3 things I wish someone had told me at the start of my career

It took me nine years and ten jobs in four countries to appreciate “the only path to follow is your own”.

Not to mention frequent bouts of self-doubt, and several instances of finding the courage to “start over” when it seemed like everyone else was moving forward.

But through my boldness to live abroad, my openness to new people, and my ability to be both patient and unrelenting in pursuit of my goals, I’ve created opportunities for myself beyond what I could’ve imagined.

Now, as I look forward to my six-month anniversary of self-employment, I’m humbled to look back and marvel at how far I’ve come. How much I’ve grown.

Here’s where I’m at now

Working with Concordia University has been a form of time travel.

I graduated in 2012, and hearing new grads talk about their anxiety around finding their place in the world of work takes me straight back to those moments when I felt the same. Looking for a job was my full-time job, and my friends and I would hop from one Montreal cafe to the next—laptops in tow—sending application after application in hopes of landing an interview.

A decade later, I’m here to tell you what I wish someone had told me. It’s normal to feel lost when you graduate university. It’s the end of the traditional school route and the beginning of “life in the real world.” And life in the real world is a path all your own. A path you must define.

It can be scary to think about—especially if you put pressure on yourself to map out your entire career before landing your first job. Instead, take a deep breath, and focus on taking things one thing at a time.

When I graduated, I had no idea my future would include living in Australia, let alone this road trip across New Zealand

I can’t promise specific outcomes, or give you a formula to succeed. But I can recommend three guiding principles based on my path to career fulfillment—a path that took many twists and turns through fields like Law, Training, and Gaming, and countries like the UK, Australia, and France. 

1. You’ll never regret “starting over” to go after what you really want. So if you find yourself in a situation that no longer fulfills you, find the courage to forge your path in a new direction—even if it means delaying other goals. 

When I turned 30, I was living in Paris, working at the HQ of a global gaming company. I loved the job, the company, and the city—but something was missing.

I realized I wanted to make a bigger impact helping others achieve their professional goals. To do that, I needed to take on a more learning-centric role. So I ended up investing in a remote Learning Design and Technology program offered by the Harvard Extension School in the US.

I also never imagined I’d visit a place as remote as Tasmania, Australia but like this path I found there, our careers take many twists and turns

Several months later, I took an even bigger plunge.

I made my career change official by joining a startup incubator in what was—at the time—an entry level instructional design role. The opportunity was a godsend as the company had been looking to expand the role and were happy to build it around my skill set. So even though I had to take a $20K pay cut and forego my benefits—a tough decision to make in my early 30s when all my friends were getting raises and buying houses—I was in my element.

The previous seven years had been a steep learning curve—from one company and country to the next—and my 18 months with the startup incubator magically aligned my range of experiences. Everything I’d learned about learning, events, project management, gaming, and customer experience came in handy as I began designing and delivering courses for young professionals looking to acquire an entrepreneurial skill set. 

I still fell victim to the occasional pang of anxiety, wondering, “am I screwing up my financial future by having taken a lunge backward when everyone else is running ahead?” 

Ultimately though, doing what I loved with people who inspired me and pushed me to be better was the fulfillment I valued most. And it’s what enabled me to go independent as a freelancer.

2. Your manager isn’t responsible for your professional development—you are. So make sure you’re driving your career forward and getting buy-in from those who can help you. Don’t expect people—even great managers—to read your mind. 

Note: Women tend to sell themselves short compared to men, so don’t make the same mistakes I have. Know your potential and pitch yourself for projects that will help you realize it. 

I always thought of work like school. Work hard and eventually I’ll get promoted, get sent to interesting conferences, and benefit from professional development opportunities like courses and coaching. The thing no one told me is that’s the slowest way to get ahead. 

A better way is to initiate discussions about your goals and aspirations with your manager.

