A New Series!

Since starting The City and Us and moving to NYC, I’ve been interested to learn more about people’s careers and creative journeys. There are numerous interview series around the web that ask people in a range of occupations to share their career and life experiences. Design*Sponge runs the inspiring Life and Business series, The Everygirl has a Career Profile series that’s inspiring and informative, and Levo’s Office Hours series is a fascinating series of conversations with extraordinary leaders.

It made me think: I’d like to start a series that asks people about their career journeys, how they got where they are now. Someone might have a kickass dream job now, but what were they doing after they graduated from college and how did they feel about it? Did they work three part-time jobs to save enough money to finally go freelance? Did they meet someone at a bar who happened to be looking for a new hire in their dream industry? Were they raised on a flower farm, so a career as a florist was written in their DNA?

It’s so easy to assume that experiences leading up to someone landing their dream job were easy. I’ve often thought, I wonder who she knows to get a foot in the door at Condé Nast? or She’s so young and already traveling the world as a National Geographic photographer?! How? But most people can relate to a long and sometimes trying journey before finally landing their dream job. And many of us are still searching for the right fit. Even Jenna Lyons, the admired Creative Director of J.Crew, was an intern at one point.

I’m also curious about non-career related wisdom and advice. What makes someone happy and fulfilled in their personal lives? So I asked each interviewee to share any words of wisdom UNrelated to career, money, or getting ahead. Because each of us has so much to offer that’s not related to career. Always spend the couple extra dollars on brand name cheese. 

And so an interview series began.

I’m so excited to share these career and non-career interviews every Wednesday (first up today: filmmaker King Williams!), and discuss what it’s really like to get to your “dream job.” Hope you enjoy it, and, as always, thank you for reading!