Expectation vs. Reality: My Dream Job Turned Into an “Opportunity for Growth”
by Sara Santora
For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of the day I would be a fully grown adult, settled in her career. I know it’s odd to imagine a 7-year-old girl daydreaming of work, but some of my favorite games as a child revolved around pretending to be a librarian or a writer, or (the more commonly held dream), a rock star.
After my college graduation, I was excited to begin working on taking the steps toward fulfilling my dream as an editor for a magazine. After a long 13 months of searching, jumping around, and being completely unsettled, I found myself accepting a managing editor role with a regional magazine. I was excited to begin the new position, hopped up on expectations. But I quickly learned that reality is often far different than the expectations we have created in our own minds.
When I first began to realize my expectations were not going to be met, it was hard to cope. How do you fulfill a role that is vastly different than the role you thought you had signed up for? But, as I plunged myself into my work, and focused hard on being the best editor I could be, I began to find the silver linings in my new reality.
Expectation: I’ll spend most of my work week editing and workshopping with other creatives.
Reality: I spend most of my work week focusing on managerial tasks such as assigning stories, monitoring budgets, creating internal processes, in meetings, and developing leads for the sales team. Yes, as an editor I spend a large portion of my time editing; however, this time is largely found after working hours. As the managing editor for the magazine, it is my job to be the right-brained thinker in a left-brained industry.
The silver lining: I am learning how to balance being a manager and a producer, making me an asset to any company.
Expectation: I’ll attend glamorous events and rub elbows with the community’s biggest leaders.
Reality: While I do have the opportunity to attend community events, I often don’t have the time, or the energy. While networking is arguably just as important as the actual editing and content production parts of my job, it can be hard to find the right balance between both. Until I figure that out, I will be locked away inside my office or slumped over my computer at my favorite local coffee shop.
The silver lining: I am being forced to be more social and outgoing, a necessary skill in any industry.
Expectation: Apart from interviews, I will mostly communicate with my internal team and freelancers.
Reality: I spend a lot of face-to-face time (or email-to-email time) with clients. I know this isn’t the same in every publication across the industry, but in our structure, the managing editor role has always been seen as the “face of the magazine,” so it’s my job to talk with clients as much as possible. This means I have to attend meetings with the salespeople, introduce myself to clients (even if I am not interviewing them or working with them directly), provide guidelines for clients, and communicate with them as much as possible. In other words, I have to schmooze 24/7.
The silver lining: I am bettering my customer relations skills, necessary for both work and life in general.
Expectation: Once I’ve landed my dream job, I will be happy.
Reality: I think we all believe if we land our dream role (or that role we hope will get us to our dream role later), we’ll be happy all the time. It’s not true. While our jobs can be a source of happiness, they are not the sole thing upon which our happiness depends, and even if you love what you do, there will be times where you’ll be stressed, tired, and scared.
The silver lining: I am learning how to be more thankful and present in my personal life and give love to those around me.
It’s easy to create expectations before landing a job—especially when it’s one for which you’ve waited for what feels like a lifetime. But, I’m learning that setting too many expectations early on can dramatically alter how you feel when you walk into work, and how you feel about yourself. Be excited about your new job—but also be ready to learn a lot more than you originally anticipated.
Sara is an editor and freelance writer in central Florida. After graduating from Florida State University with her degree in Editing, Writing and Media, she worked hard to secure a job in publishing, and now serves as the managing editor for a regional magazine, managing a team of 10+ writers, photographers and designers. In her downtime, she loves to visit River Road, her favorite coffee shop; try new restaurants around town; and read books from her long to-be-read pile.
