We all make mistakes. Some small, and others, well, disastrous. That said, mistakes are key to professional development and a cornerstone for success. In fact, we encourage you to celebrate—not wince at—your mistakes, however big or small. 

In this blog series, we’ll share a few early career mistakes that we, the board of Ad 2, made and the lessons we learned. Each section is written by a different team member but is intentionally kept anonymous.

1) Not speaking up—either for yourself or for your team.

Thinking back to when I first started my career, I really wish I had been more courageous, especially when it had to do with sharing what was on my mind.

I’ve watched several projects spiral down a rabbit hole because I—and/or other team members—didn’t speak up when we had concerns. Though we were able to pick up the pieces and deliver final products, had I spoken sooner during those crucial moments, the projects would’ve gone smoother, there would’ve been reduced stress/tension between the team and me, and we ultimately would’ve been able to produce more creative campaigns. 

When you first start out in your career, you might find it difficult to take a stand and speak up. But those “Should I?” moments are the ones that will define your leadership skills, as well as your professional and personal confidence. It can (and likely will be) the difference between doing okay work and building amazing, impactful campaigns.

2) Not setting client expectations (and asking too much of your team).

When I started as a project manager at my current agency, I had a steep learning curve. I worked my way up from intern to full-time account coordinator and then onto a hybrid role of account and project management when my account manager left. The tricky part? I wasn’t really taught our agency’s processes and had to learn as I went along. 

With the new pressures of being the face (or voice) between our clients and the agency, I was so eager to please our clients and my superiors that my main focus was getting things done—always as soon as possible. Everything felt like an emergency, and I was constantly asking my team to take a look at something, even when they had projects of their own.

It wasn’t until I noticed the frustration around me—and had some tough conversations with our developers—that I really understood the importance of prioritization and managing client expectations. As a project manager, you’re not only there to work with clients, you’re also there to support your internal team. After all, your co-workers are the people you’re with every day, and your internal relationships are just as important, if not more so, than your external relationships.

Each team is different, and it’s important to learn your agency or company’s processes so you can figure out how to work in and around them. Things may never feel perfect, but that’s why setting client expectations is so important. Most clients should not expect same-day service, yet clients often do. So it’s on you to set proper expectations upfront.

3) Taking on more than you can handle (AKA not saying “no” to things).

This is a hard habit to break. Saying “yes” when someone asks you to do something feels great… at least initially. But when you have other tasks you want to accomplish, your work and wants become a juggling act. Because managing everything you want to do, plus the things you’re already doing, is difficult. 

The truth is when I try to take on everything thrown my way, I miss deadlines, put unnecessary stress on myself and my team, and neglect those around me—and ultimately compromise my own wellbeing. Being conscious of your workload, schedule, and to-do list hugely impacts your mental status and how you work. 

To this day, I still have a hard time saying “no” to people and turning down requests. However, the first time I did say “no,” I felt free. And it actually made me more productive! I was able to complete the items already on my list without rushing through them. My team was able to work with another teammate who had availability. And everything was completed on time. In the end, not only was it less stressful for me, it was also a great experience for the team

4) Turning down an opportunity you don’t think you’re ready for.

Earlier in my career, after years of only wanting one thing, I finally got what I wanted. I got an offer for a full-time job! However, rather than accept the opportunity immediately, I requested time to process the offer. My friend who offered me the job was surprised. And to be honest, I was surprised, too! Why not take it right away? Isn’t this what I always wanted?

Well, I tend to be indecisive about big things. And this decision was as big as it gets. The  issue was I’d be sacrificing the small community I built in Denver. So not only was there leaving what I knew, there was relocating, getting adjusted in a new city (Washington, D.C.), and figuring out how to make my life work there. I was young at the time, and I knew I was “supposed to take risks.”

The decision was difficult. I could’ve worked for a large firm, and I could’ve worked with the latest technology. As a freelance cinematographer and editor, they would’ve given me all the latest toys. And I would’ve (finally) gotten a steady paycheck!

I called my friend back. After talking about the good ol’ days for a bit, I told him I was going to pass on the opportunity. When he asked what he could do to make me take the job, I said it was an issue with timing. Had I received an offer like this earlier in my career, I would’ve jumped on it, and he knew that. But at the time, I had just gotten a foothold in the Denver industry. I knew I had years of grinding ahead of me, but things were beginning to make sense and momentum seemed to be in my favor. My investment in the community had started to pay off. 

I haven’t talked much to my friend since.

Looking back on that decision, I feel like I missed out on a lot: being on the East Coast would’ve been an adventure, having a steady job with an opportunity for growth would’ve been great, and maybe most importantly, it would’ve given me a solid financial foundation. I’m pretty sure I would’ve paid less fees for late rent.

Now, years later, I know a move to a different city may be what my career needs. That said, you never really know what the right choice is when you’re in the thick of it. I think taking inventory of where you’re at and being honest with yourself about what logistics you can work through and what ones you can’t is important.

The part of the “timing” story I didn’t include is I had just met a girl. The good news is now we’re talking about getting married. So, all in all, I think I made the right choice at the time. My final thought is that even if you pass up on certain opportunities, other great opportunities tend to come along.