5 Things I Learned on My Career Path (or How I Wasted My College Degree)
Some people are lucky enough to know exactly what they want to do from a very early age. I am not one of those people. Sure, I thought I knew what I wanted to be and even spent five years at college earning a BA and master’s degrees in education so that I could become a teacher. Unfortunately, six weeks as a long-term sub in a fifth-grade class forced me to confront my strengths (coming up with creative lesson plans) and my weaknesses (which was pretty much anything dealing with classroom behavior management). This sub assignment took place during my last semester at college and essentially closed the door on my teaching career before the ink was even dry on my diplomas.
Lost and discouraged, I returned home with what I felt were worthless degrees. Ever hear the song from the musical Avenue Q where they sing about “What Do You Do with a BA in English?” That was exactly how I felt. I spent several weeks sending out resumes to a variety of media organizations with the hope of finding something, anything, that I could do. Which brings me to my first lesson:
Be Realistic with Your Expectations.
Unless you were born a Rockefeller, no one starts at the top. Even if you have earned a degree in Graphic Arts, it is unlikely that you will start as the Art Director of an advertising agency. With this thought in mind, know that everyone’s first job after college is just a starting point. I ended up at a small advertising business as the Media Relations Manager, which was a very fancy title for someone who made a ton of telemarketing calls. If you know me, you know that I hate making calls. I especially hate making calls to people that I don’t know. But I needed a job and I knew I had to start somewhere. This brings me to my second lesson:
Expect the Unexpected
Yes, I know that is the slogan for Big Brother, but it should also be the slogan for your life. You can’t anticipate all the detours or bumps in the road that will come during your personal or professional life. But, sometimes, what may seem like a negative, is just an unrealized opportunity. For me, the glorified telemarketing job gave me a chance to grow my skills in ways I never expected. I learned computer programs like Photoshop and Quark, which led me to discover my love for design. In addition, I was able to form relationships with my coworkers that helped establish my career path. Which leads me to my next lesson:
It’s All About Who You Know
In some ways, this seems incredibly unfair. I mean, how do I get hired by Jeff Bezos if he doesn’t know me, right? On the other hand, if you are a reliable, hard worker who treats your coworkers with respect, you can bet that they will remember you later. Often those co-workers will leave and join new companies, which lead to opportunities you never would have known about or had a chance of getting without that personal connection. I am forever grateful to my direct supervisor at my first job for giving me a chance at my dream job, becoming the sole in-house graphic designer for an association. I know I didn’t have all the qualifications or knowledge needed to be a graphic designer, but my boss knew my desire to learn and was confident that I would make it work. This brings me to my fourth lesson:
Make it Work
Let Tim Gunn’s tag line be your guide. When I was hired at my association, I had never actually sent anything to a printer before. I knew next to nothing about the print process. Was I freaked out about screwing things up? Absolutely. But you have resources all around you to help you succeed. I checked out all the books at the library I could find on the printing process and studied them like I would for an exam. I also contacted printers (potential vendors) who gave me tours of their facilities and answered a billion questions that I had. Knowledge takes time and commitment, but if you’re determined enough, you will find a way to make it work. And my final lesson is:
Create Your Own Opportunities
Perhaps you have been looking for a design job and haven’t had much luck. In situations like these, I would recommend offering your services to groups that probably don’t have the financial resources to pay for professional work. I am thinking about local small charities or church groups that are usually run on a shoe-string budget. I used to design the newsletter for a non-profit group that supported orphans in Sierra Leone. I also designed their print ads for their charity concerts. While I didn’t get paid for doing this, it provided me with experience, as well as added to my portfolio. Plus, you get the side benefit of supporting a cause that you believe in. In addition, you never know who you might meet (remember, it’s all about who you know) and Jeff Bezos may just support the same cause as you.
So, if you are feeling discouraged and like you will never be hired in the profession that you want to pursue, don’t give up. There are a lot of different roads one can travel to get to the same destination. And if you meet Jeff Bezos along the way, can you introduce me?
