Q. My ultimate career goal is to work in marketing for a movie studio, move to L.A., the whole nine yards. But I am working two jobs in retail and really like it! Should I ditch the day dream and stick with retail?
A. First, I want to commend you on two things: for having a specific dream and second, for enjoying your current jobs.
As for ditching the dream and sticking with retail, only you can decide that, but let’s dive into some action steps that can help you make this decision. (And dear reader, this may apply to you, too — what if you’ve had a dream and a new skill/interest/role ignited a spark along the way? Questions of when to you drop it, should you still pursue it, regrets of “what if” are common questions.) My initial reaction: Pursue both. Career paths aren’t necessarily always linear and upward — there’s some zigging and zagging at times.
You may want to put pen to paper or type in the notes section of your phone, put your phone on airplane mode, find a quiet space in your home, car or other and block out the world. Ask yourself what you enjoy most about the retail jobs — the hours, the type of work, the skills, the people, what the items represent that you’re selling? Ask yourself what interests you most about the marketing dream at a movie studio — is it marketing? Do you love movies? The glam allure of the industry (note: not all glamorous jobs are actually glamorous once you’re on the inside.)
I would start conducting informational interviews with people in both paths. Ask what they love about it, what they loathe, what the salaries are for jobs in both areas (assuming right now you’re in hourly, but what is the path for a full-time salaried role if that’s what you ultimately want?), what skills do you need? Ask questions, network, set up job alerts so you can see what the requirements are and then fill in the gaps — identify what you’re missing to be a serious contender for the roles. Also, ask them who else you should talk to in their company/industry to learn more and network.
See if there’s a Zenn diagram overlap. Can you get your foot in the door working in retail in LA for a movie studio? To then work your way up and over?
Lastly, it’s important to know that our careers can have many twists, turns and detours. Embrace it and enjoy the journey.
Q. I am a freelancer and have been trying to track down my 1099s for tax season. Still tracking them down, still trying to get my taxes done. Deadline is almost here. Help?!
A. This is out of my area since it’s more tax-related, but talk to a tax accountant if you work with one perhaps get an extension. And definitely continue following up with clients to get those 1099s — and escalate if need be to the head of AP, etc. Again, this is not my direct area so your accountant may have more insights in this area.
Vicki Salemi is a career expert, former corporate recruiter, author, consultant, speaker, and career coach. Send your questions to hello@vickisalemi.com. For more information and to subscribe to Vicki’s newsletter, visit www.vickisalemi.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @vickisalemi./Tribune News Service