21Nov / 2013

how I got here

So I had one of those epiphanies I told you about. My healthcare insurance ran out  in September after my twenty-sixth birthday. I was sick of living on loans, and I wanted to make real money doing something I’d love. Human resources has always interested me for several reasons. I love being a mediator and helping people see different perspectives. I love being an advisor, and I enjoy working with people one-on-one.

I decided that recruiting and admissions would be a great fit, but the caveat was that it had to be in a creative environment. I decided that I wanted to be a creative recruiter, or work for my school, SCAD Atlanta, as an admissions advisor. I attempted to navigate my connections at SCAD. I hit a brick wall with SCAD, but that’s because my approach was all wrong. If you have access to the organization you’re interested in, like I do with SCAD, it’s always best to show your face and visit with your connections. I researched different creative staffing agencies in Atlanta. I came across a few, but narrowed it down to the one with the best reputation. I have to work for a company I believe in. I have to work for an organization where I can be myself.

After picking the company I wanted to work for, I perused their job openings. Luckily, they had a creative recruiter position available. This is where social media proved itself to me. I changed my headline on LinkedIn to: Looking for a position as a Creative Recruiter. I found the branch manager for the Atlanta location, and I invited her to connect. The next day she added me and sent a message requesting to chat. The next day I had my phone interview. Then a few days later I had my in-person interview, followed by a string of phone interviews with executives from the corporate office.

Needless to say, I got the job, and I’m very excited. My assertiveness is what ultimately got me the job. You have to go after what you want, even if you’re not entirely sure about it because by the time you figure it out, it’ll be too late. Besides, we never have anything completely figured out. Because I’m approaching this position with a clear perspective, I’ll enjoy it. I no longer put pressure on myself to be in love with pursuits. Sometimes you don’t fall in love until it becomes yours.

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21Nov / 2013

why I’m here

I thought I had to know where I was going to get there. But the truth is no one knows where their going. I have changed direction countless times. I’ve been the one to have random epiphanies about my purpose in life. I’ve been the one to make lavish announcements about what I’m going to do in life.

 

I’ve declared I’m going to be a:

a journalist

a lawyer

a pediatrician

a psychologist

a professor

an entrepreneur

a copywriter

an essayist

a novelist

 

A career isn’t this linear trajectory that is decided upfront. It winds and turns, often sharply. It goes on for long stretches and then suddenly stops with a layoff cliff. The truth is I’m sure that I’ll be each of these things at some point. But for now I’m a creative recruiter, finishing up her MFA in Writing.

 

Maybe you wonder how I landed there. Well, that’s what this blog is all about. How we land anywhere. How we navigate anywhere. How we trek the complex space between our ears. How a career is life: open-ended, strange, familiar, and beyond our control.

 

I briefly mentioned that I’m a creative recruiter. Actually, that’s a lie. I don’t officially start as a creative recruiter until December 2nd. I decided to start a blog about my career because I’ve no idea where I’m going, and I’m okay with that. I mean, I kind of have to be.

 

Every time I think I have it figured it, my plans fizzle out, and I become disinterested. This is because I put too much pressure on myself to have things preemptively determined. I can’t commit that long to something I’ll likely become bored with, so instead, I chose to commit to my life, wherever it takes me.

 

So after trashing my longterm career goals, I decided to enjoy the laps. It’s the multiple laps that actually determine the entire course. So all I can do is hope that the culmination of my laps equals a full and productive life.

 

I think that being a creative recruiter is a great lap for me. I love helping people and giving advice. I enjoy helping others find their way. I’m a creative, so helping other creatives navigate life should be rewarding. I get to build and develop lasting relationships. I get to help people transition from pitstop to lap.

 

Currently, I help people find work without getting paid to do it. Maybe that’s a good thing, but sometimes when something you love becomes work, it feels like work. Who knows, but I’ll soon find out.

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