Is this even a job?

December 14, 2016 8:08 AM

I would like a job which takes at least one of my genuine interests into account. My current role is not it.

I started a new data job this year for a music rights society which confirmed that working with data (as a primary focus) is not for me. I do like working with Excel, it can be fun but I am really struggling to care about data. The problem is that I don't have a specific career path in mind to move onto (nor the experience).

The areas I am interested in appear to have no link whatsoever:

- Production Manager at a record label. For this, I would need marketing experience and I have zero but the idea of supporting an artist and building their campaign is very exciting to me. I would also eventually like to have my own label but I see that as being a side project not a main income thing as I don't think it's possible. I also need experience first.

- International Accounts Management. This is something available where I currently work but it's a very poorly run department so much so that there is a very high turnover of staff each year. The two bosses (1 director, 1 'Head') are notoriously difficult characters. I currently work with their data so I have some idea of what they do but not 100%. I like the idea of managing relationships with similar companies from overseas. I don't know if the content of what is being managed is something that bothers me much. It's more the international aspect and the responsibility of maintaining relations.

- Devising strategies. I briefly worked for a little shop with a terrible boss but one who was open to my ideas about how he could better run his shop. I really enjoyed devising ways in which he could bring in more custom/profit and how to better look after his staff. I doubt anyone would pay me for something like this and it's something anyone can do but I mention it because it's something I liked doing for that brief second of my life.

How can I get experience in these fields whilst still working for the company I work for? Where should I be looking? Is there a specific job title or job type that could satisfy more than one of these things? I am happy to do any courses that would benefit me or give me a greater idea of the options I have. I am also able to do maybe 1 week's work experience/internship at 2 different companies next year so any suggestions about which sort of companies and which specific areas to look into would be great.

I am just a little fed up of doing 'what I have always done'. I feel as if I am coasting in life, have no real excitement about what I do and that at 35 i'm earning a lot less than I could be. I want to be able to support myself fully in life... like an adult.

Thanks.

posted by ihaveyourfoot to Work & Money (4 answers total)

Devising strategies. I briefly worked for a little shop with a terrible boss but one who was open to my ideas about how he could better run his shop. I really enjoyed devising ways in which he could bring in more custom/profit and how to better look after his staff. I doubt anyone would pay me for something like this and it's something anyone can do but I mention it because it's something I liked doing for that brief second of my life.

This is what a consultant does.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:15 AM on December 14, 2016 [3 favorites]

One think I think you should do is separate out the 'process' stuff you like from the 'neat/cool/prestigious' stuff. For instance - process-wise, you like the idea of building a campaign, and of figuring out how to improve a small business, and managing relationships with partners. Coolness-wise, you like the idea of working for a record label, working with international partners, etc.

I'm not saying you shouldn't pursue the parts you think are cool. But if you strip them away, you will have a much better idea of the type of job you should be looking at. You might not be able to hop right into a job you'd love at a place you'd love to work for - but if you get a job you'd love at a meh company and build your experience, then you can build experience and move on to a job you'd love at a company you'd love.

It really does sound like you want to be in marketing or business consulting. Considering that, I'd say - run it by your supervisor, and then go to that poorly run international accounts management department and see if you can pick up a few work tasks for them. "Let me know if I can help with such-and-such," etc. Then you may be able to angle your way into more high-level work with this department, as a stepping stone to something else. Even if you don't love the data stuff, if you go someplace in a couple years and have a data background plus an account management background, that'll look really good to potential employers.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:45 AM on December 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

Hmm, I think you might be happier working at a record label rather than a rights society. I've found that working at a record label is very rewarding-- even though my role isn't directly related to new music, I still feel like I am part of the team supporting artists and planning strategy. Maybe seek out opportunities there, or a role at your current company that requires working with outside entities such as record labels?

Music licensing might interest you...the interchange between the film/TV producer, record label, publisher, and artist management can be pretty interesting. Rather than handling large volumes of data you'd be dealing with individual instances, which could range from rote to very complex.
posted by acidic at 9:39 AM on December 14, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks for the responses. I definitely like the idea of business consultancy but nobody would hire someone with zero experience to be a consultant and i'm not sure which field I could work towards being a consultant in either.

Thanks for the tip on separating what sounds good vs what I enjoy doing. I don't know if there is much opportunity in doing any work for the international department that is accounts and not data related but there is definitely no harm in trying.

I think I will aim to get work experience within a record label to see if I like the work... and then probably come back to AskMeFi to ask more questions...
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 5:22 AM on December 16, 2016