P.P.G.

P.P.G, also known as Party Planning Girl.

This was the name I was quickly given by my co-workers at ADP, a data processing company where I worked for nearly four years. It didn't take long for them to see the gleam in my eye when someone mentioned there was a shower or a birthday celebration to plan. I jumped at the chance to help several co-workers in the months leading up to their weddings and ended up being their "go to" person on the day of their big day and I loved every minute of it. 

From a very early age I loved to plan, organize and execute parties and I was pretty good at it, too. But when I got out of high school I had no idea that I could actually get paid to this type of work. I thought I was doomed to spend the rest of my days in office type positions. Luckily for me, the constant encouragement I received  from my co-workers helped motivate me to take the leap of faith and leave the security of a stable, great paying job.

With very little real-life experience I applied for a job in the catering department at several local golf courses in the area and to my surprise, I landed an assistant position for the Director of Catering at Shandin Hills Golf Course. I was finally getting paid to do what I loved - it was a dream come true for me. Unfortunately, the honeymoon period didn't last long. I loved the job itself and the brides who inevitably became my friends and the pay was amazing but the hours - they were horrible. In those six months, I worked every single weekend and the hours were long. Very long.

By this time Leo and I were married and we barely saw each other so I knew I couldn't stay. My heart was broken knowing I had to find a job with better hours. For several years I ended up working in the private sector of the Foster Care industry and I really enjoyed it. I started out as a clerical staff member but in the end, I was fundraising, organizing toy drives, cultivating relationships and partnerships in the community and  twice a year, planning events for the kids.

A few years later, I knew it was time for me to find something that involved more event planning so I applied for several positions. One of openings was in the Alumni Relations Office for the University of La Verne. The job description made mention to some event related tasks but after I submitted my online application I didn't hear anything for weeks. About a month later I received the phone call to interview for the job and after several rounds of interviews with various groups of people, the position was offered to someone who already worked on campus.

I was crushed to say the least. 

For a few days I sulked wishing the call had gone differently and I started to really wonder - was this the industry for me? Should I just resolve myself to being happy in a stable office type position? Maybe I was asking for or expecting too much out of life? And worse yet, I wondered if I had made the right decision to leave ADP in the first place. But then that very next Monday I received a phone call from the University only this time they offered me the job!

I have since been with the University for nearly four years and I can honestly say that l love coming to work every day. With any job, there are challenges I face every day - deadlines, last minute additions and changes, and circumstances I have no control over despite my futile attempts but the job itself suits me to a "t." I love working alongside my co-workers and I enjoy meeting and getting to know our alumni. And the best part is, I can be as crazy organized and detail oriented as I want to be and without apologies. 

I say all of this to show you that it is possible to find the career you are meant to have. Just think about what you are passionate about and figure out what industry is best suited for you based on that passion. And don't give up when it doesn't happen right away. My path to La Verne took me eleven years but I wouldn't trade all of the experiences I had in that time for anything now. I'm so glad I took the leap of faith. And most of all, I feel very fortunate to have had such supportive co-workers who pushed and encouraged me to find my life's passion.

Now it's my turn to encourage you - what is your life's passion?

Missy