Haha... isn't that how life works. When I got my first "real" job they wanted to promote me to the accounting department. I declined and quit (for other reasons). I worked at a hair salon because my dream was to open my own salon and spa one day. I was going to get some experience, go to beauty school and get started on opening my own. I lasted one whole year at the salon. I hated almost everything about it. (My best friend Shakira and I say that our friendship is the ONLY good thing that we took from that place.) I hated the superficiality, the fakeness, the emphasis that beauty is only found in how you look, what you where and how big your diamond is. Oh, and of course how well your hair is kept... color/foil every 4-6 weeks to make sure your hair is root free. Granted, my hair was fab... but my heart was broken. I just never felt good enough. And aside from a few unique people this was the accepted atmosphere: Look good=you are good.
BUT, while I was there, they offered me a job handling their money. I learned a lot and when I started to look for a new job, the recruiter I went through suggested we look in the accounting area. I felt like I had been pushing to stay away from that area. I quit the first job, the second job got my feet wet, but did not really convince me I should dive into the accounting world. It sounded so boring. But she said the one thing that encouraged me... in a bad economy like we have now and had in 2008, there were jobs in this field. Enter my second interview the recruiter got me at Robinson Tait. It was a law firm. My dad is a lawyer and I had no desire to be in the legal field. It was in the billing department. Once again, not interested, but let's see where it goes.
I fell in love from the moment I stepped into the office. I just had such a good vibe about the place. I wanted the job so bad!!! So, when they called me with an offer the next day, I immediately took it! I started the next week. That was almost two and a half years ago. I started as the Accounting assistant (which just meant I did almost all the billing). They were really far behind and I got them caught up on three months of overdue billing in just three weeks... I'm not bragging, but explaining the realization I got: I was good at this! I loved the challenge. Everytime I got a little bored they would say, we are going to give you more work. Today I am the supervisor of the accounting department. That's right: department! I have two people working with me doing the job I started all by myself. I love it. And, learning that I love it made me want to get my CPA.
So, all that to say that I love the crazy roads life takes you on. I wish I could carry my success and optimism in my professional life to my personal life, but I'm working on it. All this has also taught me to never say never. Unless you like having to eat your words... cause I'm eating mine now. :) But I am really excited to get started. And, this is just the beginning of this journey because taking the CPA exam will be a feat in and of itself, but one step at a time right? So, although I won't be getting another degree and won't wear one of these again, this is one of my favorite graduation pictures and I can't wait to feel like this again. :)
