I’ll soon be leaving my employer of nine years for pastures new, and hopefully greener. That probably doesn’t seem like that long for those of you old enough to remember when you went to work for someone out of college and stayed there until you got a gold watch and a pension, but it’s damn near a third of my life.
When I started at this law firm (03/26/07), I had no legal experience and I’d never had a desk job (other than brief stints as a telemarketer in college). I only had a bachelor’s degree. I had been dating a girl for a couple of years, having recently reconnected (we hooked up a few times in college). I was living with a roommate in his parents’ investment condo. I was driving an old Nissan that was about to die.
The firm (it’s a mid-size firm with three offices) had just opened its doors; it split off from another firm the week before I started. It’s changed names four times since I started working here as named partners came and went.
Since then, I got married to the same girl. We bought a house. I’ve been to law school and graduated (while working full time). I passed the bar exam and became an attorney, and stayed on with the same firm. I’ve been through three more cars. My hairline receded, and then all my hair fell out (briefly, it’s back now). I pretty much grew up while working here.
It’s going to be really hard to leave. I accepted the offer yesterday afternoon, and I was terrified about telling my boss. He’s underpaid me a bit over the years, but he’s kept every promise he’s ever made and he lost his temper once in all that time. I probably couldn’t have asked for a better boss, though we often disagree on how to do our jobs.
The core of the firm, or at least this office, hasn’t changed. The same three partners and office manager are still here. My boss’ secretary has been working for him for 30 years, and she’s still here. I’m still here, though not for long. The building is still the same; we bought the one next door for a planned expansion, but it’s been sitting empty for two years. We still have the same fuck-ugly carpets.
I didn’t want to leave; until last week, I had never interviewed for another job or even filed an application (except right after the bar exam, when I wasn’t 100% sure I’d be offered an attorney position here).
I was headhunted by the other firm, and really just took the interview because I figured I could use the practice. They made me the proverbial offer I couldn’t refuse; I can pay off my student loans in two years with just the salary increase they offered (assuming I didn’t pay any taxes). I actually did refuse it at first, holding out for more money so that they’d either say no or my current employer would refuse to match it. I didn’t want to have to say no to either of them, and as a wise man once said, “it’s a lot easier to get it now than to get it when it’s time for a raise.” They’re also allowing me to do a lot of things that my current firm just can’t offer, like handling my own appeals.
It’ll be hard to leave some of our clients, too. I’ve watched them “grow up,” as well. One of the clients who used to send us work as a claims adjuster is now the CEO of the insurance company.
Weirdly, I’m neither feeling sad nor excited right now. It all seems slightly unreal. But I can tell that I’m going to feel both. And I should probably buy some more suits. 
Sorry, that was probably unnecessarily long.