Defining Your Niche

Defining the career you want to pursue with your life can seem daunting and limiting. From a very young age, our parents, teachers, friends, and elders ask us the same mundane question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”.

The question is never “Who do you want to be?” or rarely “Where do you want to live?” or even more infrequently “How do you want to impact the world?”. We are expected to decide what we want to be before we even experience real life.

From children, to adolescents, to college graduates we are cradled by society’s comforting protective hands. The rules and regulations we are expected to abide by to maintain order is a small price to pay in exchange for meeting our basic survival needs and the comfort of life in the 21st century. We adapt to a way of life that shields us from raw adulthood. Up until the moment we graduate college, sign up for the military, and/or enter the workforce, we are gifted with a sense of freedom. It is not until we turn the ripe age of eighteen that our reality begins to change.

Eighteen is a milestone age in our nation. It is the age we are deemed adults and independent contributors to society. We are less protected from comforting hands and now must graduate from dreaming up our potential careers to actually living them. We are told to attend college, join the military, enter the workforce; to do something because that is what’s expected. It is the path into our twenties that becomes the defining decade of our professional course.

The pressure is real and unwavering. How are you supposed to know what you want to be when you grow up at age eighteen, twenty, twenty-five, or even thirty? How you feel here in this moment is no indicator of how you’re going to feel in twenty years. For this reason, and so many others, it is significant to your employment satisfaction that you choose wisely. You must define your niche now to ensure you won’t be disappointed or unfulfilled later.

Follow these five core ways to define your niche and navigate yourself to employment happiness:

1. Take a personality check. What type of person are you? Does giving back to the community by helping others invigorate you? Do you enjoy crunching numbers under time sensitive deadlines? Are you happiest in an isolated office space working alone or do you prefer collaborating in large groups? Understanding your personality will aid you in finding the ideal niche to share your talents, skills, and experiences.
2. Network. How are you supposed to successfully discover what you want to do for a career if you haven’t experienced the possibilities? Networking is a great tool to overcome this obstacle. You must direct your efforts to identifying the key players in industries and organizations you believe you identify with. Look to these figureheads for guidance. Do you agree with their professionalism? Is their work reflected in your own professional values and goals? Strategize to build meaningful partnerships in niches you believe you could work in someday.
3. Volunteer for your niche. Everything might seem perfect on paper, but before you sign employment contracts or accept a position it’s wise to really experience your decided niche. Explore the industry or organization that appeals to you. Do they offer internships or shadowing appointments? If so, seek those opportunities. Even a brief taste of the daily routine will give you a better idea of what’s to come than reading a summary of the job on paper or electronically. It’s your due diligence to explore before committing.
4. Remind yourself this is the “real world”. It’s challenging for some young professionals coming right out of college or grad school and entering the workforce. We have these illusions of what careers are like based on our school experiences, and most of us end up floored by the “real world”. You don’t work for a few hours and take the rest of the day off. There’s no schedule of five week vacations plus summers off anymore. You don’t get to call out sick every week and get away with it. Real work equals real responsibility and accountability for your actions. Consider this when defining your niche. If you can’t sit at a desk for eight hours a day, working in an office might not be your best match. If you’re the type of person who constantly needs to have variety in your day, working a strict routine of completing the same tasks day in and day out probably isn’t for you. These are important factors to consider when you begin defining your career niche.
5. Remember, you’re not stuck. Even if you think you’ve found your professional niche in your twenties or thirties, you aren’t trapped there until retirement. Our interests and goals change all the time. You might realize you want to teach or be a career coach during your youth and find out as time passes that you’d like to try working behind the scenes in administration or make changes on a political level for your organization. We aren’t ever immovable. That’s the beauty about work in our generation. There’s fluidity and we have ever-growing opportunities laid before us. Your niche may be one thing now, but could become another down the road. Don’t be hard on yourself or feel limited if you change paths. We all have the power to change our minds to redefine our niches.

Defining your niche is possible, but may take you some time. Even if you thought you had your whole life figured out, it could change paths right before your eyes. We are constantly moving, growing, changing, and adapting. Every age is a new milestone that brings with it new purpose and possibility. Defining your niche isn't as simple as telling your parents you want to be a doctor when you grow up. You might want that at age six, but discover you want to teach at age twenty-five. Life is unpredictable, but that's what makes it so fun! Be aggressive in your search, truly take action to find your niche, but allow yourself to enjoy the journey. Defining your niche comes from within and needs to be about discovering who you are at your core. We believe in you!

