Time for a Change

Today is my last day as a commercial banker. Although some of my co-workers like to poke fun and point out that I quit once before and came back, I think this is truly my final term. No more number crunching, analyzing business trends, comparing ratios, and talking about how companies plan to come out of this economic crisis.

Not that I particularly disliked my job, we all have bad days but for the most part I do enjoy banking and did look forward to becoming a commercial lender, despite the fact that banking is NOT so much fun right now. However, a unique opportunity presented itself and I’m a firm believer in making change and taking calculated risks if you want to learn, grow, and take charge of your life.  Even though the job market is scary right now, sometimes you’ve got to take a chance.

Monday I will start my career in marketing for one of the world’s largest office furniture manufacturers. I will be doing the graphics and layout for their catalogs. TOTALLY different from banking, no? Given my undying internal need to “make stuff” and be creative, this should prove to be a fantastic change. 

I’m going from left brain activities to right brain activities. BTW, I found this really interesting little “test” on right vs. left brain here. Apparently most people who take it are left brainers but if you concentrate you can turn the tables and see things from a right brain perspective. I was able to see it both ways. Seems appropriate since I’m interested in right and left brain activities. I feel that I have been successful in both areas depending on the project or task at hand. I don’t think that I’m any more one way or the other, though it varies. Do any of you feel that way? A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B?

Now that I have the opportunity to be more creative during my day job I wonder if I’ll still like to do my creative projects at night, or if I’ll come home and crave number crunching?! Probably both. I’m kinda weird like that…I’ve decided I have some sort of chronic “life-experience ADD”. I want to do everything, be everything, know everything, see everything. I thought I’d get that sorted out as I got older and went through all this higher education but all I’ve done is expose myself to more ideas, topics, and interests in the world. If someone would pay me to be a student of life I’d be set.

Are any of you seeking new jobs/careers right now? By choice or other?Have you always known what you wanted to be when you grew up? Are you doing it yet? I can’t be the only one…