Work Life Advice From the Editor

Clara Zou
Clara Zou
Nov 3 · 5 min read
Location: Ephraim, Wisconsin

Quick intro here — I’m Clara and a freelance consultant for fintech companies.

What does that mean? I specialize in go-to-market strategy and product management for fintech companies. My projects have ranged from establishing new branches of business to working as an interim project manager who sets processes and builds a business case for full-time positions.

Now, some more personal details. I am based in NYC and learning more about myself every day. I have a website that acts as my portfolio for potential clients and those simply interested in getting in touch with me.

How did I get here?

In short, I kept a really open mind. For instance, I took a job in solar finance straight out of college and moved to Charlotte, NC (shoutout to the Hygge community for adopting me and the team for critical career lessons). Albeit for one friend who is an avid farmer and dog lover, I knew not a soul in Charlotte, North Carolina. In fact, I made friends at the 3rd Ward Hygge location thanks to my early morning baking activities and opportune moments by the coffee dispenser. My strategy for making friends was anchored in warm brownies and chocolate chip banana bread.

“People who love to eat are always the best people.” — Julia Child

Before my first full-time job though, I had completed internships and a lot of them. I chalk it up to my high school — The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia — and also my general interest in keeping life interesting. I have always had school and some kind of work opportunity on the side.

The List of Internships — Dating from 2010 to 2017

  1. Lift Me Up (Therapeutic Riding)
  2. House of Representatives (Rep. Charles B. Rangel)
  3. Voice of America (Development and International Media)
  4. SourceAmerica fka. NISH (Marketing and Communications)
  5. Rock Creek Group (ASEAN and Eastern European Research)
  6. Rock Creek Group (Fund Reporting)
  7. IPREO (Financial Data Implementation)

And there is a lot to unpack here. Spending over eight months at some of these companies opened my eyes to the realities of the workplace. Overall though, every work experience taught me skills and gave me an inkling of what I should pick for my first job.

What really blew my mind though?

The amount of autonomy that I had at my first full-time job. That autonomy gave me a taste of life — specifically the deliciousness behind living a life that is your own. This sounds sappy, but anyone can get a full-time job. Not everyone can deliberately hold a job because they are committed to being there and they have some semblance of why they are sticking around five days a week from 9 to 5.

What’s truly crazy about committing to a job? (And by the way, this advice can be applied to your personal relationships too — romantic or platonic, whatever pleases your fancy)

Job commitment requires a conscious decision and identifying what you are getting out of it. Everyone at your workplace is there for a reason. Their company is a great name to have on the resume, so they are sticking it out for at least a year — maybe three. They are looking to climb the ladder from analyst to managing director one day and they visualize a clear cut path at said company. They are looking for financial stability and it’s a comfortable place while they focus on other parts of their life. Basically, everyone has their reasons. Just know what you are getting out of that job — don’t be passive and stay there because it’s the first job that landed in your lap.

That was some scary advice right there. Putting yourself out there and finding a new job? It’s really freaking hard to apply for jobs and put yourself out there again and again — we all do it and we know all about it. It’s worthwhile in the end — here’s some perspective. Your job takes up a large part of your life and a sizable portion of your energy.

Don’t you want to be deliberate about this part of your life? Let’s assume that it’s a full-time job and ball park it at 40 hours a week (at least — some people work more). That’s an activity that takes up at least 2000 hours of your life EVERY year and that doesn’t count the time that people spend thinking about work. Do you have Sunday scaries? Because I do, and I am regularly intimidated by how much there is to accomplish in five working days.

Why did I pick the jobs that I have chosen?

My work experience is based at start-ups of various sizes. The general theme is I choose the rough and tumble nature because I lean into the extreme learning curve and it is chock full of opportunities. I relish stepping up to the plate and demonstrating what I am capable of in a workplace. During onboarding at a startup, there are a few monikers for the steep learning curve and personally they excite me.

Now, let’s be more specific. I started down this product management path thanks to a number of coworkers (and now friends and mentors) who told me to recognize my value and skill set. Thanks to some valuable conversations and growing pains — I came across a realization. I have to stop selling myself short and pick a career path where I am an active agent.

Definition of active? I am an agent who knows what I am getting out of each new project, client, and opportunity.

And to people who are switching careers, considering a job offer, or eyeing a job that you are 90% qualified for?

You don’t need anyone to give you permission or validate your decisions.

Remember this piece of advice: You’re not limited to whatever people will hand you — you earned this chance at your career path and, moreover, you earned this chance to prove yourself because of all your prior work. And if you need to learn some new skills and work for it, then own it and do it!

You are great (I genuinely mean this statement to anyone reading this article). The commitment that you’ve made to this current job or the next one on your radar will pay off in the long run. Life is just a series of steps — one step at a time!

This Instagram post made my Monday — I hope it gives you good vibes too!

For people that actually read this — this is my first Medium article. It’s a bit of an introduction before I start a new project called OneTonne. Stay tuned…and thanks for reading!

OneTonne

Evolving technology for SMEs in emerging markets — for the better.

Clara Zou

Written by

Clara Zou

OneTonne

OneTonne

Evolving technology for SMEs in emerging markets — for the better.

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