Top5 Tips for Finding the Right Professional Environment

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Hey Tara. Thanks for having me.

Absolutely. I'm actually super pumped. We are recording in person together today. Wonderful! So happy to have you and really excited to just jump in. So let's just kick it off with give us your world tour. Where did you start your professional journey? And where are you today?

Well, I always like to say I kind of took the road less traveled, because I never actually went to school for marketing. I went to art school for multimedia design, and started in nonprofit as an exhibit designer, designer of the museum and Philadelphia.

Awesome.

I never really thought I'd shift make any shift into the marketing world. But someone I knew told me about a position up the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia. And I had no experience in the ministry didn't really know much about it. But I knew part of the job included design. So I went for the job mount the executive director and got it.

(laughs)

I just started my career in marketing. So I walk into this office not really knowing anything and just kind of learned on my own.

Wow.

So I was there for I was there for a while I was probably there for about five years before I left Philly and moved to New York City. And I took a break from the quote unquote grind and went to cosmetology school (laughs)

Shifting, shifting, still creative, but shifting.

Yeah. So I worked in salons for a few years in Manhattan, and then kind of realized, you know, the perks of the corporate world of health insurance, paid time off.

Right (laughs).

All of those lovely things, and move back to corporate world, which was a lot different from nonprofit.

Yeah, right.

So we're for a PR company and a hospitality company. And I did a lot of consulting for numerous businesses for the next six years.

Okay.

Big shift from nonprofit, you know, actual budgets.

Right.

Just a ton of different people, you know, teams instead of just kind of four or five people. So it was an adjustment. So after leaving New

Mmm hmm, right. York, I entered, that's where I kind of entered the digital agency world where I spent the majority of my career. And it was awesome. Yeah.

It was kind of it was just working with a ton of really cool people, a lot of different teams. You know, I had an opportunity to build out departments, you know, launching meetups, speak at events, colleges, just amazing things. But I realized I was suffering from burnout.

Right. And I think too, agency versus corporate, it's more agency you're working with multiple clients. And you're kind of at their beck and call when it comes down to it.

Exactly.

And then corporate, you're more internal, just with one particular client, right?

Yep. So when you're corporate like you are your client. Right. Agency you're working with, you know, anywhere from 50 to 75 to 100 clients.

Right, right.

Which are in different industries, you know, different personalities across the board.

Whew.

So, and it's a lot, you know, it's an like you said, you're at the beck and call of the client. So it's after hours, you get an email, you're responding to those emails, you know, if a fire comes up, you have to deal with it.

For sure.

So there was never really a nine to five, it was a lot of, you know, 50, 60 hour weeks.

Right.

Which I realized after a while, I was burnt out.

Yeah, yeah.

So I left that world, which scared me because I know I've known it for so long that I had an opportunity come up to go back to corporate so the client side. And I actually almost didn't take it, because I've known the agency world so long.

Yeah.

That it was it was a scary step to make. But I took it, and I returned to a company that was focused on you know, career coaching. And it was a great experience. And I've actually come full circle. And you know, I'm venturing back into hospitality marketing (laughs).

So crazy how, you know, we start somewhere and coming back full circle, but yet it's it's new beginnings, right? It's new paths that you know, and now you can travel but it's also breaking different barriers down.

Definitely. And I'm a different person now.

YES!

I'm interested to see how kind of going back into an industry I was in 10 years ago will now be.

Right. So crazy. Younger professionals tend to shop around when it comes to the perfect employer. And, you know, company loyalty seems to be a thing of the past. What would you say are the most important aspects of company culture for you? And what do you think the younger professionals should be looking for when it comes to basic rights or the basic cultures that they're looking for?

That's a great question. I think there's a lot of, you know, kind of bells and whistles companies offer, whether it be you know, free coffee, games and happy hours, which is great. But I think when you're thinking about your future, you really want to set yourself up for success. So a big part of that is paid time off. You definitely, you know, you need that those mental health days.

Yeah.

That vacation time, the 401k to really set up your set up your future. Health insurance is a huge one.

A big one (laughs)! Health insurance is so expensive, when you're out on your own.

It's so expensive. So I mean, if a company provides you health insurance, that's huge.

Yeah.

A work life balance, you know, having those set hours knowing your boundaries. And I think a really important one is a nurturing environment that offers education and growth.

Yeah.

You know, your company is going to retain their employees a lot more by offering them a future and offering them kind of that education.

I love what you just said there. And I just, I want to let the audience know, too. We're, you know, meeting and speaking with Jen today is really something that's super important in regards to finding your right professional environment. And, you know, Jen has come to us from nonprofit to so many different company cultures you've been in.

Mmm hmm.

