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Alright, my 2 weeks is up👇
Forgive me if this is a little overdramatic: I have never felt the mixed emotions I have had in the past two weeks. Yes, the headlines are true… I am stepping away from public accounting to pursue my next venture in the field of software development (The headline, "Local Accountant Pivots Into the Field of Software," would get negative clicks if possible).Â
Naturally, the obvious next step is to write an emotional reflection piece about how thankful I am. As I set out to write about my experience in public accounting, I realized that it's not over. I'll use the skills and lessons I have learned over the past two years forever. Thus, I'll let the post I wrote about the public accounting industry suffice my emotions.Â
So I want to take this post further into the macro level of our professional life. My thoughts are in no way meant to guide your professional career, but I'm navigating through the same waters as many of my peers. It's important to recognize the fruit that bears in different jobs and, now, different careers.
In March of 2021, I wrote a post titled Your Future of Multiple Jobs. In that post, I highlighted a trend called the "Nomad Economy," which is the new trend in business. At some point, you will change jobs, companies, careers, locations, etc. The earth-shattering announcement 30 years ago of "I'm changing careers!" is now just a Friday in June for most people. A career change used to be frowned upon, as previous generations viewed these people as having little education. Now, it's the backbone of an entire billion-dollar platform called LinkedIn.
Little did I realize that I would make my first career change a year and a half after writing that post. While it seems easy and exciting on the outside, it's pretty freaking hard and scary. Just because there are more opportunities to change careers doesn't mean it's easy.
It makes you wonder, how did we get to the Nomad Economy? This trend was only made possible by generations before mine that stayed 40+ years at a company and never wavered from leaving it. They built Corporate America. I was talking with someone the other day who had been with the same company for 50 years! I have a better chance of winning the lottery than even knowing someone in my generation to accomplish that.Â
However, just because our working environment is changing doesn't mean that we should abandon the goal of company loyalty. I would love to get behind a company's vision and work passionately toward achieving whatever it may be.
We have forgotten the purpose of working for a company because it is now counter-cultural to the endless opportunities for self-fulfillment. With the infiltration of the internet, you can, quite literally, make a career doing anything. The company vision has been replaced with the "me vision." As a young professional in his 20s, I'm guilty of the same mindset.
The roaring (work from home) 20s!
Today, most teenagers will enter their 20s with fewer responsibilities than any other generation. Thanks, mom and dad, for diligently building wealth! Then, the decade passes, and several people will suddenly exit their 20s with life's most significant responsibility - a child. What happens in those ten years will shape your life. It's not an end all be all, but it is a start you desperately don't want to screw up. You can't win life in your 20s, but you sure can derail it, and too many people are throwing away their lives in their 20s.Â
This brings us back to this post about first jobs and careers. When looking through the lens of the nomad economy, first jobs certainly are not an indicator of guaranteed success. I can think of so many people who come into professional success in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and even 60s! It can take so long to find your niche and excel at it - especially with the abundance of available career paths.
Alternatively, you can waste a life of rich relationships and joy if you're single-minded in your 20s and everything is about you and your career. When everything is about your success, value, and work, you are setting yourself up for distress when the bar of achievement only gets raised. I'm not saying don't chase those things, but it's not a horse race out of the gate. Your career is a marathon, and your 20s are more like training than actually running the race.
Therefore, it's essential to know that first jobs and careers are about setting the pace. I'm comfortable in my lane and the speed I'm going, which gives me the flexibility to focus on more important things like relationships. Getting the most fulfillment out of your career is only possible if you build the foundation correctly, and it's not too late to start!
First Job
A few years back, I wrote a post about a hypothetical public policy called The First Job Initiative. I described a world where it is easy for teens to obtain a first job while creating more transparency to potential careers. Instead of a formal education-only approach, I argued high school students should spend equal time with real-world application of skills. The goal of this initiative would be to alleviate ambiguity when selecting a major for college - where real learning takes place.
Flash forward two years, and the landscape of our workforce has never been more unpredictable. On top of that, there is no longer a general framework for modern work. The typical career paths of doctors, lawyers, and accountants are becoming less traveled (I can personally attest from recruitment efforts in accounting). Knowing where to begin mentoring someone on a career path is challenging.Â
The macro-state of the job market shows how much work has changed. In July of 2022, the unemployment rate was the lowest since 1969, yet inflation was at record highs, and the GDP decline indicates our economy is in a recession… So why is unemployment at historical lows and not all-time highs?
