As college graduation approached I felt an obvious increase in stress and anxiety. What would I do when I walked off of that campus, cap, and gown in hand and my undergrad in the rearview? There was simply no way I could leave without an offer on the table… better yet an acceptance. So I made a decision that resulted in one heck of a learning experience.
I went from interview to interview and had several offers. My heart encouraged me to take the job where I felt I fit in the most; the HQ I could envision myself for years to come. But, while my heart pressed, the idealist in me was screaming go where the money is! It was an internal battle that I had never experienced before so I did what many entry-level grads might do… I took the higher paying job in hopes I could tackle my mountain of student debt faster.
Sometimes we put ourselves under so much pressure to succeed, impress, and do everything right that we neglect to acknowledge what will make us the happiest. I was in that office for less than a month when I started to feel like an outsider; I knew it was not my fit. I wanted to stick it out so I could build my resume but I could feel it wasn’t in the cards. The biggest downside of an unfit corporate culture is the collapse of your mental health.
You could ask anyone in my circle during that time and they would have told you the same thing – that I needed to get out. It took a lot of debating with myself before I realized I needed to go with my gut instinct and start looking. It took less than 24 hours for me to realize it was the best decision I could have made for myself during that time.
It’s humbling to start fresh. It takes a lot of courage. But it can be reinvigorating. You just have to put your ego on a shelf & tell it to be quiet.
~ Jennifer Ritchie Payette
Passing in my resignation and walking out those front doors left me with the same sensation you have when you’ve crossed the finish line of a race or your professor’s hands you back a research paper you worked on for months with a big fat A scratched on the top. It was nothing the company did wrong (in fact they treated me just fine) it was the understanding that my skill set and personality just weren’t a good match. I was the wrong piece of the puzzle.
It was at my next job where I experienced the actual building of corporate culture. I was the first hire at a growing start-up and boy did that have cultural swings. You don’t really know what it will look like and you may or may not like where it goes but, for those who are unsure of what they want, it is one of the best experiences you can go through. My opinion and feelings on the culture there changed a few times during our growing pains but they helped me understand what it was I really wanted in the workplace.
You have to remember that nothing, no one, and nowhere is perfect. It could take years to figure out what culture leaves you invigorated and it could change! We change and so do the companies that we work for. I put almost two years into my previous position and embraced every opportunity for growth before leaving. And the first thing I looked for outside of an appropriate position was corporate culture. I put more of my personality out there in interviews so that my next employer would have a true feeling for who I was.
My honest advice for job seekers
Maybe you are graduating a pursuing your first job, maybe you are getting ready to leave your current employer, or maybe you are just trying to figure out if a change is right for you. The best advice I could give to anyone is go with your gut. You’ve likely rolled your eyes at that advice before (I definitely have) but it’s because it’s so real.
Think about what qualities you look for in another person and hold your employer standards up to meet those same expectations. Brands and companies can be evaluated in the same way an individual can. Like us, workplaces have their own unique personalities. The right fit will bring out the best in you and have you looking forward to the future of your career. Being your BOLD means taking risks and diving in headfirst when the time feels right.
So get out there and start making decisions that are right for you. We have to experience to learn and learn to understand ourselves on a deeper level. Never be afraid to take a chance!
Read more from the #BeYourBold series