Career Curveballs and Unexpected Turns
The "oh, crap" moments that shape our professional journeys
A Turn for the Worse, or a New Beginning…
We can all recall a time when our career unexpectedly took a turn for the worse. Those moments when we can’t keep all the plates spinning and something’s gotta give. Maybe it’s a company buyout that puts you at a crossroads, or a global pandemic that throws a wrench in your plans.
These curveballs can make us feel at a loss, but sometimes these very moments make way for new opportunities.
My Backstory
At 18, when some girls are cashiers at mall stores or waitresses at restaurants, I started working in law offices as a receptionist. Soon, I became a legal assistant at an immigration and criminal law office. In all honesty, those other jobs might’ve been a better fit.
I was in charge of setting consultations and hearings for five attorneys and was in constant communication with clients. The legal assistants were the gatekeepers who protected the attorneys’ time while they worked on briefs or went to court.
Meanwhile, we did a lot of the grunt work, like gathering supporting evidence, filing fees, filling out forms, and getting signatures. Sometimes we got to tag along to translate for the attorneys in trial preparations, jail visitations, and immigration interviews.
It was pretty high-stakes because it’s such an emotional and demanding area of law, in which there’s a risk that people could be deported and separated from their families. It was stressful to say the least.
Coming in Hot
One day, we got looped into an email thread—every reply was one of the attorneys arguing with the other. Back and forth.
We never actually learned what the issue was, but from one day to the next, they dissolved the firm. I had to choose which attorney to keep working with, and we spent a whole day moving files and furniture over to another office.
We attempted to notify all the clients of the move to keep going business as usual, but we were running on empty.
I finally decided to quit.
Then What?
I was 23 at the time. I got a job at a recreation center where I became friends with other college students, partying with them, and being my age for the first time in what felt like a long time. My mental health and happiness were better for it.
About a year later, I transferred to the University of Utah and got a work-study at the Student Media Council. It’s an organization run by student interns—writers, designers, photographers, etc. They’re the voice of the internet radio station and produce the newspaper and magazine articles.
This kicked off a series of writing and volunteer opportunities that led me to a completely different industry. I had a portfolio of writing samples and knew about SEO from my experience using a Wordpress plugin called Yoast SEO, but it was my desire to break into the industry that I think ultimately got me a job.
I’m a big proponent of joining clubs at school. Internships are amazing, but volunteering can also lead to unexpected scholarships and other experiences you can list on your resume.
During my undergrad I was also part of an alternative fall break in Seattle, WA, doing a service trip for hunger and food justice. Now that I’m in the MBA program, I became a student leader, co-hosting workshops and booking local entrepreneurs to speak on different business-related topics. At the very least, it got me some scholarship money and leadership experience.
What’s Next?
I look back and recognize that leaving the law office was a hard decision, but it was the best move I could've made. It set me off on a path to achieve my dream of working in a creative field. The kind I imagined when I was in my fashion merchandising class in high school, learning about cowl neck lines and a-line skirts, and making collages from the pictures I cut out of Vogue and Vanity Fair.
I’ve been a content writer for seven years, but I want to go from “strategizing” sentences for SEO purposes to actual strategy in terms of the brand. I have my sights set on positions along the lines of brand strategist or creative director.
I’m still early in the game and I don’t know exactly where I’ll end up. It may not be in law, journalism, SEO, or even fashion, but I hope it’s something that reflects who I am. The effort I’ve put into learning, my love for the craft of writing and design, and my determination to make a living doing something I’m passionate about.