What can I do with media, marketing and PR experience?

ShiftDoctor answer

By Lisa Mitchell on 21 November 2006 at 14:15

Thanks for your question. I am sure that your description of where you are currently in your career will ring true for many other recent graduates who use this site. It's very easy when you are leaving university to kind of ‘fall into' a career without really giving much thought as to what you really want to do.

My main impression from your question is that there is a lack of passion for what you do; something missing in the jobs you have done to date. You seem to have enjoyed some aspects of them such as the human engagement, creativity and project planning but haven't really felt that any of them are completely fulfilling your needs.

I suggest the first thing you do is really think about your passions and what interests you. You are looking for interests and passions that really get your pulse racing. I want you to learn what you love the most and what makes you happiest. Don't think about work right now, just focus on your passions. Try answering the following questions, writing down everything that comes into your mind without vetting or judging them.

• What are your main interests and activities outside of work? What is it about them that you love?
• What past passions have you lost touch with? What did you love doing aged 7,13,18?
• What activities do you do where you get totally lost in them so that you lose several hours?
• What activities are fun and come naturally and easily to you?
• What do you love to talk about? Imagine you were stuck on a desert island with a person who only had the capacity to speak on a few subjects, what would you pray those subjects to be? If you could talk about something with some world expert, all day long, day after day, what would that subject or field of interest be?
• What newspaper and magazine articles interest you? What sections of a bookstore do you gravitate towards? What subjects do you find fascinating?
• What makes your blood boil?

Identify your top 5 interests and passions, the ones you really couldn't live without. Then ask yourself: what is it about these interests that really motivate and inspire me? What is the essence of them? And finally, how can I use this knowledge to make some choices about the kind of areas I'd like to work with. If you combined all 5, what field would you work in?

You can then come back to your career to date. What does this information tell you about your career choices to date? For each of your previous roles write down what is was about that role that you were passionate about and what was missing. Are there any patterns or similarities? What is it about marketing that appeals to you? Do you have a passion for it? Finally, do you have a passion that you would secretly love to translate into work but have discounted because it's not practical or sensible?

In my experience, those people who are fundamentally satisfied in their career are those who are doing something that they feel passionately about, something that really fits who they are and what is important to them. My advice is to take the time out now to reflect on this for yourself. You have some great experience to use moving forward, good luck on your journey.

Lisa, ShiftDoctor