🧵 Career Moments
Last weekend, I shared something on my Instagram story and I’ll just use that to begin today's letter;
This year I've been hanging on the last thread of my career, literally
Pretty weird that I have no excitement towards it anymore, for something that was everything. But I’m still doing my best cause it's all I can do for now... just sticking to writing and vigorous job hunting.
The way I felt about the career over the last 2 years has changed... a phase, a redirection, a moment of truth? I really don't know & but till I know I’ll keep hanging tight to the things I can commit to
Right now, I'm in a state of career panic- feeling uncertain, questioning everything and doubting my abilities. My mind is constantly flooded with thoughts like, “Should I choose another path?“, “Will I keep coming back to this place of ground zero?”, “What’s the end goal of this entire journey?”
It’s a mix of pressure, self doubt and a desperate desire to figure it all out before it’s too late.
Been a rollercoaster of emotions this past months, and I don't want to bore you with all the nitty-gritty details. This is me showing up just the way it is without trying to hide that I’m struggling.
As inspired by a journal prompt, today I just want to take a moment to reflect on some unforgettable moments in my journey as a community manager.
June 2020 when I finally understood what community management was about:
I had been introduced to community management back in December 2019, but I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Google wasn't much help at that time as all I could find were articles that blurred the lines between community management and social media. It was frustrating, to say the least.
Then during the lockdown, I stumbled on my first book on community Management and got to know about CMX as it was linked in the book and suddenly, everything started to make sense.
Building and Managing my first community:
In July 2020 the lockdown was lifted and work resumed at the office. I worked with a digital marketing agency, then (my first job outta college). During the lockdown, we had discussed the idea of launching the agency's very first community for small business owners. It was an exciting opportunity for me because I believe in learning and doing, and this was the perfect chance to put all the knowledge I had gathered into action. I learned and grew on the job and was able to contribute to building something truly remarkable before I the job ended in November 2020.
Building and managing that community was a significant milestone for me
Getting the opportunity to volunteer with someone I look up to:
In September 2021, someone I truly look up to in the branding industry reached out and offered me a chance to volunteer with their team. It was a dream come true! They were starting a community and needed someone to handle all the day-to-day activities, and that someone turned out to be me.
I still work with them, and they’re the only ones keeping me busy during this phase of my life. It's not a paid gig yet, since the brand is entirely community-driven and we're still working on how to generate revenue from our programs and resources.
I'm grateful for the chance to work alongside someone I admire and contribute to something meaningful. It's all about the journey, right?
Making money from the career as a freelancer:
Last year was a turning point for me when I decided to dive into the exciting world of NFTs. I was on fire, feeling like I had conquered it all! It was the first time I could proudly say that I was making money as a community manager.
I thought I had reached a level where I would never have to start from scratch again. But guess what? Here I am again in my 2021 era, rocking a fancy title but without a paying job! Life sure has its funny ways of keeping us on our toes, doesn't it? 😂😂😂
Walking away from a job:
This happened back in December last year, and I remember sharing the story right here. It was a moment of clarity for me, realizing what I truly deserve and what I shouldn't settle for. It felt empowering to prioritize my personal growth over just earning a paycheck. Letting go of something that wasn't serving me was liberating, and I'm so grateful that I dared to make that decision.
Getting featured:
This is something that happened a lot last year and a few times this year. Whenever my newsletter gets featured somewhere, it feels like a spotlight shining on me and saying, "Hey, you're doing alright!" But I try not to let it get to my head too much because I don't want to become complacent. Still, I have to admit, it's a great source of motivation to keep pushing forward, knowing that my work is resonating with others.
And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this little musing, even though it wasn't packed with educational facts 😅
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through it all! Your support is greatly appreciated. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat.
Tidbits from the streets of the internet
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1. Community Decoded, a podcast with expert community builders unpacking their human side of community-building stories
2. On skipping the calendar and frameworks, and allowing for a community to happen casually- read here
3. Get behind the scenes with Max and see how he prepared for his first in-person speaking opportunity - read more
4. Planning an in-person community event for around 100 people? Jono Bacon shared 4 event ideas that will foster engagement, build relationships, and help your community grow
5. If you know a creator trying to get around building a community, share Creators and Community with them