Top 5 Reasons Everyone Should Work for a Small Startup Once in their Lives

I was 18-years-old when I got my first job as a cashier at a local burger joint. I showed up to work almost every day after school in a Super Duper Burger t-shirt, jeans and black non-slip shoes and worked until around 11:00 pm. Since then, I’ve had my fair share of work experience; anywhere from administrative positions to marketing internships. Each job varied in its tasks and responsibilities, however, one aspect remained the same: the rigidity and hierarchical structure of the companies. This aspect of the workplace is what drove me to look for a small startup for my final summer internship. Over the past month I have had the opportunity to work with The Niche Movement, an organization created by Kevin O’Connell, and have discovered why so many new companies (as well as some more established ones) are adopting a more lax work environment. Here are the top 5 reasons I think everyone should work for a startup once in their lives:

Wear Multiple Hats

As a member of a newly established team, you have the opportunity to play within your formal role. You can take on as much or as little as you want and who knows, maybe that extra responsibility will launch you to a higher position.

Initiate Your Own Projects

When you’re in a smaller working environment, you can better gauge a company’s needs and take the initiative to find a solution to those problems. Taking on more than what’s specified in your contract shows both your competence as an individual and also your value to the company as a whole.

Relaxed Working Hours

With the level of technology that is available, people have the ability to work within a variety of conditions, whether that be from home or from across the country. Applications, such as Buffer and Hootsuite, give people the freedom to schedule the publication for their work ahead of time so they don’t have to be chained to their devices, on call at all times. Many startups (including The Niche Movement) take advantage of this and allow employees the freedom to choose their own hours.

Less Rigid Organizational Structure

At smaller companies, employees at every level work and interact closely. Not only does this decrease the formality of office interactions, but it also increases the ease of communication and the clarity/transparency within the organization.

Accelerated Opportunity for Growth

Startups are known to have a tendency for rapid growth. This may mean that the company is constantly bringing on new employees, but it also means that those within the company have greater opportunities for professional growth.

Rise to the Challenges in Front of You

Do you rise to the challenges in front of you? Let me rephrase. Are you making the most of the opportunities you come across? Are you showing up and challenging yourself to be better?

Unfortunately, too many of us let these moments slip right by.

How many times have you skipped out on something that had the potential to be awesome and life-changing because you were afraid?

Maybe you were afraid you wouldn’t be good enough or that you would fail. Maybe you were afraid you weren’t ready. Or maybe you just didn’t really feel like it at the time. I’m guilty of assuming each of these, and I’d bet you are too.

If we fall into the trap of passivity, we let the opportunities that will change our lives pass us right by. We fail to rise to the challenges in front of us, and therefore fail to create the space we need for growth.

One of the most important things I will always advocate for is trying new things and constantly exploring new ways to pursue a life you love. We get stuck in ruts and routines which only lead us to complacency and further unhappiness. Rising to the challenges that are presented to you, gives you the chance to disrupt the routine you've become so used to. Changing your routine and getting outside of your comfort zone will give you a new perspective. It will challenge the way you think and the way you see your life. Staying in the same place day in and day out doesn't do anything for you.

The best way to combat falling into this cycle is simply to say, “yes.” Say goodbye to passivity and hello to action. 

After you've said yes, show up! Bring your A-game and be ready to learn and absorb the knowledge and experiences from those around you. Ask questions, engage, and be innovative. Look for problems that need to be solved and then find a solution. Go the extra step and implement the solution. Volunteer to do the dirty work. Ask yourself what else can be done? How can this be improved? And then go do it. Be present and be open to the opportunities that present themselves to you. But don't stop there. Why wait for opportunities when you can chase them?

I suppose I should give you a disclaimer here: It’s not going to be easy and it’s not always going to be fun. It probably won’t always feel worth the effort either. In truth, you’ll end up finding things you're pretty terrible at, don’t enjoy in the least, and you’ll no doubt find yourself in awkward situations. But the truth is we need to experience the awkward and cross off the things we don’t like in order to find the things we do like and are indeed extraordinary at.

Look at it this way: Every time you say no or turn down an opportunity, you’re giving up a chance for greatness. More importantly, you’re giving up a chance to find your greatness and your niche.

In my own niche journey, I’ve found that the good will outweigh the bad every single time. Have you always wanted to start a blog or a podcast? Go for it! What’s stopping you from sending an email to your boss’ boss and asking to have coffee? Be brave, be bold. Step up, you may be surprised of what comes of it.

If you’re thinking this means you need to say “yes” every single time, you’re missing the mark. Say yes when something gives you butterflies but also a touch of nerves. These feelings let you know that you're a little bit nervous and afraid, but also excited. They're speaking to you and saying, "hey, maybe this could really be something for you."

