In two short weeks, I will begin on a new adventure as an
Inside Sales Rep for Zillow! Words cannot begin to describe how thrilled I am
to start on this new journey. When I found out I was accepted for the position,
it was one of those “if-the-tree-falls-in –the-forest-alone-does-anyone-hear-it-fall”….I
was laying in my bed, just having awoken from a nap on a rainy morning and I
had a missed call from a Seattle area number. I called them back and they
offered me the job – I yelped with excitement…. but then realized I was the
only person in my apartment. Although I may have been all alone, I knew there
were so many people that were cheering for me out there in the world – my family
back in Maryland and my friends all over. I did it. I got that big kid job that
I’ve always wanted!
Since I accepted the job offer, I’ve reflected a lot on the
past 18 months; since I graduated from college. I would never have guessed as a
freshman in college (who had their heart set on being a cardiothoracic surgeon
at the time), that I would be working at a running store after graduation, or
moving to San Francisco, or moving to Seattle. I always imagined myself living
close to home and being around my family all the time. Well, my “story” changed,
and I am 100% a-okay with that.
The first 6 months after graduation were mediocre. I lived
at home and had a fun job at a local running store. Month 6 is when it started
to get tough; student loans kicked in and I was moving out to San Francisco
with a 4 day notice. Months 6-11 were probably the most frustrating. I had
moved cross country to work for a startup where I was promised one thing, and
reality was completely different. It sucked. So I moved home and fell back into
the life I was living before I moved to SF; something I was more comfortable
with. I returned to working at the running store and picked up a job at
Lululemon Athletica, which has been one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve
had in my life. I have worked with and met some incredible people. The team
that I worked with back in Maryland was that loving and caring group that I
needed when I had just moved back home from San Francisco. My interview with
them was literally the day after I got home from my cross country drive, and
emotions were running high. Through my vision and goal setting, I was able to
make moves and venture out to Seattle, in hopes of pursuing my long-term goal
of working for Lululemon or Patagonia in their Corporate Social Responsibility
department.
The team out here in Seattle has been unbelievable; they are
some of my best friends. They have made me feel at home when I thought I wasn’t
going to make it. When I had $1.50 to my name until my next paycheck, they were
the ones that bought me a cup of coffee. When my grandfather passed away, they
were the shoulder I cried on. They have taught me to be okay with feedback, and
how to grow from it (good or bad J).
I have never worked for a company where management has been so onboard with
your hopes, dreams, and aspirations that they are literally cheering you on
every step of the way. As my time comes to an end at Lululemon, I am so SO
incredibly thankful for the experiences and growth that I have had since I
began. I have had so much personal growth since I first started, but just as I
got comfortable back home, it’s my time to move on.
