(Words by Soaring Worldwide marketing executive, James Brown.)
Daunting. That would be the word I would use when thinking about the day I decided to leave my previous role – a job I had held for five years in an official capacity.
It was possibly a year ago that I decided in my own mind. I made the decision for a number of reasons but in a blink of an eye I knew it was something I needed to do whether it scared me or not. You can get too comfortable sometimes and lose sight on what you actually want to achieve.
I was a media & communications officer for Cheltenham Town Football Club, a professional side that I have supported since being a young boy. I loved working there and being part of that kind of environment obviously had many highs but it could be draining too so there were lows.
Without going into finer details my job encompassed a whole range of tasks from the mundane to the outright barmy but it was a job I enjoyed and one that I was proud of. I went there straight out of University and I was proud of what I had achieved in my time because I gave it my all 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Memories were not in short supply but I came to a point where I wanted to do what was right for me.
When I finally came to the decision that I needed to face a new challenge, it was a surprisingly quick decision. I couldn’t stay in the role forever and I felt like I had learnt everything I possibly could. Soaring Worldwide offered me something linked to my day to day duties but also something completely different. It gave me the chance to spend more time with my family and friends which was important for me. It also gave me the chance to add another string to my metaphorical bow.
I’m in a new role so it is a big learning curve for me, that is something I have been honest with. I question whether Adam, Helen and Sarah may lose their patience with me when I ask questions which must seem so obvious, but they don’t and that has made a huge difference with the transition.
The Soaring Worldwide team itself has made ‘the big step’ so much easier. A relaxed atmosphere but also a mad one with so many characters prompting laughs and interesting topics of discussion. One of the concerns I had when moving jobs was whether I would enjoy the working environment as much as I did with Cheltenham Town – any doubts were squashed on the first day by the warm welcome.
I’m now at a month with Soaring and I’m still learning but I guess that may always be the case. The difference is I can’t wait to learn and I’m glad I made that daunting decision that all of us will at some stage make in our careers.