UPDATE 3/4/09: I have cut this bad boy into two posts. I originally wrote it as one and then had blogger’s remorse after seeing it online and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling through it… I had no time to fix this yesterday – so my apologies (and thanks) to the nine commentors who actually read the whole thing in one sitting. Send me your addresses and I’ll mail each of you a prize for “longest attention span.” -Kate
One of my favorite blogs, The Lil Bee has been running a guest blogger feature called Bee’s Stimulus Package (click for details). When I first expressed an interest, I thought that it was only a matter of time before I lost my job. For now though, it seems the crisis has passed, as has my reason for guest posting. But regardless of my employment status, I have no doubt that Melisa recoiled in horror when she saw how long this was. Far too long to inflict on someone else’s blog. But I can do what I like here right?
Anyway – she had some great guests (the lovely Amy from Doobleh–vay is featured this week). I highly recommend reading them.
While I’ve been wanting to write something about work for a while, I generally steer clear of the subject since this is a personal blog. But writing about work “in general” seems appropriate given the current climate (job-wise not weather-wise, both of which suck right now in the DC area).
I’m not going to talk about layoffs and unemployment. At this point, all angles of how to weather a layoff, look for a new job, and discover the meaning of life while sitting at home watching Golden Girls reruns on a Tuesday afternoon…well – they’ve pretty much been covered.
Instead, I’m writing about “career.” I don’t know about you, but I started out with a rather apathetic attitude when it came to my career. I can trace this back to eighth grade when I had to include future career goals under my yearbook graduation picture. I said, “graphic designer.” Did I know anything about graphic design? No – of course not. But I liked art and figured that “graphic designer” sounded like a real job.
Spoiler alert! I did not become a graphic designer.
Then in high school I continued to let everyday life and concerns carry me in their wake, and spent four years getting good grades in the classes I liked and mediocre grades in the classes I didn’t. Career goals? “I don’t know – maybe something in art.” Still with the art! What exactly did I think that meant?
And don’t even get me started on my college application process. The word apathetic sounds like a pep rally in comparison to my attitude toward visiting colleges and filling out applications. Now, I have to say that this is partly due to the fact that I wasn’t really ready for college (I’m a late bloomer when it comes to change – always the last one to the party). But it was also because I had no real vision of my future beyond high school graduation. There was just a hazy montage of college-life stock photos featuring classrooms, cafeterias and parties… But nothing really tangible – nothing I could honestly say I looked forward to.
I felt futureless.
Long story short on college, I started out at a small school in Manhattan because I wanted to be in the city (the ONLY thing I actually expressed an interest in), but transferred to Fordham University once I realized that I’d be happier on a more traditional campus, where I wasn’t the only student who owned a pink tank top from J. Crew. Seriously – I used to joke with my roommates that I was the alternative one. They were all wearing black and piercing things while I stood out with all of my just arrived from prep school fashion “don’ts.”
Four years later, there was another graduation and another fuzzy montage of what comes next. This one would include break rooms, cubicles and those computers that terrified me so (I’m in my mid-thirties…OKAY! late thirties…So when it came to technology, I had had more in common with Fred Flintstone than I did with college students today).
It was a bad job market in 1994 (fine – do the math – I’m old), and I was thrilled to find the crappy job that I did. It was in advertising (though not in the “graphic design” department). It wasn’t a bad place to work – I stayed for two years – but it also wasn’t a dream job. The best part of that job was that I had a great boss. I loved my boss then, and I thank god for her now since she validates that fact that when I started to encounter some of the crazies that followed her, it wasn’t me – it was them.
I guess I was good enough at what I did since a couple of other firms tried to recruit me. And I actually took one up on their offer. I mean, who says no to a promotion and a higher salary? Um – people who are smart enough to realize that they are in the wrong industry. People who know that they are not interested in what they are doing. People who once had glamorous (though vague) dreams of making it big in “graphic design.”
Unfortunately, I HATED working at that new firm. And mainly because of my new boss. I was spoiled. I had never reported to a crazy person before. It was culture shock and I didn’t last more than three months.
Then I had a mid twenties crisis (I believe the kids are calling it a “quarter century crisis” these days). I knew that recruitment advertising wasn’t for me, and I needed to change industries before I got stuck. So I was now pursuing jobs in “marketing.” Did I have any idea what that meant? Of course not! But I knew that “marketing” was similar to advertising and my entry level skill set would have a good chance of transferring over.
