Celebrating 5 Years at McCarthy!

5 years. In the grand scheme of things, I realize that doesn’t seem like a very long time, but celebrating 5 years with McCarthy is a significant milestone to me for many reasons. In honor of 5 years, I thought I’d narrow it down to 5 main reasons why.

1. It’s the longest I’ve ever worked anywhere (aside from my self-owned & operated small business, which doesn’t count haha). Every job I had before this one was always leading me here. I gained a lot at those other places, but I always knew in the back of my mind that they weren’t the “end game.” Not that I didn’t enjoy my past jobs, I did – but I always had the sense that they were just stepping stones. I was young; still figuring out what I liked and didn’t like. What I did and didn’t want to do for the rest of my life. I gained experience. I learned lessons. I grew, developed, matured. And then I moved on. 5 years at McCarthy has flown by in a blink. Because it’s been a lot of hard work, yes, but also because it’s been right, and it’s been good. All those other places I worked, I often wondered what the next place I worked would be like and when it might be time to get there; or what a future career for myself might look like; or what my next big opportunity might be. I no longer wonder those things. And I hope I never have to again. I also found this job at a particularly difficult time in my life when I really needed it. I’m a believer in “everything happens for a reason,” and when I think about all the things that had to happen and all the stars that had to align – good and bad - to lead me here is really incredible. Feeling like I’ve finally found my place has granted me so much peace.
2. I’m fully vested in McCarthy’s stock. As a 100% employee-owned company, McCarthy partners have the amazing benefit of stock ownership in the company; and after 5 years of service, you become fully vested in that ownership. So, for me and my family’s financial future, today is a really awesome day to celebrate. I’ve earned it, but I’m also grateful for a company who is mutually invested in me and provides these amazing benefits. And in this regard, I couldn’t have joined McCarthy at a better time – things are looking incredibly bright for us!
3. The stability I feel at McCarthy is humbling. Not just that I feel qualified for and good at my job where I feel a sense of security, but because I’ve landed at a place that is doing things right by their employees. Again, as employee-owners, we answer only to ourselves and each other. The benefits offered, the culture that is cultivated – even expected of us, and the decisions that are made here are all on behalf of our people and in our best interests. I know I’m supported by a compassionate team and have flexibility when I need it. Our leadership is transparent and approachable. I don’t feel intimidated to ask questions or try new things or make mistakes. I know I am covered here, and that is a priceless feeling. Even on my hardest days at work – and we all have them – I still can’t imagine being anywhere else.
4. I have friends here. I know that might sound really simple or cheesy, but for me, this cannot be overlooked. I have true, real friends at work. Not just people that I coexist and collaborate with in a positive manner while working together, but humans who I care about inside and outside of work on a personal, genuine level, and who reciprocate the feeling about me. People I’m excited to see when I’m at work, and people I socialize with outside of work. People who “get me,” people who respect me, value me, and appreciate me. And who make work fun. Life is unfairly short. If I’m going to spend the majority of my life away from my family to be at work, having friends there is an intangible, priceless “benefit” I do not take for granted. Making friends as an adult is hard (especially as an introvert). Coworkers turned friends have been a huge blessing in my life. Having fun at work and even sometimes actually looking forward to going to work, is something we all deserve. And I feel really lucky. [Shoutout to my people, you know who you are – at least I hope you do!]
5. I get to do the things I like and the things I’m good at as my daily job. As the unfortunate combination of an introvert and a creative living and working in a society built for extroverts and go-getters, I know I am often misunderstood. I recognize this. But at work, I’m just me. And I’m accepted for it. When I got to McCarthy, I felt very early on that this could be a long-term place for me, and it was going to be extremely important for me to be as authentic as possible in my true self because of that. I didn't want to set myself up for pretending to be someone I'm not and being stuck in that for the rest of my life. But I also recognized that if I wanted to be successful here long-term, I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone too. We all do things to adapt ourselves and our personalities to work for other people, and sometimes that's necessary. But I'm comforted now, looking back on 5 years, that the intrinsic efforts I've made on myself have been worth it, but also that who I naturally am is good enough to be here.And so, I get to explore all my creative ideas and tendencies. Growing up, I always wanted to be an architect. That was my “dream job” as a child. But when I got older, I realized I didn’t have that knack (or interest) for math and engineering that I would need to be successful as an architect – I just wanted to design the pretty things. So no, I didn’t become an architect, but I did somewhat full-circle-ish find my way into an adjacent industry in a role that gives me an insane amount of creative freedom to exercise the talents I did develop in design, media, and art. And not only that, but I was listened to and eventually rewarded with a position I created and proposed for myself. And now I sit in that position where I feel I’m bringing value to my team and my company, while still able to do the things I love at work – design, create, and imagine. That trust and that flexibility has only challenged me to be more creative, to continue thinking outside the box and innovating, and fueling my passions. It’s kept me engaged in my work, and it’s made me feel like what I do matters – and it’s done something that no other place I’ve worked has done. It’s shown me a future. (And maybe one day I’ll still design that pretty thing I’ve wanted to since I was a kid. That dream feels closer than ever).

Honorable mention goes to the free soda. Yes, there’s free coffee too, but I don’t drink coffee, so the fact that my unhealthy addiction to Dr. Pepper is fully supported (and fully stocked) while at work is one of those little joys in life that make all the difference. It’s worth working here just for that alone. ??

In the spirit of the holidays (my favorite time of year), I just wanted to share this gratitude I’m feeling. If you’ve made it all the way here and are still reading this…get back to work. ?? I hope I get to do that here for a long, long time.