This is a few month old because I’m approaching the two-year mark now!

Happy first year to me I guess! A year of tumbling out of bed, grabbing my lunchbox from the kitchen, pouring myself a cup of ambition and riding the bus with folks like me à la Dolly Parton’s in 9 to 5. As I’ve been working as a Communications manager for more than a year, I thought I’d take some time to reflect on what I’ve learned so far at my first grown-up/adult job.

I started working at my current company, which specialises mostly in e-commerce, as an intern and was offered a full-time job at the end of my internship (love that journey for me!). So I have actually been there for a little more than two years.

So welcome to the diary of a Nine to Fiver! This sounds like Veronica Mars and the « 09ers », I always have the theme song in my head whenever I write Nine to Fiver. It’s either this one or Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5!

1. It is mostly a desktop job, get your stretching on!

I never thought I’d actually be what you would generally call an office/desk/corporate worker. I guess it’s the fashion girlie in me who grew up reading books and watching movies about journalists, business owners or PR people always out and about going to meetings in the City, organising events in other countries or doing interviews in cosy exclusive cafés. Well it is most definitely not the case for my job. Basically I’m tied up to my desk most times and for hours in a row.

You could argue that it was a bit naïve of me, especially since I’ve always wanted to work in communications, which most times requires a computer attached to a desk. So in a way I should’ve invested very early on in regular stretching sessions and appointments with a chiropractor. It’s never too late though, of course!

This job is a lot of behind and back glued to a chair, not really seeing the hours go by because you’re so invested in replying to emails (which keeps on coming non-stop), posting Instagram stories, approaching influencers, publishing newsletters, preparing photoshoots, &c.

The photoshoots part is where I actually get to see the outside of my office and travel a bit, at least 6 times a year because I manage the communications of 3 brands that require 2 campaign shoots per year. It is a great way to do some leg work, although these photoshoots are stressful to organise, plan and direct. But it is a good way to meet new people in the fashion industry and visit my family when we’re shooting in Paris or near my hometown. Plus, I get to learn more about photography, which is always welcome!

2. The corporate world is it’s very own social environment

It’s all about socialising!

There’s a significant difference between being an intern and a full-time employee, which I learned while making this very transition at my company. I remember what my former manager told me when I accepted the job offer ‘Now that you’re going to be working with us full-time, you’ll be able to open more.‘ meaning that now that I was joining the team in a more permanent setting, I should get more comfortable talking, sharing and stuff. You know, be more social. This is what I realised, even when talking to my friends about that: a company is often it’s own social environment. You have work friends, socials, after works, you lunch together, sometimes spend time outside of work together, &c.

Makes sense in a way if you see it like your school days, when you went to class with the same people some of whom became your friends inside and outside of school. However it is sometimes a bit different in a professional setting, and you might like to separate work and life outside of work, which is understandable. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable mixing the two, or don’t see yourself being friends with your co-workers, for various reasons such as hierarchy and stuff. You can work, laugh, lunch together even, but when that clock strikes 5 it’s bye Susie, see you Monday haha! Which one would you say you are?

For me, I’d say that this transition made me close-up more in a way, maybe it’s a first generation of immigrants thing, you know when you don’t want to overshare? Also I’m an introverted-extrovert kind of, I get energy from my people (family, friends), but recharge on my own & like to spend most times in my own company. Like a self-operating machine if you will.

But also maybe I have not met my kindred spirit at work just yet, who knows!

3. Learning more about Communications and myself as a professional

Basically this is the job I have been going to Uni for. I love planning, writing, content creation, styling and I’ve been fortunate enough to expand my knowledge around those interests during this 1+ year.

I have been able to plan photoshoots, work with stylists, travel to cities I’ve never been to (and for some never knew existed like Le Touquet) and basically learn more and more about fashion and communications. Moreover I’ve got to do that right after graduating, and not a lot of my fellow classmates got offered a position after interning. The fashion industry is known for being challenging to access and even though it might not be easy every day, nor am I working at LVMH or Condé Nast (yet), I am very thankful for this job and all the learning I get from it.

I am so grateful to my former tutor for hiring me as her intern, to my family for helping and advising me especially when the 3h train commute back-and-forth was so overwhelming, and to me too for doing the work and showing up, especially on those days where all I wanted was to stay in bed and watch GG for the gazillion time.

This is turning into an acceptance speech haha.

But yeah I’ve learned a lot during this one year+ as a profashional and hope to do many more learning in this second year working there and later on in my career! I’m excited for what’s next!

What about you? How has your experience at your first grown-up job been? Or what do you think it will look like? Please let me know in the comments!