If you really think about it from corporate, nonprofit agency, you know, a salons, I mean, talk about what a breadth of of differences, and then you just said something too about growth. And something I'm hearing a lot of is the younger professionals are shopping for that growth. I'm curious now nowadays too, are the ping pong tables, and like kombucha on tap - Is that something people are really focused on? Or do you feel that it is more the the

I totally agree. I think the last couple of years have changed our mindsets. A lot.

Yeah.

And what's important to people now is more about protecting themselves, you know, and protecting their future and setting themselves up to grow.

Yeah.

And kind of learn. And I think, you know, maybe that might kind of create that longevity, again, where, you know, people are shifting jobs a lot more based on kind of their growth and what's being offered to them. Whereas, you know, if you kind of set your employees up with all of these kind of, quote, unquote, perks and benefits, they're more likely to stay with you.

More loyal. Well, and I think that that makes sense to like, if we think about the professional world as is right now. I mean, companies have had to shift companies that were everybody must be in the office five days a week, when COVID hit, they had to shift or they were being shut down.

Yep.

And, you know, what's changed is, as now people are going back into the office, or I should say, companies are requiring employees to go back into the office. I think what hasn't been recognized is the change in our human practices of survival, and living, to not just have quality, but to survive at times. I mean, people that were used to commuting five days a week, they shifted that and now they've had to adjust

Definitely not.

You cannot revert back. You need to move forward.

Mmm hmm.

And move forward with flexibility, especially for candidates in the workforce right now, and even candidates that are currently working, that kind of bring us into looking at the current state in the workforce, you know, what are your thoughts about quiet quitting and career cushioning? You know, at this point, do you think it's a good idea to have a backup plan as a modern professional today? Is it ethical even?

It's interesting, because I think most people, when they hear quiet quitting, it means they're leaving their job.

Right.

But you know, if you really do the research and look into it, it's people doing what they've been hired to do. And setting healthy boundaries and not burning themselves out.

Yeah.

So for me, you know, after living those years of burnout, I see why people shifted.

Mmm hmm.

And I think a big part of that, to your point is because of the way the world shifted.

Yeah, yeah.

And, you know, making time for themselves making time for their families making time to do a load of laundry during the day.

Yeah.

You know, and I think part of me wishes I could have learned that sooner.

Right (laughs).

I really do. I mean, part of me is, like, if I would have known that this was a thing. I could have set these boundaries a long time ago.

Yeah, mm hmm.

But I mean, what, I'm lucky that now I have done that. Um, you know, career cushioning is interesting, because I actually just came off a layoff.

Right? Talk to me about what career cushioning is first.

So it's to me, it's, you know, you're constantly keeping your pulse on your industry.

Okay.

You're seeing what's out there.

Yeah.

You know, you're kind of, you know, browsing you might not be applying, but you're definitely seeing what's out there for you.

Checking out the market make, you know, they seeing that there is other opportunities for you and what your visions or goals are.

Exactly.

Okay. Okay, cool.

So I mean, if you look at the times we're living in extremely uncertain.

Yeah.

There's so many different things going on. And there's no way to tell what may come next, unfortunately.

Right, right.

So I mean, for me, I'm always an advocate for looking at opportunities to venture self. I mean, and most importantly, protecting your livelihood.

Yeah.

You know, unfortunately, there's no guarantees of job security at any time, whether it be uncertain times, or just regular times.

Yeah.

So I think it's important to kind of keep your pulse not only just on, you know, seeing what jobs are out there, but seeing what kind of learning opportunities are out there.

Absolutely.

It doesn't necessarily need to be you're looking at jobs on a regular basis. It's you're, you know, seeing what kind of webinars might be out there, seeing what kind of opportunities are out there for you. So I mean, I'm all for it. I think at the end of the day, you need to protect yourself and your livelihood. And think about kind of what your future looks like.

I think that that's so true. And it's, you know, it's hard, because there are people out there that love their jobs, there are people out there that were doing just fine, and wake up the next day and are let go. And you know, sometimes it's very shocking. Sometimes it can be very detrimental to people, even their mental health

Right (lauhs).

In a perfect world - I mean, hey, I gotta let you go. I'm gonna give you 60 days notice doesn't really work that way.

Right.

Though it would be great to I feel learn, have employees have a safe place for employees to put their hand up and say, hey, I want more.

Yep.

Hey, I need more, or for companies to say, hey, there might be changes.

Yep.

Just to keep that open communication and double loyalty. So it's not only its loyalty for the employees, but loyalty from the employer.

Right. Well, you figure we spend so much of our time at work and build relationships with the people we work with.

Yeah.

It's almost like a little bit of showing a sign of respect.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, of kind of, hey, this is in transparency. This is what was happening. And I want to make sure you're going to be okay.

