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After two whole years, ya girl is finally out of corporate America...
And it feels GREAT.
Now I’m not saying corporate is bad, it’s just different strokes for different folks.
Marketing is a creative field and being at an agency is legit goals! But before I keep rambling, let me tell you about my first day at my new job…
So it’s Sunday, February 16th. I went to church that afternoon to get a good word from the Lord, washed my clothes, took a bath, lit some candles, and read my favorite book: Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek.
After being off work for a week and a half the time had finally come. On Monday at 8AM I’d be at my dream job doing what I love: digital marketing.
But like the true Thirst McGhurst I am, I wasn’t able to sleep! I was so excited for work I legit had butterflies and it was keeping me up.
It was like the first day of school. You know how that goes... You got your clothes picked out. Your bag packed. Hell, I even knew which socks I was gonna wear! Excited was an understatement and I was so here for it. So I set my alarms, said a prayer, and drifted off to sleep...
Next thing you know, it was 4:49AM.
Yes, my thirst-ass woke up an hour before my alarm went off. Too thirsty! But I forced myself to go back to sleep for another hour. Cause getting up at 5AM was just doing too much.
When my alarm actually went off, it 6AM and I was so excited. So I get up, get dressed, and was determined to make it to the train on time.
Okay so fact about the new job, I never asked my start time. I just assumed it was 8AM. My Momma told me to ask my boss last week but I never wrote it down, so I forgot! (Sidenote, I have to write everything down). Now it’s Monday morning and I don’t know what time I’m supposed to be there, so I just play it safe and decide ima get there at 8AM.
I thought to myself like “most jobs start at 8, and I’m sure this one does too.” Again, this is me assuming.
So I finish the last touches of my makeup, do a cute lil swoop of my sideburns, make sure I have my train card, and I’m reds to go!
But at this point it’s only 7:02AM. I don’t have to be there til 8AM and it’s only a 30 minute train ride. So in order not to be super duper early, I decide to eat some breakfast.
Now if you know me, then you know Jalyssa don’t miss a meal! I cook breakfast e-ver-y day. From waffles to, French toast, to eggs, to bacon. They don’t call me Chef Le for no reason!
But today they would’ve changed my name from Chef Le to Jittery Le, cause ya girl was so excited I couldn’t even eat! Half of me didn’t wanna make a large breakfast because I didn’t wanna be late and the other half didn’t even wanna eat cause I was so thirsty to get there!
So to play it safe, I ate some cereal. And not just any cereal, some Trix!
Another fact about me? I only buy generic cereal. Ain’t no fruit loops, it’s loops of fruit. And ain’t no Cinnamon Toast Crunch, it’s Cinnamon Swirl Squares. But since I had landed my dream job, I decided to treat myself to some name brand cereal. So instead of Pranks, I had Trix.
I poured the cereal up then took a few spoonfuls. But I was so ready to get out the door I didn’t even finish! So I just chugged the milk, put on my shoes and dipped! I made it to the train four minutes early and waited on it to come.
I took a selfie but I was hella close to the camera so I decided not to post it. Looking like one of them “you got games on yo phone?” kinda kids.
Anywho, on my way to work I check my phone and of course my support system sent me hella love! I had messages from my Mom, my fam, my girls, and even my Lil Boo! I was excited and these well wishes were making me even more excited.
Next thing you know, I’m a few stops away and something told me to check Google to see what time the business actually opens. Cause again, I never asked my start time and began to wonder “what if ain’t nobody there?”
So I checked and guess what time it said it opened? 8:30AM.
Y’all, it was 7:52AM by the time I got in front of the building! I should’ve asked my start time like my Momma said! Now I’m outside looking dumb!
A part of me was like “girl gone upstairs!” And another part of me was like “go across the street to Dunkin’ Donuts to buy yourself a little time.”
So I did that. I went to Dunkin’ Donuts, got an iced coffee, a banana, and responded to the sweet messages I received that morning.
After a couple of minutes I was “okay, let’s do this!” It was 8:09AM and I decided, thirsty or not, I was boutta walk into the building.
I was greeted by a nice, older black man who was the security guard. I introduced myself and told him today was my first day! He wished me luck and congratulated me on the new job. I wasn’t even upstairs yet and I was liking the vibes already.
So I go upstairs and guess what? I wasn’t the first person there! The owner was there and another higher-up. At this point I wasn’t even mad at being early. Rather be early than late! And at least I was early with the owner.
So I walk up, we say hey and I ask him about his weekend. You’d assume that the owner of such a successful company would be super intimidating. But he was nice! Very friendly! And offered me some of his Mom’s famous zucchini bread.
I should’ve said yes, cause Lord knows that half a bowl of cereal did not fill me up, but I played it off like I wasn’t hungry and went to my desk.
Speaking of my desk. Y’all, my desk! Let’s just say they hooked ya girl up! Not only did I have multiple screens, but also a company zip-up, cups, pens, binder, notebooks, branded magnets, lotion, hand sanitizer, and even new chapstick on my desk. I’m “let me find out!” I was feeling the love and appreciation already.
A few minutes go by and more people come in. My boss, the Chief Marketing Officer who told me about the job, (if you read So I Hear You’re Looking for a New Job, then you know all about her) walks in. She was instantly bright-eyed and gave me the biggest hello followed by a “we’re so happy to have you.”
Y’all, this almost made a real one tear up! They just gon all speak to me? Sounds like nothing, but I don’t know how many times I walked into my last job, spoke, and no one said anything back. So even getting told hello made me happy.
So a few minutes go by, more people come in, and it’s going well. Next thing you know, the owner says “okay you guys ready for our standing meeting?” I’m looking like hmm what’s that? But just followed everyone to the kitchen...
