One year later... it's all about perspective

Over the past year, several colleagues and friends have asked why I chose to change careers. I usually give my "PR response" that being a college recruiter for tech jobs is not very different from being a student affairs professional. You just have to work hard at increasing your business acumen and learn where to utilize your soft skills and knowledge in the new space (true, but there was more to this decision of course). I also receive questions about how I managed to get a job outside of higher ed; and I usually say it was sheer luck (also very true, but I must admit there was some subtle strategy on my part).

Rewind to spring 2012... Without disclosing too much information, I will say that this time last year was very difficult for me as a professional. I had worked very hard for 6+ years building a career as a student housing and college administrator. Navigating campus politics was essential each and every day (so it seemed), but I genuinely enjoyed my work and constantly found ways to be re-energized and apply innovative approaches to my work. When I moved to Seattle 4 years ago, my plan was two-fold: 1. move to a city where I can have a personal network of friends outside of work, and 2. find a job that could provide opportunities for career advancement over time. When I learned how much growth would be occurring at my last job, I assumed I had found a perfect opportunity. Unfortunately, 3 years later, I found myself in a very awkward space that led to me being "passed over" for a promotion. There was of course lots of bureaucracy involved in this decision, and ultimately I believe the job went to the right person. But the most challenging problem was learning how to navigate the awkwardness in the workplace, realizing that some people had full knowledge of the situation and others had no clue where I stood in this internal process until the very end.

My challenge: Keep Calm and Carry On. My inner city prideful family upbringing taught me to "never let them see you sweat". Coming from an underprivileged background can teach you some not-so helpful lessons of keeping your guard up. But this was a time where this philosophy was well worth it. Did it hurt to not be considered for a role I knew I "deserved"? Absolutely! Did it sting to hear that others with "less" experience were able to advance ahead of me? You better believe it! Ha! But, at the end of the day, my desire to maintain professional yet authentic relationships with all involved became a bigger priority than simply "keeping face at the board room table". Needless to say, this was no easy feat.

A big thank you to close friends and mentors who listened to me vent about the situation, gave me space to laugh and cry about things, and helped me to reframe the situation and  focus on what I could control. I resolved that moving on was the only option... but where? The job market sucked and student affairs salaries don't exactly provide you with ample resources to maintain a certain quality of life in major cities. Do I bite the bullet and look for jobs in suburban rural areas ("Oh hell No!", I'd said to myself every time I saw a job posting at po-dunk town university). Or do I cast a wide net and start looking for opportunities outside of higher ed? A much more reasonable idea. This is where my personal work/life balance philosophy and quality of life strategies came in quite handy.

Going back to my personal reasons for moving to Seattle (building a personal network), I found myself focusing more on friendships, social activities, and less on "work". I still cared about my job, but I found ways to be more efficient, delegate, and spent more time on me. I actually attended a conference in Portland this time last year that was focused on storytelling and learning how to frame your experience to better understand your personal journey in life. I found ways to apply this to my future work, but mostly realized this was God's way of helping me to see that life is all about perspective.

When I returned from this conference I had a gut feeling that something promising was about to happen. It may have just been post-conference optimism, but I seemed happier returning to work and was ready to just "move on". About a year prior I started running, and ran a few 5Ks even. Initially, it was for physical fitness and testing my own endurance, but it was also a way to let out stress from what I realize was not the healthiest work environment for me. I also joined a running group of gay men called Frontrunners. This group meets on Saturdays and runs 3-6 mile courses and meets afterwards to for coffee. I had managed to meet lots of nice guys, but it was definitely more casual hangout than a networking opportunity for me. As chance would have it, I met a guy a couple weeks post-Portland conference and learned that he was a college recruiter for a tech company. This was our exchange.
ME: So, what type of work do you do?
KK: I'm a college recruiter for x company.
ME: OMG! Hire me!
KK: Well, actually we are hiring lots of people right now.
ME: Again, seriously, HIRE ME!
KK: Well, what type of work do you do?
ME: I'm a lowly student housing professional but I love recruiting and have lots of transferable skills....
KK: Wow, that actually sounds like a good fit for our team and might help you do well in this space. Send me your resume and I'll see if we can get you in for a phone screen.
ME: awesome!  

A few days later I had a phone screen. A week later, a final round. And the rest is history. In the end, being "passed over" for a promotion was definitely a blessing in disguise. I was brought to one of my lowest points personally/professionally, but I learned a lot about myself and was stretched in ways that I never imagined. And more importantly, I have a job/career that excites me beyond belief. Even one of my senior student affairs mentors said "David, this job sounds perfect for you. I'm actually quite jealous." Would I ever consider going back to higher ed? Maybe. But, I'm enjoying the newness of this stage in life and just happy to be where I am. Sometimes it pays to just stick with the not-so happy times and learn to ride the turbulent waves until things get better.