When I first graduated from high school, I thought I had my career plan all mapped out.
1. Go to the best college possible that I could afford.
2. Major in Nursing.
3. Become a Nurse.
4. Work on the floor until a spot opened in the ER.
5. Gain the knowledge to become a flight nurse.
6. Become a flight nurse, maybe even a Nurse Practitioner.
Of course, life has a way of not always working out exactly how you've planned it. I left Nursing School with little motivation and already feeling burnt out despite having had barely any experience in patient care. Sure, it was a notable achievement to have graduated, but between the long hours working part-time jobs (both clinical and non-clinical), Army Reserve drill weekends, and seeing first hand the realities of people in some of the worst moments of their lives...I left college with the understanding that Nursing was just not for me.
Choosing to change careers not long after graduation was a difficult decision that I knew would "set me back" in terms of career growth. There were many false starts and sometimes I took a job just so I'd have a paycheck. I eventually settled into a role in IT as a Systems Administrator, and looking back each failure was another step forward and I was able to learn more about myself and what made me tick.
I am a quick study and good with analytical processes.
I adapt to new situations quickly and am reliable in critical situations.
I have technical experience and expertise in a wide variety of industries.
Given a task, I am fully vested in seeing it through to a successful completion.
I have an eye for process improvements and can successfully manage change.
I can break down a complex situation into individual elements and find the right person for each task.
The jobs that I enjoyed the most were the ones that allowed autonomy, required flexibility, and were project-based. Having a goal and being given the ability to make my own informed decisions on the best method forward was motivating to me. I absolutely LOVED it when customers, coworkers, or bosses were happy with the final product. A bit of a callback to why I first wanted to be a nurse - I liked being a positive influence in people's lives and felt the most accomplished when smiles were the final product.
When my brother-in-law first told me about Project Management as a career path it was a true lightbulb moment. I could immediately relate my life experiences to the role and felt an innate understanding of the core concepts. That same weekend I spent several hours poring over what a project manager does and KNEW that it was my calling.
I am truly excited to be on this journey and I want to document my experiences and learning as a reminder to myself of how far I have come. Thanks for joining me and I hope that my enthusiasm is infectious!