Yeah.

You know, I kept I keep seeing this meme around where it's, you know, someone's saying my manager put a quick meeting on my calendar, where it says Quick chat, but then parenthesis (good thing).

Yeah (laughs).

Which, you know, makes sense because it's like you get those calendar invites, you know, they could be 10 minutes before and you're just kind of like your adrenaline starts to put, you know, you got the, the rock in your stomach.

Yep.

So it's even like little things like that where it's just, you know, allowing people to feel secure.

Yeah. Well, I think it's interesting, too, I think there's so many different environments out there, too, and finding, finding where you can find your "you" in it and become a better person as you're working.

Yep.

You know, with your extensive experience, Jen, and just such an amazing background. What advice would you offer to someone with a little less experience or somebody that's like, unsure of taking a leap in their career or changing their careers altogether?

I mean, I say take the leap. And I think about when I applied for that marketing job I had no experience for.

Yeah.

You know, if you don't apply, you're never gonna know. And just because you don't check every single box doesn't mean you're not going to get the job.

Huge.

And you need to try new things to see what you like, I know, well, you know, we keep going back to what's the environment you want to be in?

Yeah.

And you don't know unless you try?

Yeah.

You know, in my somewhat short now, somewhat not so short lifetime (laughs).

(laughs)

I have evolved from, you know, an artist to a marketer to a stylist to speaker or to a mentor to a coach, you know, and I'm excited to see what's next. And I think that as humans, we're constantly evolving. And we're meant to.

Yeah, yep. I completely agree and its environments change, and people change. And I think, you know, an environment that you were in so many years ago for with a particular company, probably isn't the same environment, you'd want to go back to?

Yeah definitely not.

And, you know, be allowing yourself to evolve, evolve, and try different environments, I think is something that is really good, you know, people aren't spending 10, 15 years at one company anymore, because that then you're almost getting too comfortable. And you're not enhancing yourself. You're not evolving yourself.

Well. And I think there was also this stigma, if you change jobs, too often...

You're Hopper!

You're not hirable.

Yeah.

Where that's not the case. You know, especially, you know, if you're talking about agency life, agencies are always looking at other agencies.

Yeah.

And they're always kind of saying, Hey, would you be interested in coming and joining us?

Yeah.

So, it's not so much about your job hopping. It's what's the next big opportunity?

Yeah.

And could it be that one that lights you up more than you already are now?

Oh, I love that. Love that saying, is it something that lights you up more than you already are now? Because I think that is, it's like the bow on the present the icing on the cake to find that.

Yeah.

And to not be afraid to experience different environments. Because if you're miserable, maybe that's environment isn't the environment that you're meant to be in.

Exactly. It might not be the job, you're miserable in it could be the environment the job is in.

Yeah, I think to just kind of coming back full circle, it's, it's allowing yourself to take chances, it's pushing yourself to take chances.

Mmm hmm.

In order to find in order to finding the right professional environment. And it starts also with experience, but also figuring out what you want. Because if you know what you want, if you know that particular environment go after it interview companies just as much as they're interviewing you.

Exactly. I think people were afraid to do that for so long that if they ask questions about the company, it's they were questioning the company.

Yeah.

But it's exactly that, you know, you're interviewing them just like they're interviewing you.

So amazing. So Jen, tell us what are your Top5 Tips for Finding the Right Professional Environment?

Okay, I think it's really you know, finding that culture and that's not the fancy games, the happy hours, it's the you know, is there flex time, you know, what is the work environment like, you know, like, what is their PTO is their health insurance all of these things to set you up, you know, for your life, essentially? Work/life balance, huge. I mean, without it, you are only work.

Yeah, I love that.

I think the third one is, you know, a culture that offers mentorship, education and nurturing of talent so that you're constantly evolving, and not only you evolving, but the company is evolving with you. You know, I think it's the people - the people you spend most of the majority of your time with, you know, are they happy?

Yeah.

How long have they been there? Things like that. You know, it's energy attracting energy. If these people aren't happy, are you going to be happy there? And then I'd say finally, it's excitement. If the thought of doing my job excites me, and if I'm passionate about that company I work for it's it's the right fit.

I just got goosebumps (laughs). Just got goosebumps. I love all of your

(laughs) top fives. And I think your last one too, the excitement and that's where you know, you're in the right spot. You know, you're, you're not working, just to live and live in like, I always find the living to work or the working to live. It's like, "be" be present and love it. And trial and error. It's okay if you're, if you hop around a little bit until you find that, that perfect spot. Exactly.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, well, this has been awesome, Jen. Of course. Always a pleasure having you on. And I'm just so thankful that you took time out of your crazy schedule to join us today.

Of course. Thank you so much for having me.

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