I’m not sure I can pin point the exact moment I decided to take my life in a new direction, but it may have been when an authority figure in a suit asked if I could photocopy something followed by the words ‘are you sure you can manage that?’
I had kind of floated from job to job for years; waitress, receptionist, administrator and sales assistant. I had always enjoyed these jobs, it was more the environments and attitudes towards these roles from others that frustrated me.
The millionaire director of a property company that refused to learn my name. The restaurant manager that referred to me as ‘one of the monkeys’. The times I have put suggestions forward that have been ignored or taken credit for by someone else. The times I had been referred to as ‘just’ the receptionist or ‘just’ a waitress.
It really doesn’t surprise me when I go into a bar or shop and I receive poor service from a disgruntled assistant, as they may be experiencing the same type of thing.
I think it was Richard Branson that said customer service can make or break your business. If you treat your staff well, they will be happy. Happy staff are proud staff and proud staff deliver excellent customer service, which drives business success.
I agree wholeheartedly with this, as the managers in my previous jobs that did make me feel valued and part of a team didn’t have to ask me to cover a shift or stay late. I would offer. That’s what teams do.
I suppose it was a combination of bad managers and my own curiosity that pushed me back into education at 27. I was curious to see if I could start a career.
After what seemed like hundreds of rejection emails from prospective jobs, I knew a degree was the key to my success and I was quite excited about the student life.
Getting up at midday and eating cereal for every meal, complaining about being skint only to spend my student loan in the French Connection sale (does anyone actually spend it on books?!) and seeing as my initial hope of becoming insta-famous, advertising teeth whitening products and having someone take candid photographs of me in the Californian sun while I waited for the cheques to roll in wasn’t really getting off the ground, I thought I might as well get an education!
So I quit my admin job and left my apartment to move in with my parents so I could afford to study. I decided the only way to take some steps forward was to take some steps back.
After three years at university I left with a Business Management and Marketing degree, some amazing new friends and I am ready to take on the world again!
I guess for me, university gave me the confidence I needed to push for the kind of career I had always wanted. The jobs that were once out of reach were now a possibility.
So now, at 30 years old I’m starting a new career at consumer pr agency Escapade! I’m excited to see what I can offer this creative, bright and friendly team of like minded people.
Bring it on!
Our consumer PR agency specialises in connecting everyday brands with everyday people across four core sectors; Consumer PR, Food & Drink PR, Consumer Technology PR and Sport, Health & Wellbeing PR.
