5 Things I Learnt from my Second Job...

...that I only had for two days.

In the middle of my exams, I was lucky to get an interview with a Sales and Marketing firm in Cardiff. I really did not expect anything to come of it so in the end I went just for the experience of having a "proper" job interview. Imagine my surprise when I was called back later that day and asked to come in the next day for an interview that doubled up as a full day "observation day".

A lot happened that day but the one thing that stands out is that it was the first time I properly realised that my plans for the future have dramatically changed. Everything from what I want out of my future and what I want to do with my degree/after University shifted that day. While it has been amazing to figure out what I really, truly want, not knowing a lot of it has been quite unsettling.

This sudden shift in perspective meant that, when I was offered the job for the summer, I was more than happy to say yes. Here was the kind of job that was the typical you-need-experience-for-a-job-but-a-job-for-experience type job and I was being offered it with zero experience at all. A whole range of opportunities suddenly became available and it was unbelievably exciting. Even the prospect of giving up my entire summer didn't deter me. I was finally excited to do something I was actually interested in.

My first day was a mixture of fantastic and "oh. Right." I broke the office record for the most sales made on someone's first day (5!) and I discovered that not only do I have a new found interest in Sales and Marketing but I'm actually not awful at it either. However, the other side of the day was the realisation that maybe life had given me an opportunity that I wasn't actually ready for.

The next day proved this. I got home around 8pm in the evening and it soon became clear that this wasn't something I could continue doing. The next morning, I told my team leader that I wouldn't be able to continue with the job and as lovely as he was, I couldn't help feeling a little sad. If only timing had been on my side, this job would have been perfect.

It wasn't all bad news though! I not only gained knowledge in to what I want from my future but I learnt 5 useful lessons that might be helpful to you as well:

1. Finding out the specifics of the job (exact hours, typical day, wages etc) is very very very important.
Don't be afraid to ask these questions in an interview. You need to know them so you can make an informed decision about accepting the job offer. 

2. Your attitude is essential.
The attitude your bring to your work will have a big impact on how well your day goes and how successful you are. A bad attitude won't just ruin your day. 

3. To be successful you need to work a full day.
Even if a full day is longer than you want it to be.

4. Positivity attracts positivity.
When I was feeling positive, everyone I approached was positive, friendly and more likely to let me talk to them. When I was feeling negative, everyone I approached avoided talking to me and seemed to be a mirror of my mood. Positivity helps success more than you might think. 

5. "Know where you're going and why you're here." 
This was easily the most important advice I was given and something I now think should be applied to every area in your life. The people I was working with were working ridiculously long hours, they had few friends outside of work and the majority of their week was taken up by working but they were happy. They were focused because they knew exactly why they were getting up every single morning, why they were working late every single night and why they were sacrificing a lot outside of work. They knew what their end goal was and so they knew why they were where they were. Success comes from knowledge and sometimes that is as simple as knowing why you're here and where you're going.