The post-pandemic job boom is unprecedented, as many industries desperately need more workers. Throughout 2021, it was widespread to run into situations where a business would not be open due to a labor shortage!Â
Our post-pandemic job economy expedited the gradual change that the pre-pandemic way of working was uncovering. Again, there are so many ways to make a living in 2022. Gone are the days of working retail or waiting tables while finishing up a degree, and in are the days of passion projects, global freelancing, or gig economy jobs as a means to make just enough. This trend has pros and cons, but I want to examine what we lose from a first job when we elect for personal convenience (gig economy) over hard work and working with others.Â
A First Job’s Potential
George Washington's first job outside the farm was as a surveyist across the Shenandoah Valley. At this time, he was unknown to society, but his excellent work returned to the council of Virginia (appointed by the British Crown), who then added him to the Royal British Army. We know that America is enormous, and there is no shortage of geographical complexities. More importantly, land surveyors constantly intruded on Native American territory (another talk for another day).
This tedious job would be the foundation of Washington's career (and our country). A few years later, Washington would help lead troops for the British army in a battle against the French and Native Americans for land (The French/Indian War). The British would lose, as the generals only deployed battle tactics meant for the open field. They would not listen to Washington's advice on how to fight in this new rugged terrain. Washington would never see a rise in the ranks of the British army because of the lost battles with the Native Americans. But he was learning valuable lessons on how to battle on American soil.
Grievances against the British Army made it easy for Washington to join the colonists in the call for independence. During the Revolutionary War, Washington's troops were outmatched by the British in all but one area: knowing the geography. This proved pivotal in Washington's battle plans, mainly holding off enemy attacks and knowing when and where to strike stealthily and quickly.
The years George Washinton spent in his first job as a land surveyor would contribute to him winning the Revolutionary War, becoming president of the United States, and supplanting himself as one of the most famous historical figures in human history!
Today, we stand entitled to a rose-colored picture of what our career should be. We avoid routine scheduled-based work and click on every Indeed listing that is flexible to our schedule. We especially apply these rules to our first job where we know it's short-term. But I've learned more from a hard-working first job that wasn't isolating and forced me to learn how to deal with people than anything.
Three Lessons of a First Job
Do you remember your resume for your first job and how innocent it was? I drafted up high school accolades and community service, also known as not qualifying me for any work. So it makes sense that the point of a first job is that anyone can do them, but it takes a willingness to get it.
My first job was cleaning golf carts at a country club in Nashville. It was your typical summer job that paid for my gas and money with friends. The job was by no means glamorous, but looking back, I can see it taught me a few valuable lessons.
#1 - Showing Up
In my two summers working as a cart boy, pretty much all I had to do was show up. None of the work was performance-based. As it turned out, showing up was all it took to be a differentiating employee because my first summer was riddled with people who would miss shifts.Â
We often over-complicate our current position in life. I struggle with wanting to advance my position when I might be stuck where I'm at for a little while. And that's okay - keep showing up. The only way things will happen for you is to get out of bed, step outside your house, and show up.Â
#2 - Waking Up Early
Growing up, I was never late to school because my mom was a faculty member and had to be there early. Even though it was ingrained in me to be up early, as a teenager, I quickly defaulted to staying up until 1:00 a.m. and sleeping until noon. I had to learn this wasn't a recipe for success quickly.
Looking back, I'm glad I worked a job that demanded I be up early. And when I say early, I mean I had to be at the club at 5:30 a.m. to start setting everything up for the first 6:00 a.m. tee time.Â
There is so much value in having the presence to start your day early. Often, people ask me where I find the time to do my writing/podcasting/web development, and my answer is in the morning. It's quiet, no one is bothering me, and who says the day starts when you have to clock into work? Don't ever sacrifice sleep! But adjusting your schedule to take advantage of even 30 minutes of your morning is a complete life hack.
#3 - Don’t whine; Don’t complain; Don’t make excuses
When working in the 100-degree Tennessee heat and maintaining a golf course for sometimes not-the-most-pleasant members, there was much to gripe about. When there is a litany of excuses not to do a good job, that is where the hard workers shine.
