I often questioned what if I could have progressed much further in my communications career if I had made better choices along the way. I questioned how come God never felt I deserved a job in advertising or with UNICEF as a children’s advocate.
Instead, my first job basically landed in my lap after my former University program coordinator recommended me for the job. So without even applying or knowing that place existed, I interviewed and got the job as an Executive Assistant, then soon moved up to the post of Corporate Communications Specialist.
While in that role I got a call from an advertising executive who offered me a job as a copywriter, but I turned it down due to guilt in having just started a new role. Quickly enough I felt really dumb about that decision because I soon left the communications role due to feeling intimidated by a boss who had belittled me every chance he got.
I then went on to a publishing company where my tasks included editing, but also data entry, scanning and photocopying. Having just graduated with a first class honors degree I was on my “high horse” and saw the administrative tasks as demeaning so I became disinterested and was fired without even an hour’s notice. Upon leaving I told my boss my true feelings and she informed me of plans she had to make me lead the marketing functions of the company. Again, I felt that I had made such a huge mistake, and very often I’d ask myself what if I had just worked well and communicated my feelings earlier to my boss, then my communications career would have taken off.
I then moved on to a temporary role as a writer in a public relations company. The management was very pleased with me and offered me a full time role as an Account Executive. I expressed dissatisfaction with the salary and the offer was retracted. Once more, I wondered what if I had just taken the lower salary, then my communications career would have taken off.
It seems I had blown every chance I got to have a blooming communications career. Then I later found myself working in client relations and investor relations. I enjoyed the role and having that feeling of ownership — having a portfolio of clients whom I viewed as “my clients.” But I also felt like a failure. I looked at the accomplishments of other communications graduates who were now working as communications specialists, and some even became consultants, while I seemed to have change fields.
It took me a long time to discover that it is all about perception. Despite having published two novels, and having written numerous articles that were published in newspapers from I was 16 years old, I still felt that my communications career was a waste, until it hit me that all along I had been succeeding, maybe not as communications specialist, but as a Writer. It also hit me that while I did not have the title “communications specialist”, in my client relations role I was always “communicating” with clients. More importantly, I realised that all along I had been gaining new and varied skills, becoming all the more equipped for the diverse work force.
whatifsometimeslifehappen 