The Unlikely Shape of Opportunity

This question—with various renditions over the years—has been my theme song since approximately the ninth grade when I decided I wanted to study Liberal Arts in college. I’m positive it’s the same for other Arts or Humanities students. Perhaps even more so for those wishing to apply to the Arts or Humanities. Even now, after graduating from university with a bachelors in English Literature and a minor in Professional Writing, the same tune still plays faintly in my head sometimes: What am I going to do with a degree in English Literature? 

Post-university was a dark time filled with a lot of doubt, uneasiness, and a sense of failure, as I’m sure a lot of Humanities students have felt. Before and after graduation, I applied for numerous internships and entry-level positions in publishing houses as a junior editor, an assistant, archiver, and technical writer. In all, I received one interview for a technical writing position for a software company—no call back. 

All the while I was working as a full-time Administrative Assistant for Skyfold, an architectural product company, where I had been previously working part-time for four years. I’m one of the few people I knew from the Humanities with a full-time job with a good salary and benefits straight out of university. I was conflicted about feeling discouraged, upset, sad, unmotivated, and under-appreciated—by myself and others—after university because I did have a good job. It was a job—not a career. All of these feelings culminated with a flood of tears one day in the bathroom stall at work. And that’s when I decided to make a change for myself in my current situation.

My Ancient Greek Philosophy, Irini Tsakiri, teacher once told me, “People have the kinds of experiences they prepare themselves to have.” As an Administrative Assistant at Skyfold, I started finding ways to apply my experience from the Humanities in ways that aligned with my interests and goals. I took it upon myself to create and manage the company’s social media platforms and presence. I’d volunteer to proofread an occasional new brochure or copyedit marketing literature. I also took charge of writing a technical manual for a new product feature and of copyediting Skyfold’s separate manuals into one concise version. All this wasn’t enough to quench my uneasiness. 

During my employee evaluation, when it came time for the dreaded question, “Are you happy in your position?” I answered no. I told my supervisor of how I felt lost, misused and under-appreciated. But it wasn’t just saying that I was unhappy; I stated my desire to move into Digital Marketing and to take social media marketing classes. I outlined how I could grow at Skyfold by using those self-appointed tasks as proof of what I could offer. I stated what I wanted and how I wanted to get there, and they listened. Now, for the past five months, I’ve been transitioning into a Digital Marketing Support Specialist and taking courses to complete a Social Media Marketing diploma at Concordia University’s Continuing Education. (More on that later.)

I got to where I am because I created opportunities for myself. I took on work and created tasks that I felt bolstered my talents. I asked for classes to better myself. I asked for new challenges and accepted those given to me. I spoke up and spoke up often. Granted, it’s easier to create opportunities for yourself when you work for people who are willing to listen. But it also began with the first unexpected opportunity: my part-time job at Skyfold. 

I started working part-time at Skyfold in college because the hours were flexible and it was a lot less stressful than my former retail job. A lot of my friends warned me against the stigmatized office job: I could make more money working in a bar or a restaurant, or what if I get sucked in and never leave? That part-time job ended up being an opportunity I didn’t realize was an opportunity until much later. An opportunity that led me to a career, albeit a career I didn’t expect either.

And that’s the thing, sometimes an opportunity doesn’t come in the shape you expected or maybe it’s not the opportunity you thought you wanted. But it’s important to be open to that opportunity regardless, because you don’t know where it can lead. I believe that’s what Irini meant when she said we have the kinds of experiences we prepare ourselves to have. It’s not just about establishing a goal, creating steps to get there and then checking off all those steps; it’s about being open to taking new, unexpected—maybe even unlikely—steps.