It’s bitter sweet as I finish up my last week of work, I’ve grown to love my clients (and in PR that does not happen very often!) and have started to cross things off the list of final to-dos. Every meeting starts off with, “This is Julianne’s last…” I’m also training my replacement, which is a little weird, to train the new “me.” But, it makes me feel a little better handing stuff off rather than just leaving and worrying about how my teams are going to get stuff done. I’ve got my suspicions that tomorrow there will be a little gathering, we’ll see if my hunch is right!

I’ve been reflecting a lot about work and past jobs lately. I realized, this is the longest full-time job I’ve ever had – just a little under two and a half years. And, I’ve only been out of college for four. Soon, I’ll be starting job number four.

This is the typical norm for my field, but dang, I wish I had stayed somewhere long enough to get a full 401(k) match. And, if you are not saving for retirement, please start. It scares me when I hear of people my age who have not given it a thought! Even if your company doesn’t match, its still pre-tax dollars or look into a Roth. Ok, stepping off my Suze Orman soapbox…

I’ve been thinking about what I want in a new job and what type of environment I want to work in. I know I need to believe in the company and its products and services. As a marketer, your job is miserable if you fake it.

I’ve been making lists of companies that I’d like to work for, applying for jobs and keeping tabs on the local business news. People ask me what I’m doing next – all I really know is that I hope to be back in school part-time in January. And, I relish the thought of taking the time to find the right job and do it right. I’ve never really taken a break of more than a few days between jobs, so this will be a welcome change. I know I have a attractive skill set and will land on my feet sooner rather than later. That said, anyone have any job hunting tips or favorite career-related blogs to share?