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Dear Girl-Who-Knows-Literally-Nothing

September 3, 2015 By The Woman Behind The Curtain Leave a comment

Reman U 225
Dear girl-who-knows-literally-nothing,
Ok, that’s a little harsh. You do know some things – important things like the value of hard work and how to respect your professional elders. But, contrary to popular belief, you do not know it all.
No worries, though. You’re really just beginning.
In the next 1,460 days (four years for those of us whose math skills were lost a while ago), you’re going to be tested and pushed in ways you’d never think. You’ll sweat, mentally and physically. You’ll cry (thankfully, usually not at work). You’ll laugh. A lot. (Think the people you work with now are funny? Just you wait for the ones who haven’t been hired yet.) And you’ll learn. (Which is probably the biggest thing that sets us apart.)
What will you learn?
There are the things you swore were 100%, ironclad certainties that you’ll eventually learn are 100%, ironclad wrong, like:

  1. You’re a patient person.
  2. The best work is done under pressure.
  3. Asking for help is a sign of weakness.

And there are things that you understood in theory, but hadn’t the slightest idea what they looked like in real life, like:

  1. Trade shows are a lot of work.
  2. The lasting impact from making a customer, peer, or otherwise feel special is worth any extra effort.
  3. Customer loyalty is earned, not bought.

Finally, there are the things you’re still learning now (I know. Never ending, huh?):

  1. There is only so much you can control, especially with worry.
  2. Not every customer or opportunity is good for business.
  3. The big moments are the frustrating ones where it doesn’t seem like your boss is teaching (or helping) you at all.

Here’s the good news: You’ll make it.
In these next few years, there will be times when you feel like you’re stuck and want to quit. Don’t. Put on your big girl pants and get over it. Or rather, get over yourself and out of your own way. Because the good stuff far outweighs the bad.
You’re going to travel. A lot. Sometimes it’ll feel like that’s all you do. But it’s all part of being part of this team that is really like none other.
You’re going to meet a lot of people. Some will be vaguely familiar faces that you see year after year at trade shows. Some will be tough critics. But others will be customers that turn into friends.
You’ll make a difference. Spoiler alert: Eventually, people are going to respect your opinion. Part of it is because you’re bossy (No use denying it.), but a bigger part of it is because you really do care. The changes you affect will be felt (for the better) long after you’ve moved on to bigger (maybe not better) things.
So get excited for what lies ahead. You’ve got great things coming.
Best,
Future Jennifer
(The-girl-who-doesn’t-know-everything-but-definitely-knows-a-lot-more)
photo credit: © Ivan Kruk / Dollar Photo Club


JP2015“If I knew then what I know now…” With a recent anniversary on her mind, Jennifer’s taking a look back this week.What advice would you give to your past work self, knowing what you know today? Comment below or share with her directly!

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