The title of this post was a phrase that I often uttered during my 13+ years at Microsoft Production Studios. You see, that place has a way of holding onto people, or bringing them back. Over my time there, I've seen so many people leave. People who I thought I would never see again, only to have them return in some form or capacity.
And here I am, barely 14 months later, walking back into Microsoft Production Studios.
How did this happen?
Well, first you have to understand why I left. For one, I was overworked and burnt out. For years, it had just been me and the Chief of IT taking care of all of the IT and network systems in that building. As I mentioned in my older blog post, there were some rough times. Two network admins were hired to help, along with a server room technician. However, they were from different vendor companies, so collaborating with them was sometimes tricky. When I realized that it seemed like I wouldn't be able to lead a team at Production Studios, I considered leaving. A friend reached out about a Sr. Systems Administrator position at ThriftBooks, and you know that story by now.
What many people don't know is that when I left Microsoft, I was immediately contacted by another contract vendor company asking me if I wanted my old job back. With greater pay, too. I told them that I wouldn't be interested unless I could be IT Lead. I need to advance my career. I was told that was something that wouldn't be possible right now, so it was left at that.
That was July 2021, so now we flash forward to July 2022 and I receive another call from the contract vendor company. I'm told that things have changed and now they are willing to let me be IT Lead for a team of six IT professionals at Microsoft Production Studios. Something I've been wanting for at least 10 years was now being offered to me.
I couldn't say no, but I also couldn't say yes right away. Look, I love ThriftBooks. Genuinely and sincerely love ThriftBooks. I think they're an amazing company that still has tons of room to grow. The office was only a half-hour away and I got to work from home three days per week. I adored my team and consider them one of the best IT teams on this planet. My boss was very ambitious, but he cared about his team and supporting the company. I've learned a lot about what a good leader looks like, and he will go down in Cameron History as one of the best bosses I've ever had the privilege of reporting to.
Yet here's an opportunity to lead an IT team of my own and take everything that I have learned in my 18+ years of experience to build something awesome. I would not have taken this job if I didn't think I was ready, but there's a lot of work ahead.
Stepping back in Microsoft Production Studios and I'm seeing red. Only literally as there's new carpet and paint on the walls and they are the color red. The place has changed a lot even in the 14 months that I have been away. Half of the faces I am meeting are new while the other half are old friends. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has been incredibly warm and welcoming with my return. I'm not going to lie, it feels good. I just hope I can live up to everyone's expectations.
My team is half-full, so I need to hire three more individuals for various IT roles, including a Network Engineer, an Applications Engineer, and a Sr. Network Engineer. No easy feat in this job market right now, but we're going to do the best we can. I'm determined to build a team that anyone would be happy and proud to be on. A team that is not afraid to tackle anything, that is always looking to improve, and that supports one another. I want to cultivate loyalty, curiosity, and empowerment.
I am blessed to have been given this role. I still have a long way to go before I reach the finish line, but I have renewed energy driving me. I'm really excited to see where this road takes me. Thanks for having me back, Microsoft!
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