Starting a new job can be stressful; starting an entirely new career is downright terrifying. Before I came to Mustang Marketing, I had worked for the a school district very happily since I had graduated from UCLA four years ago, but I wanted to branch out and find a new path, something that I had never done before and had a more sustainable future. I came to Mustang knowing nothing about the world of marketing or how to navigate it. My degree is in anthropology, not business, but I came determined to learn as much as I could.
That’s where the terrifying part came in: I had left the security of a job that I knew how to do one-handed, eyes closed, and had willingly thrown it away to jump into a entirely different industry. I knew that without taking this leap of faith in myself, I would always wonder what if. I knew that I would rather find out then never know, so I jumped.
Like with any new job, there are some bumps along the way as you adjust to your new surroundings, duties, co-workers and the daily routine of a new place. As I’m sure that anyone who has ever been in the same situation can attest, those first few days are a deluge of new information. Things that everyone already working there knows and does as second nature you have to learn. At the first production meeting on my second day I sat stunned as everyone went over the jobs that were on the agenda for the week and what needed to be done with such fluid ease, everyone quickly comprehending and moving on while I tried to process what anyone was even talking about. I didn’t let that discourage me however, determined to get past my own misgivings about starting something new and let myself learn from the new experience. I’m very glad that I did.
Even though I started out nervous and unsure, it took very little time before I was able to keep pace with everyone else. Those once-daunting meetings slowly began to come into clarity and I was no longer lost. Every day I learn new things and while it’s still a challenge, I look forward to meeting it every morning.
So, what would have happened if I had taken the road more traveled and stayed where it was safe? I know I wouldn’t be nearly as happy as I am now, nor would I gain this kind of experience and knowledge. While staying where it is safe can be the more appealing option, I encourage people thinking of making a big change in their lives to walk to the edge of their indecision, take a deep breath, and leap.