Sunday, March 05, 2017

When you work hard and it actually pays off

It took me quite some time to figure out what I am passionate about. Or in other words, it took me some time to realize that the thing I am passionate about is the thing I have always been passionate about.

I have always loved writing and I have always wanted to write for a living, but when I was younger and making my first ever career choices by choosing which schools to apply, writing meant same as being a author and being an actual professional author seemed like an impossible dream. I never really dared to explore that path, it was clearly for bigger dreamers ad for more talented people, and I was too uneducated to know that you have many other options than being a author or a journalist if you love writing.

So maybe I went to the wrong school and studied the wrong things, and then took the wrong job. But I did not end up in a hole like I thought I did. My own little hole actually got me somewhere: it helped me to actualize the thing I am passionate about.

I realized it's not the writing I love but being able to communicate. Communicate by talking, writing, creating content, giving presentations... Engaging with people. And once I realized what my goal was it was also easier to work hard to get there.

The goal seemed unreachable even though I had a pretty solid idea how to get there. I knew what to do and with whom to network with. And I did all I could to get myself closer to my goal. There are people who think everything fell into place by itself, but they honestly don't have an idea about how hard I worked. I worked my ass off!

Earlier this year I applied to a communications job in my company that I was really not so keen about it. I love my company but I have no desire to help it to get more revenue. Internal communications is what I am passionate about. I have a really good image of the people who work in the same company, thanks to my entry-level IT-support job. I know them and I love them

I only applied to get closer to my goal, I felt obligated to do it. How could I be serious about my goal if I don't even apply a job that on paper sounds perfect for me?

Luckily I didn't get the job, and I was relieved because it really wasn't the job for me. But apparently the interview went super well since couple weeks later they contacted me and offered me a different job.  They started by apologizing that I didn't get a job I applied for, that they picked someone else. And then they continued and offered me a job that sounded absolutely perfect. There'd be some projects coming and that they would really appreciate my help and expertise.

On 15th I will officially start in my new job as a communications specialist. It's a part time gig. I have to share my weeks evenly between communications and IT, but it suits me just fine. I get to enjoy the best of both worlds and eventually it will lead me closer to my goal; it will give me the tools, the experience, the everything to help me pursuing my dreams.

So I got out of the hole. Faster than I thought.

I still don't know where I end up. Whether I land a full time job in internal communications or not. Whether it is what I want or not. But it feels good to be on the path to somewhere.

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