Your career path will not be straight!
I’m often approached by teens/twenty-somethings asking for advice, connections and recommendations when they start thinking about applying for their first proper job.
I’ll always say; that first step doesn’t have to be perfect; in fact it rarely is; just as long as you take it.
Unless you’re like my dad and plan on spending your entire career in one law firm (from his articles to being senior managing partner, he was there for over 40 years!) expect your career path to be varied.
I was definitely looking for variation when I started out.
1992 saw me striding out of Polytechnic South West (University of Plymouth these days) with an HND BTEC in Business Studies (& French); keen to get a job, learn, get my own place and earn. Simple.
I couldn’t wait to get going. Although I wasn’t sure what I’d be doing, I knew I loved marketing.
As part of our final exams we had to write a marketing plan for a local business, Trace Publications; tucked down a side-street behind Plymouth’s Barbican. The MD liked my submission so much, he offered me a marketing job. The business was fascinating; they published a journal featuring stolen works of art and antiques from around the world - we even accompanied Thames Valley Police on a sting operation in a Bath Auctioneers once!
However, the team was small and I needed someone to show me how to be a marketeer.
I left after the summer, moved back home, cobbled together a CV and started applying for jobs.
I must have applied for 100’s; had a handful of interviews (from the BBC, The Times to a local body repair shop!) and a grand total of NO job offers.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I didn’t have a degree and I didn’t have experience.
All my Poly mates had stayed on a year to upgrade their BTEC’s to BA Hon’s so I was flying solo.
Rejection after rejection meant I had to rethink.
Mum suggested a crash course in secretarial, an idea I hated. I’d just finished two years of studying and for what?
There wasn’t much choice.
I signed up for the 10 week Secretarial Course in Bournemouth and joined a class of international students; all young, enthusiastic, obsessed with pool, darts, the English pop charts and fancy dress.
Those 10 weeks turned out to be not so bad!
I passed my typing, short-hand, dictation and call handling with flying colours.
Then spotted an ad for PA in a local advertising agency. It wasn’t ideal, but I could use my skills and get a little closer to a marketing role.
I got it.
I was a pretty mediocre PA to Trafford and Mike, but they were very patient and I quickly realised the work was fascinating, varied and very marine-focused.
I did everything from making coffee, getting the Directors’ lunch and typing up reports to warning Trafford when his wife was blustering in to check he wasn’t back on the fags (he always was!). But also typing up brochure copy in 8 different languages for International Yacht Paints; writing ad headlines and copy for Fairline Yachts, Simrad Stowe and Henry Lloyd; getting a birds eye view of Trafford’s creative process (fags, late mornings and extremely late nights) and creative genius.
Then Kerry the Media Buyer announced she was leaving.
“I’ll do it” I piped up.
“OK, but you’ll have to juggle both jobs,” Trafford warned.
“No problem.”
I stuck like glue to Kerry during her last few days; weeks later writing my own media plans, liaising with magazine sales teams, negotiating costs, booking space, budgeting and attending Boat Shows.
Next, Duncan the Production Manager resigned. My hand shot up again. Sure enough, Duncan trained me up and next thing I was buying repro and production; overseeing artwork, submitting final artwork via ISDN (it was 100’s of years ago!), checking four colour films, proofs and despatching to publications.
Before I knew it I was being wheeled out in front of clients, writing a regular product placement article for Henri Lloyd in Yachting Monthly and Trafford advertised for a new PA.
18 months later I was ready to move on. I never imagined that little secretarial job could have afforded me the skills it did. I learnt so much thanks to Willoughby Stewart.
Next up: Account Manager with McCann Erickson.
The bright lights of Bristol, the biggest advertising agency in the world and a mix of international clients and I was off and running.
When I hear teens/twenty-somethings talk about their struggles to find work or even work out what they want to do, I want to say; it’s always been that way. How do you think most of us got started?
You’ll be one of the fortunate few if your first job lands in your lap AND if it turns out to be something you enjoy!
Your career is not going to be a straight tarmac smooth path; there are bound to be bumps along the way, twists and turns to navigate, intersections to choose from, hills to climb and slopes to breeze down.
But opportunities will come. Keep your eyes open, think outside the box, work hard, use your network, expand your network, aim for indispensable (although there’s no such thing!) and don’t be afraid when things don’t go to plan or panic when you change your mind.
It’s all part of life and whatever happens you’re experiencing it and learning.
Keep on trucking…