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If there is one thing I can recommend to my network it’s to see the various career moves you make as building blocks to the career of your dreams. I didn’t know it when I was a recent college graduate but my very first job that summer would form the foundation for my entire working life.

For two years I had been a counselor at a sleep away camp in CT close to the Connecticut River. My third summer I was offered the role of Unit Director, meaning I would be in charge of an entire age group (in this case, 12-13 year old girls. Yikes!). 42 girls and 10 staff would be relying on me for guidance, structure, support, and leadership. I was up to the challenge but a little nervous. I wanted to do a good job - I needed to prove to myself that I could. But it was unclear what the measures of success would be. Most likely smiling faces, healthy kids and a generally positive vibe.

There were challenges that summer. A kid tried to run away from camp, there was a fire in a tent, and about 10 days before the end of summer a hurricane knocked out all power to the camp. The conditions were deemed unsafe and all of the kids had to go home early. But before that we had to endure several days without running water. Pretty miserable.

Looking back, I’m not sure I could have put together a better foundational experience for what I would ultimately do for work: lead teams of people through tough times providing guidance, structure, support and leadership.

It’s not always easy to craft your career, especially when you’re not entirely sure what you want the future to look like. In my case, I had a hankering for managerial roles even in college, so I knew there was something there. At the time I thought maybe I was “backing into” my reasoning for wanting to work at camp versus getting “real jobs” over the summer. But the truth is it was absolutely the right move - I trusted my instincts. Many of the skills and philosophies I used back then are still in my employ today. That’s hard to believe, but true.

Take every experience and learn from it. Let it add to your growth. You may not see it right away but always take the time to reflect down the road so you can see what you have built. And then, keep building from there!

Announcing the publication of Feed Your Future: Morsels on Building a Meaningful Career! Available on Amazon this book has already received three 5 star reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Feed-Your-Future-Building-Meaningful/dp/1948903555/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ENIDMOQZ8YAM&keywords=feed+your+future&qid=1656960687&sprefix=feed+your+future%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1