When you’re growing up, your parents usually have an idea of what you should be when you’re an adult. Doctor, lawyer, teacher, the typical go-to’s. When I got my first job in social media, my parents were like…”Sooo you’re just on Facebook all day?” We come from different generations so I get they don’t understand the concept of social media as a career. Before it was doctors, lawyers, and teachers, now it’s Youtuber, “Insta-famous,” and influencers. The world has changed. Dun dun duuuuuun.
To be honest, I kind of just fell into social media. I was lucky enough to get an internship in college with a big media company writing blogs and creating content for social media. From there it just snowballed into more social media jobs and opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had in my life, but I don’t know if I really want to be in this career forever.
My expertise is in social media ads. If you ever get creeped out by how that Forever 21 dress you were JUST looking at just happened to pop up on your Facebook feed, just know, that’s what I do for a living. Hello, I’m your creep. If you told my 13-year-old self that I would be analyzing data and managing money as a job, she probably would’ve laughed in your face.
Social media advertising is stressful. You’re managing large amounts of money, you have to think outside the box to create campaigns that will convert for your clients, it’s all your fault when it doesn’t do well, the list goes on (social media managers know what’s up). It’s a lot to handle sometimes, but I’ve been doing this for 6 years now so you would think I got it together…surprise! I don’t.
6 years doesn’t seem that long, but I think at this point I can say I have a pretty solid career in social media…so now what? I have a full-time job as a Social Media Manager and I freelance social media work on the side, I’m doing what I’ve always wanted, so why don’t I feel satisfied? (insert Hamilton’s “Satisfied” song) Is this not my dream job anymore?
Sometimes I feel like I’m just going through the motions. Go to work, work, go home, work some more, go to sleep, dream about work. Maybe it’s just a phase and I’ll find my passion in it again. That’s why I wanted to start my blog up again, just to get away from work stuff and just talk about stuff I want to talk about.
Are there any other career-minded folks out there feeling the same? How do you deal with feeling unsatisfied with your “dream job?”