A recent trip to Whistler reminded me of the abundance of opportunity that awaits us at any given time, as well as the joys of exploring different paths 

I learned this lesson the hard way when a male colleague requested our manager let him own a project that me and another female colleague were more qualified for. He confidently made the suggestion with solid rationales for why he was up for the task, and our manager gave him the go ahead. I was stunned. 

Not because he didn’t deserve the opportunity—he did. It just hadn’t occurred to me to ask for ownership of a project outside of my comfort zone, for fear of not being able to deliver.

But that’s how we grow professionally. We set “stretch” objectives and work towards achieving them.

Immediately after the meeting, my female colleague and I confided in each other that we were disappointed in ourselves. We realized we should be more confident. So we helped each other set stretch objectives and agreed to be accountability buddies going forward. We were both promoted shortly after, and eventually moved onto even bigger opportunities.

3. Opportunities are co-created with others, so look for a great manager—not just a job. Guidance and feedback from your manager can amplify your career growth exponentially. If you find a manager that believes in you and invests in your growth, you’ll be unstoppable. 

I left my mark on my previous roles by growing them beyond where I started. Part of it was my nature to take initiative, the other part was having managers who trusted me with increasing responsibility. I learned early on the key to finding good managers was using job application processes as an opportunity to evaluate potential managers. That’s right. It’s not just a one-way vetting process. 

If you’re leaving full discretion to the company to determine whether you’re a fit, you’re selling yourself short. Just because they want you, doesn’t mean they deserve you. It should be a win-win situation. 

As a new grad, I took a serious blow to my confidence. I had countless job applications go unacknowledged—if not rejected. So when I landed an interview for a role I was excited about, I was ready to accept any offer.

But then the hiring process was a circus. The woman who would’ve been my manager forgot about our call, and then lost service on the metro during the time we’d rescheduled. The HR rep also sent me the wrong case study, and mixed me up with another candidate. All were signs of what I could expect—or dread—if I were to take the role.

That’s when it occurred to me that you can interpret a lot about company culture based on how people execute their application process.

Like this staircase I came across at Bells Beach in Australia, an application process is an on ramp for where you want to go—but you can turn around at any point if you realize the destination isn’t what you thought it would be

Here are some questions to consider in evaluating potential roles and managers during the hiring process:

Role specific

A job is a list of responsibilities that may remain static without clarity on growth. A career opportunity is a position strategically aligned with an increasing sense of responsibility. 

• Does this feel like a job or a career opportunity? 

Manager specific

How people behave during the hiring process is indicative of their typical work style and habits. If anything, people are on their best behavior. Bear this in mind if you’re dealing with a potential manager or HR rep that seems flaky, ambiguous, or otherwise ill-fitted for you. Trust your gut and don’t settle for less than what you want in a manager or teammates. You’ll end up regretting it in the long run. 

• Does the manager or HR rep set clear expectations? Do they get back to you in a timely manner?

• Are your potential manager and other teammates on time for your interviews? Have they prepared thoughtful questions to guide the conversation?

• Have they designed a thoughtful case study that gives you a deeper understanding of what the day to day role entails? Do they offer feedback on the work you submit?

• Are there any red flags that make you hesitant about joining the company?

Summary

By now, you’ve probably realized my career path has been defined as much by my personal interests—to travel and live abroad—as it has my professional ones. Interests that blossomed and evolved tremendously since I was a 22 year old graduate.  

I couldn’t have foreseen where I would be now—a decade later—let alone how I would get here (no matter how badly I wanted to at the time). Instead, I took things one by one and relied on my intuition to lead me where I was meant to go. Now, I’m self-employed with the ability to work remotely for international clients. 

I’m living my dream. A dream built on several other dreams I achieved along the way—like living in London, Sydney, and Paris, and travelling far beyond.

You can create your dream opportunities too—even if you’re not sure what they are yet. Just focus on getting moving and eventually specific destinations and pit stops will beckon. 

Don’t worry about where others are going, or comparing where you are in relation to them. 

When in doubt, remember… The only path to follow is your own.

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