Sharing my work anniversary and a few tips for success in your current position

This week I celebrated my 16th work anniversary at Full Sail University. I have always been grateful for the opportunity to guide our graduate students around a topic I love. It's a job where I have always looked forward to going to work. When that stops, I know it will be time to move on. I've always said - "I teach what I do and do what I teach!"

As a former job hopper and career changer, I wanted to give some insights to those who might be starting their careers or who might be in a job they don't like with some topics to help you enrich your current situation, like I have done through the years.

Culture is Key. Finding a culture fit is as important or more important than finding a job where you have the skills for. Don't discount the early red flags and get out if it doesn't work for you. Life's too short to be in a position that causes you pain and stress.

You are more than your title! In thinking about changing jobs or careers, I realized I was not the sum of my current position title. I was able to not define myself by my job title alone. Being a husband, a dad, a son, friend was a much more important job to me and the 9-5 job itself was only a small part of who I was/am.

Challenges don't only come from your boss. During my time at my current position, I've started several different companies and had several different business partners and worked with many people and hope to continue on with that in the future. I've volunteered in my community and am currently serving on a non-profit board. I've also attained two more degrees than when I started and maybe one more to go in the future! In addition, you should strive to create your own professional challenges at work above and beyond what the work expectation is. For me, it's about creating challenging work goals and learning new skills all the time. I've also been able to network outside of my work by going to conferences and speaking at industry events through the years.

Those are the main areas to focus on but there are many other aspects to consider so maybe I'll share some more of those work stories in the future. I know we all have our own journeys, so I am happy to listen to you if I can help. I remember the struggle, stress, and anxiety. Remember, if I did it you can do it too!

About Full Sail University:

Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received accolades throughout its over 40-year history, including most recently being featured on the 2021 “Top 50 Film Schools and Instructors from Around the World” list by Variety Magazine, named a 2023 “Top Game Design School” by The Princeton Review, and previously recognized as the “School/College of the Year” by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges. Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 92,097+ graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including Oscar?, Emmy?, GRAMMY?, ADDY? and The Game Award honors.

https://www.fullsail.edu

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