⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

If you know anything about me, you know I wear my heart on my sleeve.

Once I am passionate about something, it’s nearly impossible to change my mind. Since I was young, I’ve always known that I was meant to be a writer. I penned scribbled-laced messages on my journal pages when I was a toddler. Since then, I have filled countless journals to the brim.

When I was in middle school, we took this test to see which career suited us and our personalities, preferences, and experiences. This was a surprisingly in-depth test that we filled out using a Number 2 pencil and the multiple-choice paper exam sheets. When I received my results, I honestly was not surprised. It said: writer. It matched my daydreams, and from that day forward, I dedicated myself to writing.

While my career in public relations isn’t just writing, I use my written and other communication skills to build a company I love. I realize this process doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and I also know that a lot of us don’t have these aha moments at 13 years old.

At the end of my 20s, I felt this paradigm shift. My life’s mission came to me one day as I saw a mantra bracelet at a local store. It said, “Live what you love.” That is a mantra that I continue to use every single day, and it shapes each decision I make. I apply it like we all like to apply filters on Instagram. I added “despite fear” because I know that fear is the one thing that holds me back from love.

I don’t want to give you generic “live, laugh, love” jargon to pacify my life’s mission. I truly want to give you tangible advice that will aid you on your quest to build a career you love. (And to be honest, you still won’t LOVE every part of it, but an 80-20 ratio is always good!)

These five nuggets of advice will help you discover more of who you are so you can find or create a career you love:

Pare down what you actually love.

If you are a lover of mostly everything, like I am, this can be an exhausting process. I won’t lie, though. I do love a perfectly curated and created list. Write a list of interests, tasks, traits, values, and other aspects of what you love to do. An example straight out of my own life would be this sample list:

Writing
Flexible but also scheduled work time
Cause-oriented work
Hybrid workplace
Talking with people
Telling stories
Consistency
Traveling
Spending time with loved ones

At first, don’t edit your choices and allow the integration of both work and life to enter this list. After you have your list, see if you notice any themes and put those in subcategories together. While this isn’t an exact science, it will help you realize some starting points as you craft a company that could allow you to reach your own brand of success. This could look like traditional financial success, yes, but it also means time, self-respect, security, happiness, and other components. Success isn’t linear!

Also, write down what you don’t like.

When I first started Hourglass Media, I would take any work I could get. This is a really common approach when your company is in its infancy. You want to take on any client for any amount of money to build your business. While this approach will help you with your bottom line and general reputation, it is not sustainable. Over time, I have learned what I like and don’t like, as many of us have. I’m the type of person that will withstand any mundane task I need to if it achieves an overall goal, but there are also some red flags and deal-breakers.

Here are some examples of what I don’t like:

Micromanaging behavior
A “this is how we have always done it” mentality (or general complacency)
Certain services that are better left to other colleagues, like website coding
Toxic work environments
A lack of empathy

As my career has progressed, I have realized that it’s valuable to know about a lot of different disciplines, but you should really specialize in only a few things. That is why Hourglass Media specializes in writing and public relations. At our core, we tell stories for a living and help others do that, too.

QUESTION: What are a few things you want to be known for? (Think about your legacy.)

Know your strengths and weaknesses.

Do your own personal SWOT Analysis, where you deeply assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This is a research method I use in nearly every client campaign and project, whether it’s just me or with the client or other key stakeholders. When you take the time to reflect on each part of the puzzle, you will have a more clear picture of who you were, are, and are going to be.

It can be easy to talk about strengths and opportunities. Many of us know these characteristics. It’s more challenging to admit our weaknesses and threats, but delving into both will help as we attempt to get a well-rounded image of what works for us and what doesn’t. Just so we’re on the same page, one of my weaknesses is people-pleasing. I have to work really hard to not give everyone everything on a silver platter, especially when it isn’t part of an already established agreement. An opportunity would be the hybrid work schedule. This is something I valued before the COVID-19 pandemic, using a 50/50 approach to virtual and in-person meetings.

Get feedback from others you trust.

Have frank conversations with people you trust. Ask them about their perceptions of you: what you’re good at, what you may not be good at, ideas on “living what you love,” etc. I have found that these conversations are insightful, no matter the outcome. I have received validation that I am on the right track. I have seen others be self-serving and offer conditional advice. I have received constructive feedback – and also the polar opposite. No matter how the conversation goes, you will learn more about yourself and how you handle adversity, success, and other parts of the human experience.

At the end of the day, you cannot see how others see you. You can’t control it, either. (I have had a “perfectly” curated image in the past, and now, I realize it was toxic positivity and inauthentic.) While you can choose to take or leave what people tell you, active listening can help you figure things out. You could learn that you are very skilled at a particular task, service, or job. Once you know that information, you could choose to go along with it or choose to not pursue it. For example, people have told me that I am “great” with certain services, but if it’s something that I hate doing, I don’t offer that service.

Just start your career from scratch.

I will be honest. I had to create my own “dream job.” While I value all of my previous work experiences and know they helped to shape who I am, I still didn’t feel fulfilled. I knew I wanted to work with nonprofits and caused-oriented organizations on meaningful projects. I also knew I wanted to write and continue to tell others’ stories, as well as my own. I know this will not come as a shock to anyone, but I am a Type 4 Enneagram, The Individualist. There wasn’t a job like what I have anywhere else, so I created it. While many people offer PR and writing professional services, I have a competitive edge and different ways of looking at things.

Even if you think your career choice has a flooded market, see how you can add your own spin onto the industry, job role, skillsets, and other components. Thinking outside of the box and your comfort zone will pay dividends.

JOURNAL PROMPT: What does your “dream” career look like?

Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with nearly 20 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a wife, mom, mental health advocate, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.

Taking the First Steps To Create A Career You Love