The more immediate problem was that I decided to quit my job in May, and NO ONE hires in the summer. They conduct interviews – sure – but decisions take months to be made due to all of the decision makers being out of town on vacation. After about a month of interviewing and sitting by the phone, I decided to get practical.
So I moved to the beach.
To be continued on 3/4/09….
I love your message about being your own career. I still don’t know what my vocation was/is. I always had jobs, most that I was good at, a lot that I enjoyed but none that were ‘my calling.’
And yes, dealing with crazy is absolutely a requirement (good training for parenthood).
I love your career path story. I think at some point in our lives we have to start listening to our gut and start moving towards what we’re passionate about. Even if it’s not our main “job” it can still be part of our life.
I see this blog as part of your passion, it’s not just the writing that you’re good at, it’s the entire creative process of bringing people together and connecting to people. There’s something there for your next career, you just have to hone in on it and fine tune it for yourself.
I love your story too Kate. And I love that our ‘career’ paths crossed a while back! And you’re so right – you never know where you’ll be in five years, and the beach houses are going cheap in Dewey this summer. Surf’s up, dudette.
I don’t even like thinking about my “career.” I have a degree in elementary education, but I don’t want to teach. What else can I do? I have no idea. Nothing interests me.
I enjoyed reading about your career path, and I’m impressed that you had even heard of graphic design in h.school. I certainly hadn’t.
I became a teacher b/c I simply couldn’t think of anything else to do. Many of my friends majored in Business and Computer Science and I thought they should get a “real” major like English. I would edit their papers for them, which really just looked like easy group projects to me. Now they have HUGE careers and I just have me. Still wondering what to do when I grow up… maybe join you at the beach?
Oh my, were you my twin in high school? I never really thought much past high school, and then when I did I was like..umm..music? doing what in music? I had no idea…but certainly nothing as practical as teaching! I had to SING! And be vocal performance..which I still do a lot of singing, but there’s no way I could pay my bills on that alone. So, after I graduated from college with my Bachelor of Music I was like..hmm…what now? I panicked and got a job that I hated…left that at the slightest chance for something else, hated that-lasted two days. Spent a summer unemployed…got a temp job at a place that I ended up working at for 8 years and earning a Master’s degree in communication. Again, why? I like to communicate? Eh? Then the unthinkable happened-my position was eliminated in December. Now I’m wandering around trying to figure out what the next step is, and while the future looks hazy-I’m just trying to enjoy the ride and not freak out about the bills I’ll have to pay after my severance runs out. Eek! Sorry for the long comment, but you hit a nerve with me today! =)
Ha! You think you’re crazy? Lady, I am losing my mind. Thanks for reminding me that I’m not the only one hasn’t fully mapped out her career at the age of 32. I need a school guidance counselor or something, seriously.
wow. your description of eighth grade through your twenties could be copied and pasted right into my biography. i’m just getting over the quarter-life crisis. thanks for the great perspective, i like the “think of yourself as your career” thing.
Take heart, all of you girls who are ” searching”. Know that the perfect idea is out there. You just have to know that the opportunity will present itself, sometimes in the most unexpected way. Just be ready to recognize it when it shows up and have the courage to grab it. The blogging that you all do is wonderful. It’s like journaling – it puts you in touch with ideas that are hiding inside you and helps you discover new facets of yourself. But it’s better than journaling because as Anastasia says it connects you to other people and expands the whole process. Good luck to you all. You are wonderful young women and really inspire me with your comments.
That last one was from my MOM! Thanks Mom!
“…think of yourself as your career – not your job.”
Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any harder. Thanks for this, Kate. Seriously. I am having lots of old-timey, parent-fueled, why-aren’t-you-prominent-in-your-field-any-field-yet feelings these days and needed a reminder that the rules have CHANGED.
Can’t wait for tomorrow and the rest of the story!
Ooh, sounds good! I’ve been saying recently that even though I got a college degree I think it would be more meaningful if I had waited a couple of years before going to college. Most kids go straight from high school to college because that’s the next thing on the list. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, but didn’t know the ins and outs of how to get there, or what was most important. A couple of years would have sussed everything out for me.
We may be moving to DC soon…if we do would you mind giving me some advice on neighborhoods?
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Miriam
http://www.craigslistposter.info