sheets.

For starters, I left my job that I've kept for the past two and a half years. Although I'm grateful to the company for giving me a break into writing within an office environment, it was time to move on. High turnover left me a senior employee with nowhere to corporately climb.

It's all about timing. While there were virtually no technical writing jobs in Atlanta when I searched 10 months ago, this time around there were several that I felt qualified for. And, by chance, a company that hired my old coworker hired me as well.

Palms sweaty and throat dry, I sat across the faux-mahogany conference table in what would be my new boss's office. "What salary requirement do you have?" he asked, pen poised above my contract. I've been told for years that I was severely underpaid at my previous job. I saw it for myself on salary.com. But what I didn't know was the average pay for my new shinier and prestigous position.

Knowing fully well that you're supposed to answer that question with What does the position pay?, I opened my mouth and said a number. It was a nice number- a number that said I was a real, live working adult. A number that was approximately $10,000 above my current salary.

"Okay," he said, committing my sin in blue ink. By his hurried agreement, I knew I was a steal.

So I said I wouldn't take the position without an extra week's paid vacation.

And he agreed to that as well, so I must have really given them a good deal.