Careers - Do You Choose It or Does It Choose You?

Family Influence

After speaking with several people, I have learned that some families groom their children to follow in their footsteps - either to take over their business or follow the parents' or older siblings' careers. When I was growing up, my creative head was full of careers I wanted to pursue - #teaching, #singing, #acting. But, my late Mother instilled in me that I should follow my three older sisters' tradition of becoming a secretary, because that was a safe and stable career. In my teens, as an active member of my church community, I pursued my love of singing and acting and even wrote, directed and acted in #stageplays and #radiodramas - but with the constant reminder that this was not my career.

The Right Place at the Right Time

I dutifully followed my mother's guidance, and while I was a junior secretary at #SingaporeAirlines in Colombo, #SriLanka, my #career chose me. The General Manager recognized my aptitude for dealing with people, my #writingskills and ability to contribute to #creativediscussions with the local advertising agency rep and promoted me to #publicrelationsofficer Colombo. This newly created role was to expand the Singapore Airline's exposure against the Sri Lankan airline. In that role, I led the efforts to generate a significant amount of free publicity for the local Singapore Airlines campaigns, leveraging my influence from my part-time roles as a #radioDJ and local TV personality.

My Love Affair with Marketing

When I moved to the USA, my first job was at a retail advertising agency. From my tenure in Public Relations, I had a strong feeling that #marketing had been courting me. I thought I was cheating on my (Mother’s) chosen path and tried to resist the temptation. But the flames of passion were already stoked.

And, as fate would have it, my next role was in marketing at a regional bank in California, where I learned corporate event planning, print production, marketing communications, branding and positioning. It was like dancing with a partner that led you in a waltz that became a tango and a quickstep back to a smooth waltz. I loved the music and the moves. At this point, there was no denying it - I was in a heady relationship with marketing. It was time we made things public.

 Flames of Passion

In the years that followed, marketing and I were in a deeply committed relationship, as I led teams in marketing strategy and execution, creative direction, marcom, branding, analytics and process improvement. Being a “hands-on” professional I had to navigate creative differences, tight deadlines, shifting priorities, with the panache of a tightrope walker. I kept yearning to know Marketing better; and as it grew and evolved with #changingtechnologies I spent time learning how to stay committed to it. As with any long-term relationship, there were ups and downs and issues to work through. But, it's certainly been "an affair to remember."

I had to keep Marketing from being a jealous and possessive lover, so I could also focus on my husband and two children. Thankfully, I was able to succeed in maintaining somewhat of a balance between my passion and my family life – the scales sometimes tipping in favor of one or the other.

Casual Dating, Committed Relationship or Looking for Commitment?

I've learned... no matter what path you choose or whether the career chooses you, your relationship with your career takes #hardwork and #commitment to stay the course. 

How do you feel about your Career? Are you a “serial dater” – trying out different careers to see which one fits? Looking for the “one” career that will keep you in it for the long haul? Or have you found the ideal career “mate” you’ve always dreamed of?