Yes, this was really my job - helping teach people how to use the world's first recreational rebreather across the country...

Where was I then?

The journey to where I am now, at the crazy old age of 22, has been a bumpy exciting ride.  I graduated from Texas State University in 2010, and began working for a SCUBA company traveling the nation to promote the brand and spread my love for all things SCUBA! When I realized that I do, in fact, love SCUBA diving, I also realized that I love it solely as a recreational hobby, not as a profession.

After leaving my first job out of college, I made the move from Texas to Washington, D.C. on a whim. I didn’t have a home, I didn’t have a job, and most importantly, I didn’t have a plan.

As soon as I got off the plane in D.C. and began making my way to my temporary “home” as my brother’s newest couch-dwelling guest, I set my bags down, and immediately went to my first D.C. WWPR networking meet up. This is where I learned my first lesson: job or not, always have a business card.

I felt awkward and out of place, considering everyone present at this event was already a well established, or at least on their way to becoming so, public relations professional. I came to this city as a bright-eyed college graduate with only a few months of professional experience under my belt, and I thought getting a job was going to be cake…who wouldn’t want to hire me? I looked GREAT on paper – journalism degree, several internships, leadership and charitable work, tech-savvy… but that’s when I learned my second lesson: your resume could look perfect, but so do a lot of people’s.

I went on several interviews with various firms around the city, and even made it through two or three rounds for some…but couldn’t get over that hump to get the call saying, “you’re hired!”

I was getting discouraged after living on my brother’s couch for a month and a half with no job, no money, and no idea of how to fix my life. I began volunteering with PR organizations so that I could meet more contacts and hopefully land a decent job before I sent myself back to live with my Texas roommates (yup…my parents). Through volunteering on committees, I landed a paid internship. That’s when I learned my third lesson: even though you may have already had a “real” job, sometimes you gotta take a step backward to begin moving forward.

The internship was a three-month paid position with a public affairs firm. What did I learn here? I don’t want to work in public affairs. Simple as that.

Where am I now?

My love for social media and entertainment (and an awesome summer internship during college) landed me as a social media specialist at an amazing company! After the hundreds of resumes, several interviews, and at least 20 phone calls to home whining about how I’ll never find a job in D.C., I landed somewhere great, and the learning continues.

So, whats the moral of my story? Life, timing, and complications are all wildly frustrating…but so exciting all at the same time. I hope I can reach the people who are able to relate to the frustrations of job searching or thoughts of a career change. My whole D.C. experience has only been compacted into six months, and it’s been jam packed with change.

I want to help. I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, lost, stupid, overwhelmed, and excited when it comes to beginning your professional development and changing your career path. I’m pretty sure everyone knows those feelings in some way or another! Let’s talk about them, and help each other out.

Jessie Spielvogel