Why did I go back?

Did you ever feel like your workplace is too much for you? Did you ever think that you had enough and a change would be nice?

It did happen to me. Let me start with a few details about me. I am a digital art director, based in Bucharest with 4 years experience. I started as a web developer 5 years ago and shifted to graphic design/art direction. I always had an oddly atttraction to logos, symbols, print and web experiences.

So a few years ago I had an interview for a digital art director at Kinecto Isobar, which is now part of Dentsu Aegis Network. Since then I am part of this amazing team where I’ve learned pretty much everything I know about design, art direction, how to take care of a brief, how to talk to clients, how to add your point of view in creation process and what it means to get some awards for your work.

During these 4 years at Kinecto, I got around 8 awards for the projects we made. It’s not much comparing to other agencies in Bucharest but I was pround of those awards. Not just because they call them “awards” but for the fact that I felt progress in all these years and because everyday I felt that I can be better than yesterday and the awarded projects were full of dedication, passion and inspiration.

A few months ago I got a job offer. It was from a bigger agancy that was multi-internationally and nationally awarded. It was for the first time when an employer got my attention and that was not because of the salary but for the opportunity of getting even better and more awarded.

Why? Because dopamine feels good.

Being in a relationship for 4 years it’s pretty damn hard to say goodbye. I took the job and I had a weird feeling growing inside. I had to leave all these people that were like a family for a new bunch of new guys. I thought that “new” is good for everybody and is going to be good for me as well. In the first day of the new work place I was thrilled, happy and enthusiast. There were some people that i was actually kinda stalking when I was younger and I saw them as workaholic role models. It was great, I had to walk around with these people and see them at work.

Meanwhile I was keeping in touch with people from Kinecto and every time we talked it was like talking with a family member that was gone for a while. So yes, things were going great for me.

“Kinecto was a great school for me but that’s it”, I kept telling myself. But as I was talking with the “family members”, I felt that I was making a mistake. That after all these years of learning and dedication I was a litttttle bit selfish for leaving and focusing on awards and personal success. We kept on talking and the feeling of going back was there, I just had to press the button so that it can all be the same again. So I did. I pushed the button and got back at Kinecto.

It never felt better and I never thought that a workplace will get me so emotional.

So the reason why I got back in Kinecto Isobar? I must say that people from here are amazing. Well…not all of them. But there is nothing perfect in this world. They are my second family and I believe that everyone should be happy when they are at work. You spend about 40h per week over there with those people. There must be a connection, must be laughter, must be progress, passion and dedicated people. You can find all these in other agencies as well but I think that this is the place for me to be. I feel like home. I feel like I still have something to learn here and that I’m not done with working my ass off for things to happen around here. I want to part of the growth and I want to be part of the process.

Befor leaving Kinecto I thought that change is always good. This time, change wasn’t that good for me. I decided to change the way I look at things so that the things I look at change.

It feels good to be back home.