Two of Wands
This card indicates a decision, likely between sticking with what you know or taking a risk. Once you establish your long-term goal, this is a time to create a clear action plan to work towards it.
I Didn’t Hate It, But I Didn’t Love It
When I landed a book publishing job in New York City almost a year to the day after graduation, I didn't care what the job actually entailed; I just knew I had to get out of where I was. The last 11 months had been a shit show. I moved across the country twice in three months, worked four part-time jobs just to get by, and had recently acquired a DUI.
When I started as a managing editorial assistant, the publishing industry seemed like this glittery, marvelous new world. My boss would yell from her office to my cubicle, "Take this mech to design, manuscript to legal, check in with the editor on the subtitle." It was exhilarating!
After three months, I realized I was a glorified messenger girl. I still enjoyed the mechanics of the industry and was intrigued by other departments, such as publicity and editorial. After considering my skills, I set my sights on finding a job in another part of the publishing industry—the magical world of marketing! There were no openings at Simon and Schuster, so I checked the publishers' marketplace for job postings.
A year after moving to the city and after several interviews, I was hired at St. Martin's Press in "Special Projects." I didn't know what that meant, but it was a new direction that piqued my interest. Within six weeks of being a marketing assistant, I was promoted to Marketing Manager, mainly because I could tolerate my mercurial boss. The new job title came with an $ 8,000 raise and seemingly more enjoyable perks. I got to come up with fun ideas like making a mix CD for a women's lit author and a box of fun little pencils and buttons for a crossword book; it was actually quite entertaining, albeit a lot of work. Sometimes, I would be at the office from 7 am to 9 pm, and as much as I loved attending events, book signings, and working with authors, my boss's temperament was wearing on me, and I didn't feel that invested in what I was doing. I loved the idea of working in publishing, but after three years, I realized the day-to-day work didn't feel meaningful in the way I wanted my work in the world to.
I double majored in Psychology and English in college and wondered if I would be happier doing something that helped people on a more intimate level. I mean, I was assisting authors and publishing houses with creating books, which I do think is essential. Books add an abundance of richness to the world and to my life. But somehow, that didn't feel the same as working with people to improve their life circumstances or mental health.
I researched graduate school programs in the city to see if there was a better-suited career for my desire to engage with people and make a real impact in the world. Although both my parents are psychologists, I found that social work programs were more in line with my values. As I continued to gather quotes for the flap copy and obtain blurbs from authors, I began filling out applications for my next chapter in New York City.
Does this card inspire a story in you? If it does, I want to hear it!