I challenge you to rise to the challenges and opportunities in front of you. Go after what calls to you, chase it with abandon, and go home satisfied but hungry for the next go round. Don't get down on yourself if something doesn't work out; write it off as a lesson learned and keep on keeping on.

When it comes down to it, you know you best, even if you haven't realized it yet. If you’re still in the “trying to figure it all out” stage (don't worry -- most of us are), remember that what it boils down to is that you have nothing to lose by trying. You have everything to lose by letting another chance pass you by.

On top of all this, you’ll end up leagues ahead of those people who are still stuck at home, refusing to rise to the challenges in front of them. As they say, always go the extra mile, it’s never crowded.

5 Reasons Why You Should Intern Before Your Junior Year

Hey there, it's Robyn! One of the greatest things about living in Washington, D.C., in addition to the close proximity to some of the best museums and monuments, is that there’s never a shortage of opportunities; from working on the Hill, volunteering at a non-profit, to helping out at a startup, there's something for everyone. That was an enticing reason alone for deciding to go to school just steps away from the White House. I knew that in today’s job market it was critical to get experience while still in school, for the sake of both my resume and my own personal insight. That’s why I decided to take my first official paid internship position at the Niche Movement this summer. Despite only having worked with the team for a few weeks, I’ve already gained plenty of valuable knowledge and experience, which brings me to the point of this post.

If you're in college, doing an internship is an incredibly valuable opportunity. Maybe you’ve been debating between working at a local restaurant and getting an internship. Perhaps you’ve been eyeing a pretty cool position in your city but for some reason have hesitated to send in your application. I’ve learned from both my own experience and others’ stories that interning is an absolute must-do, especially if you’re in college. Here are my top 5 reasons for why you should do an internship:

1. It helps you figure out what career you want to pursue.

Internships are one of the best, quickest ways to learn in-depth about a career field. While school is incredibly valuable, that's something you can’t do by simply sitting in a classroom. Perhaps you've gotten an internship at J.P. Morgan, based on the idea that you'd like to go into investment banking, but soon discover that you hate everything that comes with a job in that field. After interning at a local startup company, you may realize that entrepreneurship and technology better align with your passions and talents. Just like taking classes in different disciplines, interning in varying career fields helps reveal your true interests. More importantly, it allows you to cross off careers and jobs that you've realized might not be for you after all.

2. It looks good on your resume.

I'm going to be honest, one of the reasons why I decided to finally take the plunge and start interning this summer was to make my resume more appealing. According to a study by Southwestern University in Texas, students who completed at least one internship during their time in college were 13 percent more likely to obtain a full-time employment than those who did not. The truth is that an increasing number of seemingly “entry level” jobs require a couple of years of experience, which is why it's a good idea to start raising that experience meter early on. And there's no better way to do that than having an internship. While most students seem to intern in their junior and senior years of college, it doesn't hurt to start working during the first two years of college. Some companies even hire highly-qualified high schoolers! Starting early will also help open up more options come graduation in terms of job opportunities, cool companies to work at, and places to live in.

3. It’s an excuse to live in a new city.

Although I live in DC to go to college for most of the year, going to work here is a far different experience from going to school here. Within the last month I've already seen so much more of the city than I did in the past year. I've also gotten much friendlier with the metro system, in addition to becoming more comfortable with visiting new places alone and exploring different neighborhoods. I'm looking forward to interning in either New York or San Francisco (or maybe even a different country!) before I graduate. 

4. It teaches you new things about yourself.

Some of the most helpful things I’ve learned in the past few weeks include my strengths and weaknesses, as well as my career-related likes and dislikes. I’ve learned that I love creating visual content, whether it’s quote cards or other images to put out on social media. On the other hand, I don’t love doing social engagement as much, which means going on Twitter and Facebook. This whole process of learning little facts about myself on the way is, in my opinion, the most powerful aspect of interning. Similarly to what I said in Reason #2, I’m able to save myself time and energy working jobs I might not enjoy in the future to instead focus on projects I’m passionate about.

5. It’s a fantastic way to meet people. 

From your boss and fellow interns, to other employees, you'll meet people that you wouldn't have otherwise crossed paths with through your internship. And you don't have to limit meeting new people to the workplace. There's always events, conferences, informational interviews, and tons of other networking opportunities you can find on places like Eventbrite, Creative Mornings, and Meetup. I actually recently attended a workshop in DC through General Assembly, and ended up meeting an industry leader who I'm sure will be a great mentor for me into the future!