This person can be seen as the tiresome "try-hard" or "overachiever," but that title is a whole lot better than "lazy." Complain all you want, but the problem will still be there after you spend two hours trying to deflect it.Â
That doesn't mean it's always easy and rewarding to be a hard worker. Several times while working at the golf course, I gave annoying tasks to someone else. The difference is that the team member would be more willing to do it because they also knew I was willing.Â
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By being diligent and implementing all three of these principles, I made it to the only step-up the job offered in my second summer: getting shifts as the bag room attendant. In this position, I would greet the members as they finished up a round of golf and offer to clean their clubs for them. I embraced this responsibility as it allowed me to interact with prominent people in Nashville. Not to mention, the tip money flowed in.
Which brings us to the hardest lesson I learned at my first job:Â greed. Other attendants' inherent bag room behavior was to keep the tip money and not share any with the cart boys, who do most of the manual work. I sadly modeled this behavior and would walk out of the club with my pockets full of cash; meanwhile, the cart boys had nothing. I think about this often as I settle into a professional career and how I will one day want to treat employees. I promise you; I will never have a mentality like that again.
So what are the lessons learned through first jobs? Hard work and dealing with people. I do not believe you learn that from new gig economy jobs and online platforms that cater to a selfish "me-first" mindset that bleeds into your career.Â
First Career
Can I call something a career if I leave after two years? In short, yes. Going back to the nomad economy, it has become the norm to not only change jobs but change your whole career. I'm not just saying this because I am changing careers, but look at the stats according to Zippia:
In the United States, people between 18 and 24 have an average of 5.7 career changes. Meanwhile, people between 25 and 34 change jobs about 2.4 times, people between 35 and 44 years old switch occupations roughly 2.9 times, and individuals between 45 and 52 years old change jobs about 1.9 times.
As future generations enter the workforce, there will be more turnover in, not only jobs, but careers. Many factors play into this trend, but I constantly hear the negative explanation: "Younger generations are lazy and can't handle hard work, so they quit."
First, I think there is validity to that. It's a gift to work a good, high-paying job, even if it is demanding. There is no question that my generation is spoiled and sometimes can't see the benefits of hard work.Â
Alternatively, I think it's perfectly acceptable to desire a career you love. Do you think all the older generations that gripe about younger generations would honestly say that if they loved their career? Talk to anyone who chased their dreams, and 99% would encourage you to do the same.
A modern societal comparison is the worn-out racial argument where someone says: "If you think America is so racist, why don't you move to another country?" The answer to that question is a "yes... but":
Yes, I agree that America is a leading country in our efforts against racial injustice; therefore, things aren't always as bad as they seem.
But, I think it's vital to continue demanding more from our country in efforts against racial injustice that's still glaringly present.
I have the same response to the question:Â "Don't you think you should just be thankful and work harder?"
Yes, but why not demand more if the opportunity presents itself?
I'll repeat it: we are in a strange work environment. Because anything is possible, there becomes a desire to pursue your dreams. Because anything is possible, the job markets are changing faster than ever. Because anything is possible, industries are transforming rapidly.Â
When there is complexity, the answer isn't simply to work harder, as it might have been in previous environments. The winners can stay agile and recognize the available opportunity to maximize their talents. That is what I'm doing in my next career.Â
Weekday Dread vs. Weekend Fun
I've spent an insane amount of time worrying about these questions in my first career:
"Am I happy?"
"Is this where I want to be in the next five years?"
"What other options are out there?"
"What are my peers doing?"
As I was ready to examine these questions, every time an occurrence called the weekend would get in the way. All of my long-term career aspirations would vanish when I had to think about sacrificing going out, weekend trips, spending on fun, or any other chase of self-indulgence. I hit the lull of:
"Hmm, I don't see myself doing this work much longer, but the paycheck is good, and I still want to be able to have fun."
First, recognizing that I didn't want to do the work is when I started the back-slide of my public accounting career. The work began to become tiresome, so I would look forward to the weekend when I didn't have to think about it. I knew that was a red flag because it wasn't always like that. There was a time when I enjoyed showing up and contributing to my company's vision.
Although grievances about work were salvaged through the comfort of financial stability, and I kept applying this band-aid every two weeks. Again, there is nothing wrong with this. We need money to have a roof over our heads and put food on the table, and it's okay to have a little leftover to spend on yourself. But the amount of money should not be the sole reason you're in a career.Â
As soon as the weekday dread (work) and the weekend fun (paycheck) could no longer be justified, I knew it was time to make a change.
