I must confess I have been keeping a secret from most of you.  About 3 weeks ago I interviewed for a new position at the company I used to work for Kobayashi.  I couldn’t mention it because my prospective boss was looking at all my social media and I didn’t want to appear over or under-confident about the job.   Well, I have very exciting news after 3 weeks of waiting I found out that-

I Got the Job!

This is really a dream come true.  To even have the chance to do something other than accounting is so thrilling I can’t even put it into words.  Years ago I had resigned myself to a life as an accounting clerk.  In 2008 I tried to make a change but nothing came through and I ended up back at accounting but working from home.  It seemed like the compromise I would need to make.

In 2012 I said:

“But always in the back of my head is that nagging question of all the things I could have been and done? Do any of you struggle with unfulfilled dreams? With what you have settled for in your life?  We all have to make compromises in order to live.  At least most of us do.   How do you reconcile your wishes with reality?”

I still agree with that.  We all have to make sacrifices to live.  Even if you get that dream job you still have to make sacrifices because nothing is free. I am continually fascinated by themes of work because it is such a tricky formula to master.  If a happy life is made of work, family, and experience than how do we know when the work is taking things over, or family, or whatever.  Balance is impossible but the hope is we come close.

So we make sacrifices.  We do things we aren’t crazy about because we need money, or we like the people we work with, or get to work from home, whatever the compromise might be.  And you are left hoping that the right sacrifices are made but never being 100% sure.

And then every once in a while an opportunity comes your way where maybe the slope of the compromise  will not have to be so steep.  A chance to do something new, a chance to live your dreams.

I got such an opportunity today.  Basically I am going to be working 30 hours a week for Kobayashi in their marketing department.  The main emphasis will be content creator management.  I will also continue to work part time for Poler doing their accounts payable.  I’ve worked for 2 companies before so it shouldn’t be a problem.  Fortunately, both companies are eager to help me make things work.  I am so blessed.

During the interview with the marketing manager we went over the brands placement on various retailers and I told him about my experience in youtube.  He then asked me to do what I called ‘homework’.

The main question was ‘how do we engage with youtube content creators?’.  Just a couple of months ago I wouldn’t have known how to answer this question.  However, in January I was inspired to start taking my youtube videos more seriously.  I invested time and money to improve them and saw immediate results.  I learned a ton about google ad words, search engine optimization, making video and how to interact with content creators (I have a giveaway going on now on my facebook page).

This became a new layer to my skillset which included this blog and all I’ve learned from writing my silly thoughts for 7 years.  I had mastered twitter, facebook, pinterest, blogging, youtube and instagram.  I thought it was just for a hobby or to perhaps help me with my job at Poler.  Never did I think I could do something else for my job. Never.

In fact, in December I was some of the sickest I’ve ever been and yet I worked the whole time.  There was just so much to do but mere weeks after things began to change and a lot of my responsibilities became automated.  It became clear I was going to have to find different full time work before too long  (Poler is so amazing to work with me and keep me busy through all this).

After I had worked on my youtube page, gotten some semi-serious hits, my Dad took notice and mentioned my skills to the marketing director at Kobayashi.  After giving the referral my Dad stepped aside and told him that this had to be a good fit.  Definitely no nepotism for this job.

Then I had to be patient.  I think I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog about waiting and that was what I was referring to.  I waited to see the job description. Waited to set the interview, and then the interview came.  I was very nervous but I tried to study hard on the lingo and be confident, and I felt good about my performance.

Then I turned in some homework about engaging with youtube content creators and I felt it was strong but waited another 3 weeks wondering if I would get the chance.  It was really hard.  I kept envisioning having to go back to corporate America and feeling nauseous at the thought of it.

The longer it took the more I figured I was out of the running. Preparing for the worst you might say.  Finally today I talked with the marketing manager I had interviewed with and it turns out:

I got the job!

I know I said that before but I am so thrilled!  I can’t believe it. It will be a little less pay but for the opportunity I would do just about anything.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I never thought I would get a chance to do something else.  I feel so grateful I was inspired to take the risk on my videos.  It was inspiration as I see it.  Inspiration to go for it and learn as much as I could.  Without that youtube experience I would not have gotten the job.  My Dad said he didn’t talk to them at all after the initial recommendation.  He said if I got the job it was on my own merits not his.  Yes!

I am so excited and grateful. Overwhelmed really.  I can’t believe it. It may be a simple little job but the chance to do something creative and still work from home- holy heck! Pretty amazing.

So I worked for 10 years in accounting and out of the blue a chance came.  Lesson to all of you- don’t give up, keep trying new things, work hard at what God has given you now.  Take all the inspiration you can from my experience! Good things can happen!

Yippeee!!!!