Grow in Dog Years

After many years of traveling, living abroad, and continually challenging myself to try new things, something I've realized is that, it’s not traveling that I truly enjoy; its personal growth that comes with getting outside of your comfort zone. Why? Because when we travel time becomes distorted. One day in a foreign country can forever change the way that you think about life. One week trekking through the amazon, or taking a road trip will often be more impressionable on you than a year in university. A few months working abroad can forever shape what you want out of your career and your life.

I believe that anytime someone puts themselves outside of their comfort zone, it leads to an accelerated hyper growth; what I now refer to as “growing in dog years”. In the same way that a dog theoretically ages 7 years in a year, I believe that when we travel, try new challenging things, and get outside of our comfort zones, we grow at a more rapid pace; we grow in “Dog Years”.

You see, when we get outside of our comfort zones and try new things, we realize that time is not created equally. When time is maximized, and we pack as many overwhelming experiences into a short period of time, we grow at an accelerated rate because, quite simply, we experience more. The more that you experience, the more that you grow.

This is why when we return home from our travels it is so hard to relate to our friends. So much has taken place for us in the last year, but for them their lives have remained essentially the same. They might have a new job, or a new girlfriend/boyfriend, but in reality their lives haven’t changed much throughout the course of that last year. They haven’t experienced the same intensity and acceleration of growth because quite simply, they haven’t experienced as much.

In my opinion, it is simply because you have grown more than they have in that same year. You have had more experiences. You have learned more things. You have widened your perspective in a way that they haven’t. So you are literally no longer at the same points in your life, you have accelerated your own growth and are now years ahead of where they are. In the same year that they grew only one year, you have grown probably 3-4x what they have.

Have you ever been in a position where you look back at the last 6 months and say to yourself, “I feel like the last six months have passed by in the snap of a finger, but at the same time so much has happened and it feels like an eternity ago!” This happens because you packed new experiences into your life, which made time pass by seemingly fast, but these experiences also accumulated at an insanely fast pace, making it seem like an eternity has passed. It’s quite the contradictory feeling.

I look at it like “hacking time”. If you want to get the most that you can out of your life, your goal should be to pack in as many new experiences as you possibly can into every year. If you look back on the last year of your life, how many new things did you try? How many impressionable events can you name? How many times did you take a new trip somewhere? How hard did you push yourself at work? How many new skills did you pick up? The more things you can list out, the more that you have grown.

Take something like Vipassana meditation for example. Although it might be a mere ten days long, in those ten days you will experience years of personal growth because it is such a novel and challenging experience. When you come out, you have grown more in the last ten days than your friends who didn’t do it with you.

Unfortunately, I also think that it’s necessary to touch on hardship, because hardship has a way of manipulating time, but in a bad way. Hardships and struggle have the potential to cause adverse growth. They have the ability to debilitate people and slow life down.

Hardships have a tendency to debilitate people. Something bad happens, and we sit in our rooms and sulk. We stop working. We stop moving forward. We stop growing. Months can pass in this way. Have you ever had a friend go through a failure and take months to get over it? Or a friend who broke up with a girlfriend/boyfriend and they take a year to get over it? Or, in the worst case scenario, the death of a family member? Situations like these have the ability to slow or entirely halt your growth, and it is important to be cognizant of this.

Hardships and struggle have the potential to either debilitate or motivate, and it is up to us with how we handle these hardships. We can either use them as an opportunity to grow, or a time to recess. Am I saying that if something bad happens ignore it and keep moving? Absolutely not. I am instead saying that with every struggle comes an opportunity for growth, and in the end it’s up to you how long you let that struggle knock you on your ass, or get back up and keep fighting.

Where positive experiences speed life up and cause one to say “time flies when you’re having fun”, negative experiences have the ability to slow life down and make it seem like it passes forever. Have you ever noticed that when you are in a bad mood the day seems to pass by incredibly slowly? Or remember back to those days of sitting in a classroom and staring at a clock waiting for time to pass, and then you go outside for recess and it feels like you didn’t get enough time to play? Funny how time becomes distorted depending on our mindset and how we are perceiving our experience of said time.

This is why it is so important to schedule things into your year that will have the maximum impact on your growth. This is why it is so important to choose a challenging career path, travel and work abroad when the opportunity arises, and jump at novel experiences every time you get the chance. It’s like the phrase “getting the best bang for your buck”, but instead I look at it as, “get the most shine for your time” ;) (ok ok I’m working on it!)

Time is not created equally. It’s up to you how you spend your time on this planet, and how fast or slow you want to grow. You have the ability to grow like everyone else, or grow in dog years. Personally, I choose to get the most out of every day that I am here on this planet and grow in dog years, and I encourage everyone else to do the same :)