Week Three

Homer knew a thing or two about making work interesting when he launched the opening pages of both the Illiad and the Odyssey in the middle of action, or in medias res. Thanks in part to this technique, Homer has experienced a rather thriving career, if 2,800 years of fame count for anything.

He clearly knew the value stemming from keeping work interesting, and so does Chief Financial Mike Dost, who sites “being in the middle of things” as the most exciting aspect of his work. He helps every manager, department, and company make big decisions, as no one can function independent of the budget. This aspect of a finance career has kept his work dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving, from his days in the White House to his time here as CFO.

While I am no Homer or Mike Dost at this point in my career, I found myself relating to some of Mike’s interests, observations, and skills. I too am pursuing a liberal arts degree that teaches the value of asking interesting questions. I too hope to develop the analytical skills necessary to answering those questions. And, I too enjoy learning by “running with things” and “being in the middle of the action.” This quality explains my satisfaction these past three weeks here, as working for Fairway Talent has allowed me to see the workings of all departments across the seven organizations. Whether I pursue a career in Finance, HR, Marketing, or another, I will continuously seek to place myself in the middle, in medias res. I guess Homer knew what he was talking about after all.