One of the things that I thought defined me was my work ethic and I really felt that I put 120% of myself into my job. Ok, maybe there is a rainy day or two where I’m just not feeling as full of awesome as usual, but typically I work my butt off. I like doing a good job and I feel like a poser if I just sit back and let other people do the hard work.
So imagine how it felt when I was thrown off that high horse I had built for myself.
I thought I had been successful over the years and had even gotten positive feedback and raises at each of my yearly reviews. But out of the blue, I was informed that my time at the company was limited. A few vague reasons were thrown around, but honestly I’m still not sure why I’m losing my job.
I fell into this dark hole of “I suck” and just felt covered in a film of general ickyness.
Was I actually any good at marketing?
Do I suck as a manager?
Am I a terrible person?
What the hell should I do with my life now?
After moping around for a while, I came to that brilliant conclusion that it’s them, not me. I actually LOVE marketing and I’ve enjoyed working in marketing for the past 12 years. I DO want another job in marketing because I ROCK at it. If I wasn’t good at my job, why would they have kept me around for 6 years? Also, now that they’ve decided to let me go, why do they keep asking me to stay on and do freelance/consulting work?
Apparently, I’m no longer a good fit at my current company. Fine. They’re no longer a good fit for me! I’ve been overworked and haven’t felt appreciated in years. Finally with this kick in the pants, I’m out of here.
So, where does that leave me?
As I spoke about in my last post, I’m looking around for a new opportunity. But great marketing jobs don’t exactly grow on trees. So, in the meantime – what should I do?
And that is where I (finally) come to the point of this post. The best way to learn about yourself is to ask other people what they think you should do. Then, really listen to their answers. It’s possible that they may see talents that you didn’t even realize you had.
One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed over the years is graphic design. I love spending time designing brochures, newsletters, invitations, etc. In my spare time, I’ve even designed wedding and baby shower invitations for friends. Not once did I think that this was something special about me.
Two of my friends pointed out that I should start selling my custom designs on Etsy (one of my favorite websites EVER which is sure to suck money out of my pocket). This is something that I never even thought about. But now that it was pointed out to me, I realize how easy it would be to set up a shop and design some stuff on the side.
Is it going to support me? Um…no.
However, it will give me something to do while looking for a new job. If I can get enough freelance consulting work, in addition to selling some of my designs online, maybe I’ll end up finding my new passion after all.
So, if you’re stuck in rut, try what I did and ask your friends and colleagues, “What do you think I’m good at?”
Really listen to their answers; they might know you better than you think they do.
great post, Julie! 🙂 You’ll find the right fit soon, I’m sure of it. I’d still love to do lunch and here the whole story soon.