Goodness, it’s been quite the week at Career Change Towers.
Monday: discover that someone I last encountered when they were doing work experience now has a very successful career, including their own podcast
Tuesday: attend webinar in which someone 15 years younger than me described their rise to becoming a published author and - yes, you guessed it - successful podcaster
Wednesday: get a flat rejection for an internship with a small podcasting operation
Thursday: spot an amazing job opportunity at a gigantic podcasting operation and apply at warp speed just ahead of the deadline
Existential dread and stress eating have both been themes of the week, but it’s worth unpacking all this a bit. Because otherwise, one finds oneself at the bottom of a giant bag of Monster Munch or inhaling Cadbury’s Darkmilk. (ahem)
First up, younger people’s success. Unless we’re talking about child prodigies, there’s a good chance that the people we perceive as ‘young’ aren’t really that young at all anymore. They are just younger than us - what we’re encountering is a reminder of the march of time. I don’t begrudge that former-workie their success, in fact I’m genuinely delighted by it … now that I’ve got past my initial reaction of “WTF? But you’re only about 12!!”.
Lesson 1? Get over yourself
Similarly, the triggering moment of watching a younger person reveal their path to success just reminded me of the drive and ambition of my younger self. The author didn’t get their book deal by harnessing the powers of darkness or rubbing a magic lamp - they got it with single-minded determination. And, frankly, I ought be grateful that they’re prepared to tell us how they managed it. If I want want they’ve got I need to work for it. Full-time employment has made me soft. In a corporate environment you always know exactly what the target is and there’s usually someone telling you exactly how they want you to hit it. In the outside world you have to make your own plans and be your own taskmaster.
Lesson 2? Stop bitching and get on with it
Getting knocked back for a role for which I was, by some measures, vastly overqualified was hugely dispiriting. It feels so unfair - there you are, gamely offering up your hard-won skills at a bargain price and what’s your reward? No thanks, Nan. But, of course, there’s a million reasons why I might not have made the cut. And for all I know the successful candidate is even older (and vastly more experienced) than me. After the past year, it’s a buyer’s market on the job front.
Lesson 3? It’s not always about you, y’know
And let’s look on the bright side of that rejection. Whoever got that internship - be the bright young thing or wise old bird - is now safely out of the running for that double-good job that subsequently popped up. Plus, my CV was in excellent shape, enabling me to apply just in time.
Lesson 4? Cheer up, you never know what’s round the corner
Overall though, this week has reminded me not to be the sort of person who just sits around looking at what other people have got. Don’t become the person who lives by the quote “It is not enough to succeed, others must fail”. And definitely don’t turn into Morrissey bemoaning his friend’s success because we all know what happened to him. Instead, I’m going take inspiration from this quote:
“Failure is only a coffee break. So drink up and get back to work.”
Hero of the week
The postman who saved me from ruin. This legend allowed me to briefily retrieve a card from the postbox so that I could attach the stamp that I’d forgot to stick on it. And at no point, did he say “you had one job”.
Terrifying literature of the week
I’m reading Rattle by Fiona Cummins, who will be a guest tutor on my writing course in a few weeks’ time. Serial killer. Hunts children. Sometimes he’s invisible. So basically, I’m never sleeping again …
Stationary corner.
Ah, that’s better. Panda notebook with panda pages. It’s pandas all the way down.
The photo accompanying this newsletter on social media is by Seth Doyle on Unsplash
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