Bye Bye Junk

(written Oct 2007)

As some of you may know, I have worked in marketing for a company called, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? It has been an amazing experience – I have met some of the most talented and intelligent colleagues and most importantly, made many dear friends. Next week, that chapter of my life will be ending and I will be off to start a new chapter of my life. What that is exactly, well, I have to figure that part out.

While I am still young, with decades of experience to go, there are a few things I have learned along the way that I’d like to share. My decisions and path are not right or wrong, but the path I chose, and would never change.

First, when I had started as a coordinator. I was shy, giggly and “cutesy”. I had a director who believed in me and empowered me to make decisions and be held accountable for them. I realised quickly that if you want to excel professionally, you had to act and be the part. Chin up, with confidence and conviction in your decisions. Cool, calm and collected and never reactionary. Proactive and always first to figure out the solution before the problem has even been identified. All those ways of being in the professional world was praised and rewarded. Within a few months I was promoted to management and became a key pillar in the Marketing Department.

Throughout the last two years, I’ve seen the company soar through great times and endure the not so great times. And through it all, I’ve learned something very important. As long as you work for the corporation, nomatter how hard and smart you work, how much you contribute and how much you are praised, you are disposable. You can be valued for years of contribution, but the tide can turn in an instant.

And it’s nothing personal, at the end of the day, “business is business” right? But it is a shame that the dynamic is the way it is: you, the worker, can devote your loyalty and all for a company, but the relationship is not a two way street. it’s just the way it is. So all you can do, is appreciate the ride and part ways with class and grace. It also helps a lot if you don’t put your eggs in one basket. When you rely soley on one source of income and opportunity, the control is always on the other side of the court. Having other opportunities an arms’ length away enables you to not “need” them. When you don’t “need” the job for survival, you’re able to do it a lot better as you’re not scared to speak out because you fear losing your job. Oh, and that way, when eventually you do piss someone off higher up on the ladder, you can hold your self respect to not change your openess and honesty for anyone or any company, because you have already prepared a back route anyway.

I am by nature a very fast paced person. Since the age of 14, I’ve always worked a minimum of two jobs at once. Having numerous things on the go at once and striving to be the best in what I do has been a part of me since I was young. It’s tough moving on from safety and security of a stable paycheck (with a handy dental plan) to jumping into the abyss of unpredictability and chance of failure (and a $1200 bill for a crown). But the toughest part, is to break out of the “go go” mode and jump into something else before putting the time and energy to really understand what you want.

I want to start my own business and to be honest, I only have a slight idea of what that business could be. And even scarier, even if I pursue that idea, I don’t even know if that idea will be any good. Here is where I have to fight the anchor of fear.

Or, i can go back the other way, find a full time job that is safe and probably not interest me within a year. And while as I write those words that option sounds pretty undesirable, as creatures who crave saftey, it sure is tempting.

~ by amyfabulous on August 10, 2008.