Some people are lucky enough to know exactly what they want to do from a very early age. I am not one of those people. Sure, I thought I knew what I wanted to be and even spent five years at college earning a BA and master’s degrees in education so that I could become a teacher. Unfortunately, six weeks as a long-term sub in a fifth-grade class forced me to confront my strengths (coming up with creative lesson plans) and my weaknesses (which was pretty much anything dealing with classroom behavior management). This sub assignment took place during my last semester at college and essentially closed the door on my teaching career before the ink was even dry on my diplomas.
Lost and discouraged, I returned home with what I felt were worthless degrees. Ever hear the song from the musical Avenue Q where they sing about “What Do You Do with a BA in English?” That was exactly how I felt. I spent several weeks sending out resumes to a variety of media organizations with the hope of finding something, anything, that I could do. Which brings me to my first lesson:
Be Realistic with Your Expectations.
Unless you were born a Rockefeller, no one starts at the top. Even if you have earned a degree in Graphic Arts, it is unlikely that you will start as the Art Director of an advertising agency. With this thought in mind, know that everyone’s first job after college is just a starting point. I ended up at a small advertising business as the Media Relations Manager, which was a very fancy title for someone who made a ton of telemarketing calls. If you know me, you know that I hate making calls. I especially hate making calls to people that I don’t know. But I needed a job and I knew I had to start somewhere. This brings me to my second lesson:
Expect the Unexpected
Yes, I know that is the slogan for Big Brother, but it should also be the slogan for your life. You can’t anticipate all the detours or bumps in the road that will come during your personal or professional life. But, sometimes, what may seem like a negative, is just an unrealized opportunity. For me, the glorified telemarketing job gave me a chance to grow my skills in ways I never expected. I learned computer programs like Photoshop and Quark, which led me to discover my love for design. In addition, I was able to form relationships with my coworkers that helped establish my career path. Which leads me to my next lesson:
It’s All About Who You Know
In some ways, this seems incredibly unfair. I mean, how do I get hired by Jeff Bezos if he doesn’t know me, right? On the other hand, if you are a reliable, hard worker who treats your coworkers with respect, you can bet that they will remember you later. Often those co-workers will leave and join new companies, which lead to opportunities you never would have known about or had a chance of getting without that personal connection. I am forever grateful to my direct supervisor at my first job for giving me a chance at my dream job, becoming the sole in-house graphic designer for an association. I know I didn’t have all the qualifications or knowledge needed to be a graphic designer, but my boss knew my desire to learn and was confident that I would make it work. This brings me to my fourth lesson:
Make it Work
Let Tim Gunn’s tag line be your guide. When I was hired at my association, I had never actually sent anything to a printer before. I knew next to nothing about the print process. Was I freaked out about screwing things up? Absolutely. But you have resources all around you to help you succeed. I checked out all the books at the library I could find on the printing process and studied them like I would for an exam. I also contacted printers (potential vendors) who gave me tours of their facilities and answered a billion questions that I had. Knowledge takes time and commitment, but if you’re determined enough, you will find a way to make it work. And my final lesson is:
Create Your Own Opportunities
Perhaps you have been looking for a design job and haven’t had much luck. In situations like these, I would recommend offering your services to groups that probably don’t have the financial resources to pay for professional work. I am thinking about local small charities or church groups that are usually run on a shoe-string budget. I used to design the newsletter for a non-profit group that supported orphans in Sierra Leone. I also designed their print ads for their charity concerts. While I didn’t get paid for doing this, it provided me with experience, as well as added to my portfolio. Plus, you get the side benefit of supporting a cause that you believe in. In addition, you never know who you might meet (remember, it’s all about who you know) and Jeff Bezos may just support the same cause as you.
So, if you are feeling discouraged and like you will never be hired in the profession that you want to pursue, don’t give up. There are a lot of different roads one can travel to get to the same destination. And if you meet Jeff Bezos along the way, can you introduce me?