It’s Graduation Season!
“What in the world am I going to do with my Fine Arts degree?”
“Get a job,” everyone says. What is important though, is to begin a career. Here is the start of mine, excerpted from my new book, Yes! You Can Do It! The Young Woman’s Guide to Starting a Fulfilling Career.
It all began in Milwaukee, though I really didn’t intend to stay there. Arriving from art school in Providence with everything I owned packed into a red Jeep with my bike hanging on the back, I was stopping home to see Mom, throw some things in her attic, and head out for what I imagined to be my new life in the Pacific Northwest. But a case of mononucleosis stalled me and there I was.
I decided to practice job hunting before I hit the road for my upcoming “real life.” This was merely a speed bump.
I had dropped off a resume at Schlitz seeking to join their photo department. The human resources director advised that there were no openings but the next morning at 8:00am, the phone rang with the vice president of marketing inviting me to an interview in two short hours. I was in my pajamas but quickly dressed and headed out the door.
When I arrived, I found out that the VP wasn’t the least bit interested in me and there were no jobs. Instead, I answered his questions about a former colleague who taught in the art department in the University of Colorado, my undergraduate alma mater. I was thinking this was all a big bust.
And then the VP gave me a pearl…he passed me off to the photo team. In addition to knowing how to shoot beer in every possible light and dimension…with foam, poured from the bottle, poured from a glass, poured from the pitcher, coming out of a tap – they were, friendly and encouraging. They knew all of the photographers and marketing people in town. After meeting with them, I was ready to network. But I still didn’t have a job.
I’d already decided to look into what I imagined to be the most exciting place in town to work, Milwaukee Summerfest. Ten days of fun and music at the lakefront sounded just right to me. However, the Schlitz photo team warned, “Sure, go for it. But you’d have to be the mayor’s daughter to get a job there.” I certainly wasn’t the mayor’s daughter but I did go for it.
At 3pm on a Friday afternoon, exactly the wrong time to job hunt, I stopped by in-person to drop off my resume. “We don’t have any jobs,” I was told by the executive secretary. “But have a seat and let me share this with my boss.” Her boss came out and told me the same thing, “no jobs,” and invited me to join a “cake and beer” birthday party in the small offices they occupied.
“Oh, Nancy,” he called to me as I was headed out the door, “we do have a job and it’s yours if you want it.” Sly fox…he had been observing me to see how I interacted with his staff and whether I’d be a good fit.
That afternoon I became Program Manager for Summerfest, responsible for staging throughout the grounds, including the Main Stage. Aretha, the Doors, Ray Charles, Arlo Guthrie, Ray Charles, BB King, Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynn, and many more appeared during our festival, and all performed on my main stage.
Was it magic, charisma, camaraderie that landed me that job? No, it was being in the right place at the right time with the right resume and a decision to push forward to see what was out there. Bullheaded me! I forgot to listen to those who told me no one could get a job there.
And that’s how I started my career. It was a short-term job with low pay, that I took for the experience, contacts, and opportunities it would provide…a very good gamble. I got it because I was ready with a good resume, the right wardrobe, a sense of myself and what I could bring to the job, and a can-do whatever is needed attitude.
My Summerfest job was seasonal, and in conclusion, my boss arranged an interview with me for the owner of an ad agency where I started my “forever career.”
For a large university’s career services department, I recently participated in a program for graduate students and graduating seniors. One girl was terrified of looking for a job. She had been spending hours online with Monster, Glassdoor, and other sites and was simply overwhelmed. “There are so many careers! I don’t know what is out there that makes sense for me,” she said. She was panicked.
“Go meet people. Network. Volunteer for an organization or cause you believe in. Do informational interviews. Be yourself and use the free tools on my website to help discover what you love and what will work for you,” I said. She began to smile and I watched her shoulders soften.
Here’s what she said in a note to me:
“I especially appreciated the advice on how to find a mentor and how helpful a mentor can be. I’m super excited to continue figuring out what a fulfilling career looks like for me, and reading your book to help me achieve that! Thank you again for your time and guidance.”
Thankfully, with the advent of the vaccine, job hunters can now get out from behind their computers and into the physical world, which is what I advised this young woman to do.
If you know a graduate, friend, or associate who is looking to join the workforce or make a career change, please don’t hesitate to share this newsletter or my book with them.
I believe that we can learn a lot from other women’s stories. Here are three good ones from:
- a woman who has made it by following her sports passion
- a younger woman early in her career devoted to social justice
- and an entrepreneur who branched into several fields.
Please enjoy these conversations; they are part of every newsletter.
Turning Her Passion into a Championship Career, Brigette McGuire
Australian Brigette McGuire has been called “the most powerful woman in tennis.” It’s not because of her forehand, which made her a tournament player. But due to …
Check out Brigette’s passion, The Women’s Tennis Foundation
From Retail to Social Justice, an LA Story, Kaylin Cotton
Kaylin Cotton is early in her career. Her first two early jobs in retail management led her into a role diversity, equity, and inclusion where she is truly making a difference.
Kaylin, please tell us what …
From Decorative Art Finishes to Yogi and Back to Artist, Kim Manfredi
I am a painter. Typically, I get up at 4am, wake up my body with some yoga, and then jump on my road bike for a 2 hour ride with friends. I try to get to my studio by 8am and use my most energetic self to paint, uninterrupted. Around 2pm I certainly need a break…
Join us next newsletter to hear the career starting stories of a young industrial designer from Barcelona and one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 innovators and entrepreneurs.
What a great time to be a woman!
With light and peace,
Nancy
Nancy’s List
I like to introduce resources that may be valuable to you. I have not been paid to mention them and there are no affiliate links.
A resource for growing your network
Debra (D.A.) Benton’s book “An Introvert’s Guide to Networking,” offers tools to leverage your strength and expand your network. It includes advice and guidance on using social media tools, as well!
Free tools, tips, and worksheets for jobseekers, as well as “Ask Nancy.”
Visit my website. It’s all there for free!
Your Turn: What’s one of your favorite visual experiences? I recently biked through the large forest of cardon cactuses outside of La Ventana, Baja. It was astonishing. What do you love?
- Viewing Mona Lisa at the Louvre?
- Stargazing from your backyard?
- Walking through Antelope Canyon?
What do you love to see? Tell me about it at nancy@nancywilhelms.com