Written by Contributor, Tiffany Grossman (Fun for All Foods Co-Founder)
I used to work for the federal government, back when it was functional. Well, as functional as the federal government has ever been. The lights were reliably on, anyway.
I wasn’t just your average USG employee, either. No, I worked for some of the highest-ups. Top floor types. Brilliant minds with very consequential roles in world events. I did moderately low level work for high level people, and that made me feel pretty important. In D.C. especially, there is a sense that you are only as important as which doors you can open for others, and I held the keys to some pretty fancy doors.
Then, my husband’s job moved us to a state neither of us had ever stepped foot in before. I had no job to report to and no prospect of returning to foreign policy. I was essentially left by myself most days; a version of myself that was now completely inconsequential in American foreign policy. Ouch.
Like many a career-changer, I dabbled in several somewhat related fields; nonprofits, community work, and my local chapter of the Dark Arts (political campaigns). All the while, I mourned the loss of what I used to be. It took almost a decade to realize that I was missing the wrong thing. I missed the work I used to do, yes— but I was still me, with or without a security clearance.
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
1. Don’t confuse your worth with your title. You are not the words under your name on a business card. This is not earth shattering news, but it is kind of a killjoy. It requires not putting that much stock in your title in the first place, because your value is not defined by that role or its perceived importance. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that the average time spent at a job these days is roughly four years. That means the average professional will have almost a dozen titles in his/her career. Take pride in your work, but keep a clear understanding of who you are vs. what you do.
2. Like life, there will be seasons to your career. Sometimes you have to hop off the fast track — whether for a move to a new city, for children, or maybe even as your company downsizes. That doesn’t mean the whole journey ends, it just means you’re riding on a different train for a while. You might find yourself in a new direction you like even better.
3. It’s a huge challenge, but it can also be one of your greatest opportunities.
That’s not to say it will be easy. Executing the challenge-into-opportuntiy maneuver means giving yourself the space and time to figure out what to aim for next. Find that common thread in your career, that thing that gives you a glow when you talk about it, and look for a way to grow that little piece of magic. See where it takes you next. My resume looks borderline schizophrenic — from foreign policy to nonprofits to starting an allergy-friendly food company. The commonality, though, is the goal of championing worthy causes. While you’re doing this soul searching, try to appreciate the time you have been handed to really think about what would fulfill you professionally in your next role.
4. Fully believe that others are rooting for your success. Really. I admit to worrying about what my former co-workers would think of my post-D.C. career path. Most of them are still boarding jets to exotic places while I’m wrestling three kids into a minivan. In retrospect, I should not have been surprised to find that they were some of the biggest and earliest supporters of my food business. If you spend any time on social media, you might be surprised to find that people are still basically good and that there are more people out there hoping for your success than your failure. Your friends will be there to support you. Believe it.
5. Finally, have patience. As humans, we’re not particularly great at being patient. I believe it’s really a practice, not something you have or don’t have. Work to find calm in the waiting space between what was and what will be. You’ll get there.
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