Significant Career Lesson From A Marketing Analyst At IMT Residential
Ethan's significant career lesson is the value of following one's curiosity, even if it means taking unconventional paths like "writing a book," which involved a substantial opportunity cost. This approach, while not financially lucrative in the traditional sense, has resulted in a more fulfilling and well-rounded career experience than a strictly linear path, enabling the development of diverse skills and knowledge across various industries.
Career Exploration, Following Passions, Creative Problem Solving, Unconventional Career Paths, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ethan Turer
Marketing Analyst
IMT Residential
Cal Poly SLO
N/A
Entrepreneurship
Real Estate
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Following your curiosity and passions can lead to a more fulfilling career, even if it means taking unconventional paths.
2. It's okay to not have a straight-line career path; be open to unexpected opportunities and challenges.
3. Gaining diverse experiences across various industries and roles can provide a well-rounded skillset and understanding of different fields.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
I'm privileged in that my answer probably isn't one everyone can have. I've been lucky to follow my curiosities, and every job or project I've done was because I was generally interested in trying it.
For instance, writing a book isn't something many people can do. I basically had to take a year off from working. The opportunity cost of writing a book is not making money for a year. I had a hybrid publisher, so I paid them $5,000 to help me publish it. I wasn't paid until I started selling the book on Amazon.
Even then, you're lucky if you break even. I made that $5,000 back, but I'm not a successful social media influencer selling millions of copies where I could live off book sales income.
However, I would say being able to follow your curiosity and do things that align with your passions is really important. Creative endeavors are also very important. If I spent my whole life working for companies that wouldn't care if I died and would just replace me, I'd consider that a mistake.
Life is too short, and you do need to make money to live. But if you can also experience life to the fullest and follow your passions and curiosities, it's a more interesting experience. That's what I've done so far.
I've created my own website, I know how to be a social media manager, and I've worked for different startups, learning a lot about every industry I've been in. It feels more well-rounded than if I'd just studied accounting, gotten my CPA, and helped people with their taxes my whole life. Some people want to do that, and that's fine; you could probably make a lot of money. It's not for me.
If you're watching this and the accounting thing triggered you, I'm probably not the best person to ask for advice. But if you want a more interesting path and aren't sure how to get from point A to point C or D, that's kind of where I was. You have to get creative figuring out how to get from point A to Z, and it's not always a straight line.
The people I worked with in college who had a linear plan also learned that it's not a straight line. Life is not that straightforward; you're going to have to go with the curves of life. I think I just got lucky that I created my path to be curvy. Everyone else wanted the straight line and learned the hard way that it's curvy. I wanted the interesting path and got what I asked for, not knowing that's just how it is.