By: Chelsea Nettai
Life can often times seem like a huge whirlwind of changes and new responsibilities. It’s as if everything you never thought would happen to you comes at the weirdest timing but those challenges are the ones that we often need the most.
Let me take you back to a month and some change ago.
I was a graduating Senior at the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication on the beautiful campus of Florida A&M University. I was doing my thing the best way I knew how to. I was involved in leadership roles, multiple organizations, I had my beloved radio shows and a spot as the host for FAMU NOW on Sirius XM. I was even working multiple jobs at one point to make sure I could afford the hefty price tag that comes with being someone who dared to get an education in 2017.
It wasn’t an easy or simple experience and I thought I had it down to a science. No one was going to stop my grind, but it would be nothing compared to the challenges I would face as soon as I crossed the stage in the fall of 2017. On graduation day I received an email for what I thought would be amazing job offer. The salary was great for an entry level and it wasn’t too far of a drive from my hometown of Miami, FL. "Wow, a company actually wants to hire me and appreciates my skillset, this is all way too good to be true", is what I thought to myself. Little did I know...I was right.
After interviewing a couple days after graduation, I was hired on the spot at a company that was very well trained in giving embellished job descriptions. I even started the week after graduation despite half of my life still being located in Tallahassee. What I thought I knew was going to be nothing close to what I would actually be doing. My first day on the job was a wake up call. Needless to say, I absolutely hated it and refused to get stuck there. I had never felt so miserable in my life, not even a break up felt that heartbreaking.
I could not believe that this company left out a multitude of nitty gritty details about what the job description really entailed. I felt like I had been set up for failure and immediately began looking for my way out. After my first day my family wanted to know every detail of how everything went with the new job. It pained me to tell them that I felt hoaxed and was deeply disappointed by my experience.
Now I know what you’re thinking, "why didn’t you ask more questions in your interview or do more research?". I thought I did. I thought I dug deep enough into the company to understand at least the basic layers but everything that glitters is not really gold. I had been so grateful to get an opportunity for a real career and did not want to lose that enthusiasm but I never felt a feeling so strong screaming "get out".
College taught me an endless amounts of things. One of them being that your intuition never lies and you must listen. So I reached out to my mentors, parents and family for advice. Each of them had interesting viewpoints that led me to the same direction, "do what you have to do for you" was the bottom line. My motivation skyrocketed to a million miles per hour, I was determined to find a better and more suitable opportunity for myself.
In the meantime, I had to remain professional in the role I was currently in until something better presented itself. So I pulled out the handy dandy "fake it till you make it" attitude. I was still determined to give them my 110%, after all I am the one who signed the contract. I remained positive no matter what because I knew what I put in was exactly what I was going to get out of it. I was even able to meet some really amazing individuals along the way. I worked the hell out of this job until I received an email about a week later for a company I had been pushing to become a part of.
I went in for an interview with a fresh mindset. I questioned every single part of what my role would be and exactly what I would be doing because I now know how this game was supposed to be played. I was also adamant about what I could bring to the table for them. I later found out that I was being offered the job at a company who’s values aligned with mine. Lessons were turning into blessings.
Now lets fast forward back to real time… I tell you all of this openly and freely with no shame because I needed these experiences to propel myself forward and I know there is someone else out there who may be going through something similar or someone who can use my experience as a lesson for themselves. Never question your path or your greatness. There will be dark days, but once the sun shines it will be bright enough to help you appreciate those stormy days. Everything is a process and nothing worth having will come easy. You must believe in your process and never question it because everything you’ve wished and prayed for can be yours if you have true faith in it.
I am no where close to my dream goals yet but I am so grateful and happy to be where I am now because I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I’m excited and strapped in for the ride of my life. I know the road is long and filled with crazy twists and turns but it is beautiful no matter what. You must trust yourself and you must trust your process.