My Next Career
I mentioned in the introduction that company vision has been replaced with "me vision ." I developed this attitude when the public accounting firm I worked for would talk about its vision, and I began to feel distant from it. I don't want to feel that way again, but if I ever do, I will know it's time to re-evaluate my work.
In plotting my next career, I developed three reminders from areas I fell short in my first career:
#1 - You're not superman.
I could not have started my career in public accounting any more arrogant. In my defense, beginning with a Big 4 public accounting firm is three years' worth of hyping up college students through recruitment, conferences, and an internship, until you finally start with the firm. I arrived on my first day with the mindset of, "This place is lucky to have me," instead of, "I'm so lucky to be here."
Quickly, I was humbled. Even with a B.S. in Accounting, a Master's in Accountancy, and a CPA license, I was not ready for the job's difficulties.Â
By the way, I believe that is with any job. I call it driver's syndrome - where you grow up watching people drive for 15 years; you learn all the rules and observe different driving scenarios, but that doesn't mean anything until you get behind the wheel of a car.
I had to learn to set aside my pride and ask for help. I hit a breaking point in my first busy season where I thought I was a failure, only to realize what I was going through was completely normal. When you're doing something like auditing a multi-billion dollar public company for the first time, there is grace when you inevitably fail a time or two, and I'm incredibly thankful for co-workers that taught me that.
I'll probably hit the same panic button when I fail early in my next career in software development, but now I have the experience to know I need to ask for help. Good companies are structured to foster a growth mindset in employees by encouraging them to fail and ask questions. You and I are not superman.
#2 - Don't be a passive team member; don't be a taking team member; be a giving team member.
I don't care what the team hierarchy is; there is always something to give. I inherently gravitate toward stepping up as a leader, but I never displayed that in my first career. I was passive because I thought you could only lead by managing work performance, which was not my role as a low-ranking member.
This is simply not true. You can lead and make a difference in various ways on a team. Passive team members are the ones who don't want to be there or are not contributing. Both are detrimental. Even if I'm beginning my new career at the bottom, I want to contribute as much as possible to the team's betterment. Often that role presents itself outside of performance management and more so in overall team experience - which is just as important.
But there will be plenty of days where I'm not in the mood to be a giver and default to being passive. That's okay, but it's essential not to be a taker when that happens. The taker on a team only cares about themselves and their work. As long as takers are getting praised and recognized for their excellent work, they don't care how the team is doing.Â
Try and be a giver; accept the days when you need to be passive; avoid being a taker.Â
#3 Incentives are finite. Relationships are enduring.
The career I'm leaving was heavily reliant on incentives. Because of the grueling nature of the work, accounting firms have to bribe employees with lavish incentives to stay. Short of giving employees insane amounts of cash, time and time again, I've seen incentives not be enough to keep people around.Â
The thing I learned in my first career is how valuable relationships are. So many people from my first career believed in me and gave me an opportunity, and I felt a sense of loyalty to them. It is these people that make it difficult to leave my first career. In fact, feeling that I'm letting people down is a lot better than leaving a career middle finger up on the way out. That's how I know I made meaningful relationships.
Deep-rooted relationships are the only thing that will withstand a career storm. Incentives will quickly blow away. Build them and foster them.
The straw that broke the accountant's back
The breaking point in making a career change came when I saw my future shift from being money-focused to faith and relationship-focused. New relationships have re-centered my mentality toward work and what I want my life to look like in the long term. Additionally, I have a calling outside of accounting that I know I need to accept.
That's not to say new priorities have made this transition easy. It sucks to be in a state of financial uncertainty. Actually, it's flat-out one of the worst feelings I've ever had. But the feeling of having no financial security has motivated me more. I was talking with a friend the other day, and I told him I'd go moonlight flipping burgers at McDonald's if I had to. In other words, I know I will not starve and will have a roof over my head.
Outside of my Christian faith, knowing that God will provide in my next career, I see the work I have put in has prepared me for this career change. The same skills I learned through my first job are what will help me in my second career, and so on and so forth.Â
Thanks to all of you who have been supportive along the way! I'm so excited about this next chapter.
Very insightful... great write up Davis. Wish you well with your software endeavors!