In the kitchen there’s an island and everyone stands around it and gives updates. Before the meeting started the owner welcomed me and said how happy he was to have me! Again, I was shocked!
And not only that, he pronounced my name correctly! People love saying my name wrong, but he got it right on the first try. Again, I’m “lemme find out!”
Okay so after the standing meeting I go into the conference room with my boss and two other employees. They told me they wanted me to listen in on the call because I’d be assisting with this client’s needs. It was cool and sooo productive. I enjoyed hearing them converse and made sure to take notes.
But y’all, why I’m in the meeting and my stomach started acting a fool!? I told y’all that lil cereal ain’t do nothing for me. My stomach was in there acting like it ain’t have no home training! I def moved some papers a little to camouflage the sound. Wasn’t boutta be out here embarrassing me!
So after the meeting I run to my desk and eat the banana I grabbed from Dunkin’ Donuts earlier. Between that and some water, it did me justice.
Next me and my boss, conversed and she told me about the different clients I would be managing. I’d have 8 main clients and 5 that I would be assisting. My responsibilities included everything from design briefs to presenting the analytics and more. I lowkey couldn’t believe it! I was thinking like bruh! This is the BIG leagues! I’m just gon have clients?
And ain’t no helping here and there, these were MY responsibilities. I was up for the challenge and so thankful to be there.
After chatting with my boss, it was lunch time. I was happy too cause my stomach started to act a fool again. I decided to go to Chipotle and treat myself. I still couldn’t believe I was working at my dream job! In downtown Chicago!
As I walked to Chipotle I looked around and was like wow! Not only was it a variety of restaurants around it was hella stores too! From Macy’s to Target, to Foot Locker. I was instantly like whew, these people gon take all my money!
Okay so after I eat, I come back, and I have my first assignment. It was to come up with a few design options in regards to the conference call I sat in earlier (yeah, the one when my stomach was acting a fool).
But ya girl had eaten, drank some water, and was on it! Less than 30 minutes later I had my ideas jotted on paper and was designing them in Photoshop. I was truly in my element. This assignment is something I’d done in the past when I used to be a freelance web designer. I would come up with three strong design directions, present them to the client, have pros and cons for each, then let them decide which one they wanted to go with…
It all flowed so effortlessly. And not on no bragging, oh I’m the best to ever do it stuff, but on some I’m in my element stuff. It was going so well because this is my thing! I’m a true digital marketer/
designer and it felt good doing what I love.
It’s only a few hours left in the day and I’m still getting acclimated with things: looking at files to get familiar with their processes, taking notes on my client’s profiles, and leaning over and chatting with my boss here and there…
Omg, speaking of my boss. Y’all! She is just soooo good. When I say she knows this stuff like the back of her hand? She knows this stuff like the back of her HAND!
I mean she is so knowledgeable and so efficient. And she always writes everything thing down (just like me). I love that she will be supervising me but I love even more that she can serve as a mentor.
And she’s so humble with it! You’d think since she’s been doing marketing for seventeen years she’d be snooty about it, but she was the exact opposite. She engaged with me often, and after I’d ask a question she’d respond first by saying “that’s a great question...”
I was loving it. Because again, like I said in “So I Hear You’re Looking for a New Job?” I’d been craving community and support. I was never looking for a babysitter or a micromanager, but just another person to chat with about marketing.
And not only did she support me with my duties so far, she asked me about outside stuff too! She knows next Monday, February 24th, I’ll be going back to my alma mater, Eastern Illinois University for a speaking engagement, and praised me for it. Saying things like “wow that’s such an honor. I love that for you.”
I’m wow! She just gon be this nice? I’m not gon keep comparing them to where I was at before this, but just know the atmospheres are totally different. Legit, like night and day.
But okay, I’m almost done.
So I finish my designs for the client from earlier and needed to ask my boss how I’d present them...
Fact about me, ya girl loves to present. I do not have stage fright and will talk in front of any size crowd (this started at a young age, btw. I been doing church speeches for as long as I can remember. Peep the pic below).
As we were chatting I pulled up the design options and showed her. And y’all guess what this lady said to me?!
She said (and I quote) “wow this is perfect! I would’ve done the exact same thing.”
Y’all I almost passed out! Okay, not really, but you get what I’m saying! She just gon give me that kind of compliment? This 17 year old vet just said she would’ve done the same design as this 3 year old marketer? Again, I’m “let me find out!”
For the rest of the afternoon we chatted and I kept telling her how happy I was to be there. I thanked her for hiring me and told her I was excited to learn from her. She followed up with several “we are so happy to have you” and “I just love your energy.”
I couldn’t believe God really showed out for me like this! And next thing you know, it was time to go…
As I walked to the train I caught myself hella smiling. I remember when I used to run out the office and now I’m in no rush to leave and skipping and smiling as I go. When I got on the train I had a moment to reflect. I thought to myself like “wow! I remember praying for this! Asking God to place me at a job where I’d be appreciated, supported, and doing what I love. Now look!”
To say I’m blessed would be an understatement. I cannot believe at the age of 26 God has blessed me with my dream job! Doing what I love and getting paid that bag too! I’m truly excited, blessed, and humbled. This is better than my wildest dreams and I plan on taking full advantage of my new opportunity.
I know that nothing in life is perfect but this sure is close. It feels good to be happy and actually enjoy going to work. I’m looking forward to my time at the new job, relationships I’ll build, and the things I’ll learn. God truly showed out with this one and ya girl is thankful.
Whew! I was so on cloud nine I came home and made me one of my favorite meals: a sandwich!
In conclusion, it was a good first day out and I can’t wait to see what comes from this...
Til next time,