3 Reasons Why N6A is the Perfect 1st Job Out of College
Remember how on top of the world you felt when you left for college? I was full of knowledge and determination to tackle the world.
Unfortunately, I had the exact opposite feeling after I graduated. That excitement had been replaced with a big fat “Now what?”
Those first few steps after graduating NC State seemed crucial to setting up my long term success and I was overwhelmed with the amount of offers I had to sift through online. While scouring LinkedIn for award-winning PR agencies, I was lucky enough to come across an opening at the Account Coordinator level at N6A.
As it turns out, N6A was the perfect choice for my first post-collegiate job. Here are three reasons why.
1. N6A has the perfect balance of independence and support.
I was worried that I would end up at a company that didn’t trust their employees to maintain efficiency in a remote setting. That’s not the case at N6A. There’s no hand holding, but there’s also never been a moment anyone made me feel like I couldn’t reach out for help. Heck, before I even had a chance to get started on Day 1, everyone was reaching out to ensure I felt supported and educated.
That independence can feel daunting (kind of like leaving home for university!), but it’s good for you. With patience and the right people around you, this pathway is designed for you to flourish.
2. Everyone is committed to your growth.
This is true at every level of the company.
The fabulous Nina, our EVP of Talent Development, organizes regular professional development sessions that have allowed me to build real skills and taught me a lot about the industry. Day-to-day, my Account Managers and Directors are always looking for opportunities to provide teaching moments. And, notably, I don’t feel invisible to upper-level management. I’ve had numerous conversations with our executives that provided industry knowledge I wouldn’t necessarily have accessed through my direct manager.
Insight and education is extremely helpful when you’re able to compile it from every level, since everyone brings something different to the equation.
There are also plenty of opportunities for personal development. I’ve learned a lot more about self care in our monthly wellness sessions than I ever did scrolling TikTok.
3. This is what a healthy work-life balance looks like.
It’s easy for companies to say they put employees first, but it’s their actions that truly indicate priorities.
At a previous internship, I had convinced myself that I needed to work until 9 p.m. every day instead of telling my boss I needed more time. Based on everyone else at the company, I thought that my job was more important than my wellbeing. It wasn’t—I was just in a place that facilitated a poor work-life balance.
It wasn’t until I started working at N6A that I realized what a healthy balance looks like. Logging off when work ends is a priority. Meeting virtually with coworkers to chat about something other than work is a priority. Flexing our work schedule around appointments and life events is a priority. My personal experience feels like a priority.
Having such an excellent reference point for my first job has been critical to understanding my worth. How can you know what you deserve as a professional if you’ve never been given the opportunity to see how good it can get?
My biggest recommendation for other recent grads looking for an ideal landing spot is to not sell yourself short. I didn’t expect a fancy, big-time NYC agency to be interested in me coming out of school. But the beauty of being inexperienced is that you have everything to learn and nothing to lose.
So, apply for that great job. Yes, that one.