Last semester I actually signed up for an internship course and started going through the necessary steps of finding an internship through the career center at my school. I even began sending out a couple applications early on. However, when I began to realize that I didn't really know what I wanted to apply for because I didn't know what I wanted to do, and was just sending out applications regarding the typical career paths a student in my major would choose, I had a mental breakdown.
Long story short, I emailed my career counselor, told her I was sorry but I was done looking for an internship and was dropping the course. I mean, why intern for a position I know nothing about and might wind up absolutely hating right? I'm not one to blindly go into things. I like to have some sort of game plan or some sort of knowing before I begin.
While I was trying to find a class that compensated for the internship credit requirement, I noticed that my career counselor offered a Career Development class. She's a fantastic lady and one of my favorite faculty members at the school so I of course decided to look up the description of the class. Pretty much, the description told me that this class was all about finding yourself and finding out what career opportunities are available to you, and what would work well with your personality. BINGO. That's what I needed! So I enrolled (plus, it didn't hurt that it fit in really nicely with my schedule).
**Side note- I keep misspelling opportunities and have to correct it and I don't know why... I also misspelled "misspelling" while typing this.... **
So throughout the course our professor had us go through a couple assessments of our personality which then gave us a holland code and an MBTI code (which I won't get in to). From there we found out about who we are, what kind of things interest us, what stimulates us, and what environments help us thrive to the best of our potential. She also made us really analyze our skill sets and figure out what they are. I realized I had way more skills than I even though. A program we used even helped match us up to potential careers that might interest us.
From this course I noticed that I'm very creative (duh) and very math inclined (another duh). But I found that even though numbers and logistics stimulate me, I need to balance it out a lot with creative work and using my skills to bring my imagination to life. I also found that I can't be at a desk all day working a typical 9-5. I'd hate that. I also found that I'm probably going to be working long hours, but I do that already and I like to be busy. It helps me work better.
So after all this learning, self assessment, self realization, guidance, and research, I've finally discovered that I still don't entirely know what I want to be. But that's okay. I have found some career choices that interest me such as Merchandise Coordinator. I'd work for a certain company (Polo, Guess, Armani, etc.) and oversee their areas in major department stores like Macys. I'd help plan the merchandise to be brought in that would sell to the target customers in the area, set up displays that reflect the company and display merchandise in a creative way, and help lead and educate the sales team who specializes in that brand. I'd be doing this for a few department stores so my environment would always be changing, and with change of season comes new merchandise and new set-ups. I'd also get to use my math skills with creating the merchandising plans and sales goals. Best of both worlds.
From there maybe I want to get into being a creative director or a fashion director. Those are definitely positions for the more experienced, but in the future, I think I could handle it. So that's one of my goals in this industry. I want to do well and make a name for myself. But most of all, I want to find what I love and be passionate about my job. How can I fail if I'm passionate about what I do and put all my heart into it? I can't. As long as I'm happy and keep pushing myself, I know I'll be successful.
So there's my little spiel about my career life and what's been going through my mind so far here in New York City. Its a tough world, but I think I'm learning to ropes and I think I'm going to make it here. Its sink or swim, and I'm prepared to swim, no matter what tough waters come my way. Mama didn't raise a quitter, that's for sure. Again, I owe it all to her. Without her teachings from birth, I wouldn't be as well rooted and strong as I am today. And I can't thank her enough or be more grateful that I was able to have a mother as fantastic and wise as her. She taught me all she needed to in just nineteen short years. And the only reason fate allowed her to be taken away from me, is because fate knew I could handle this, and I could make it. All because of you Mama, all for you. I know I'm making you proud, and you just wait to see what's to come. So much more. I got this. Finally.
The thing that pops into my mind while reading this is : Why are you wasting time at Best Buy? Aside from giving you general work experience, it has absolutely nothing to do with where you're going in life. I think if you want to be in fashion, then you need to be working toward that even now. Going to FIT while working at Best Buy is like being an opera major who waits tables and never auditions for anything. I think you should be out in retail or anywhere more fashion related than what Best Buy is offering you. You'll really start to learn the ropes and have practical experience with the careers you're thinking about. You can start networking and put yourself in a better position for better jobs once you graduate.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that FIT has a program to help you find possible career paths suitable to your personality!
ReplyDeleteThe prospect of a Merchandise Coordinator position working for major department stores sounds promising. You should consider writing out in detail exactly what you will do once you find a position like this. After you do that, read your job description once a day every day. You will literally bring your imagination to life! Try it (persistence is key).
In the meantime, keep refining in your own mind the vision of who you want to be. Explore and make the best of the opportunities you are offered. When one path feels like it will lead you astray (like your internship course) your intuition will steer you back in the right direction (like taking the career development course instead).
That you strive to one day “help lead and educate sales teams for major department stores” suggests it is in your DNA to be a leader (i.e. a “trendsetter”). Consider taking courses to nourish this talent. Leadership is a character trait that employers will surely cherish.
Keep stalking your opportunities with style and confidence, Sean, and I bet many paths will open themselves to you as a result.