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My New Suit, My New Job, And What I Learned

By Patrick, on March 23rd, 2010 at 12:19 PM

IMG_0419I looked like a million bucks. I felt like a million bucks.

I was in a Macy’s dressing room trying on a new Tommy Hilfiger suit and I loved it. I loved it more than any other suit I owned. The fit was perfect, the lines were great, and it made me feel powerful. Yet there were things about this suit that were different from any other suit I had in my closet: it was double vented, it was pin striped, the pants were flat front rather than pleated. All things I’ve never been used to with a suit and that I wasn’t entirely sure about, but I knew once I saw it on me that I was ready to take the style plunge.

A new suit has been on my shopping list for quite some time, and I’ve finding events in my life to use as excuses to expand my wardrobe: weddings, bar mitzvahs (haven’t been invited to a lot of those), and yacht trips (anybody own a yacht? I need an excuse to get some new top-siders.) My excuse on this trip was to get a new suit for a big interview, an interview with the CEO of New Media Strategies.

Four years ago I moved into Arlington to start working at what is now TMG Strategies. I walked into my boss’ office yesterday to inform them I have accepted an offer to become the newest member of the NMS team. I will be starting in April as a Corporate Online Analyst where I hope to bring my perspective and experience in both social media and film/video to take on a fresh new set of exciting challenges. I am thrilled to start a new chapter of my life but, at the same time, I can’t believe a chapter of my life is ending. I’m leaving my first job after college, a big step when many of my friends didn’t even know what to do after school- much less know what to do after they land that first job. Moving on to my second job in DC area brings me closer from ex-Bostonian to full fledged Washingtonian.

Thoughts while transitioning jobs:

  1. Am I a Gen-Y Outlier? One thing I know about Gen-Y is that we are constantly changing jobs. My best friend Dave changed jobs from PR firm A to PR firm B- and is now back at PR firm A; Rebecca already has a resume which includes a couple of companies and is now a big shot at her third; Lexa has finally found her dream job after a few gigs. I’ve managed to buck the Gen-Y trend- four years at one company. When I told my friends about my new job a few of them asked how long I’ve been with TMG and commented that it was a long time. I suppose they are right and it makes me wonder for someone that embraces his status as a Gen-Yer, what was it that kept me so loyal in an area where so many are not?
  2. Get A Support System: Sometimes I’m fiercely independent but when this new opportunity fell into my lap I sought the help of many people. Having a friend in the HR field proved invaluable when I had questions. Also having two friends that I could go to throughout the entire journey made things much easier. They were always on my side and cheered me on every step of the way.
  3. Don’t Burn Your Bridges: When I quit my job a lot of people asked how I went about it and what I’ll say is that I handled it professionally. Lots of people dream about the way they would love to quit their job, but to be honest I was a bit sad to give my notice yesterday. TMG has been a wonderful company to work for and I am going to walk away with many memories and a perspective on life that I will have with me forever. If you ever quit your job remember to do it with class and respect- you never know whose reference you’ll need or who’ll end up being your next boss.
  4. Network, Network, Network: The first question I was asked in my interviews was how did you hear of us? It wasn’t through a Monster, Craigslist, or Washington Post ad- it was from a tweet from the NMS HR Twitter feed. How did I find this feed? Through a friend I made while engaging local DC bloggers last year. We didn’t know each other because I was looking for a job- we knew each other because I wanted to get to know other bloggers in the area like me. Make friends. Lots of friends. You never know who’ll be the next person to help you out and you’ll never know who’ll be the next person who will need your help the most.
  5. Have No Fear: A lot of Gen-Y are afraid. They are afraid to make a change sometimes, they are afraid of this economic climate and their changes to grow in their careers. When I saw Lexa and Rebecca accomplish some really great things with their careers I realized that you can’t let the environment control you- you need to control your own environment. It’s your attitude, drive, and hard work that will get you places- and if you work hard enough, you can eventually accomplish some great things. The key is to not be afraid and take some risks.

I didn’t know if pinstripes and double vents  would work on me but I tried it on, loved the look, and walked out of the store with my new suit- and my new future.

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