Today was our first day of career training and I must admit, I was a bit nervous. I don’t love “mock” anything so I was a little concerned.

It started with a presentation by Career Services and then we had breakout sessions. I went to the marketing one for CPGs and it just didn’t feel right. The people didn’t feel right. The jobs didn’t feel right. I love people and what motivates them, but I don’t love using that information to market products to them, I don’t love the idea of getting someone emotionally attached to a name brand when the private label is the exact same product.

And here’s the gospel perspective…OB/HR will allow me to learn skills that I can use throughout my life, whether I work for the rest of it, or only for a few years. It’s something I really am passionate about. And then there are the people. I just fit with them. Being in the marketing meeting felt a bit like trying to fit in with the “cool kids” in high school. Miserable.

Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but I just didn’t fit.

And then today, when we were working on our elevator speeches, I realized that all of my experience and what I want to do is work with people and help facilitate organizations to better work with their people. Yada yada. I’m pretty sure I know what I want to do (or have an idea), just figuring out how to sell that…that will be the hard part.

Oh, and figuring out how to sell myself.

Which brings me back to elevator speeches. So there were five of us and a “sherpa” (second year) at each table. We worked with each other to figure out our interests, strengths, experiences, passions, and then we got to writing the speeches. After we were done, Frances Hume (the facilitator) asked each sherpa to have someone from his or her table ready to share their speech.

Well, normally I don’t really like people to read my stuff in front of me. It’s my whole fear of auditioning. But I decided to just get over it. Mine was the third one he read (his name’s Jason something) and it was the first one he flat out complimented. I was very happy and flattered, and then I blushed…I hate that about myself. And then Nathan Child (who I don’t know if I have a crush on or not, but who is definitely around me a lot) pointed out that I was blushing. I like being good at things, but I don’t like being recognized for it. Yes…it’s weird.

Anyway, Cody’s was really good, as well, but in the end they selected me to read mine. Not every table had someone share (too many tables) and I tried to get out of it, but then I just sat there and went along for the ride. But rather than just waiting to see, my sherpa went ahead and volunteered me.

And guess what? I was nervous, but it was really fun. I tried to deliver it with some kind of personality (those poor finance guys are so dry…especially when reading) and it went really well.
So, the bottom line? I love school and I’m going to love OB/HR stuff. Marketing is still very, very interesting, but it’s not something for me to do, it’s something for me to read about, facilitate, etc.

It’s a good day. And to think, if I hadn’t come to BYU and decided to attend the OB/HR rafting trip, none of this might have happened. I’d be marketing in Nashville. Selling my soul. It would be a sad, sad, sad day.