Episode Three with Mel Cameron: from camp host and marketeer to uni careers adviser

Mel Cameron is a people person whose career journey has taken her from media studies at college and working in Pizza Hut to embracing her love of travel and falling into a career in the summer camp industry. She has worked in various camps in the US, gaining resilience as she helped young people to make the most of their experience. A mature student at university, she went on to advance her career in the industry by taking advantage of opportunities to take on student digital marketing and attraction roles in the UK.

All was going well until a certain global pandemic reared its ugly head. At this point, she had to make a conscious choice to change her story. As often happens when we had a dream in mind, life conspired to help her put her values and skills to work in a new direction. A twinkle in Mel’s eye became a reality and she is now in a role she loves, training and working as a careers adviser in Lampeter, West Wales, for the University of Wales Trinity St David.

Always one to be busy, she is a firm believer in giving her time where it’s needed and also volunteers for St John’s Ambulance, Tŷ Hafan the Children’s Hospice for Wales, and the National Youth Advocacy Service which has given her additional skills and experience to help her grow.
 

Mel can be contacted via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcameron83/ 

REFERENCES:

Self-efficacy - developed by Albert Bandura

Planned Happenstance – developed by John Krumboltz

St John’s Ambulance

Tŷ Hafan the Children’s Hospice for Wales

National Youth Advocacy Service
 

ABOUT YOUR HOST: CAROLYN

Change Your Story is hosted by Carolyn Parry who spent 17 successful but largely unfulfilling years in business heading away from who she really was and into an existential crisis that led to burnout. That experience led her to change her story and retrain as a certified career and life coach and remains at the heart of her passion for careers work.

Now twenty years on, she is an award-winning certified career/life coach and TEDx speaker. She runs Career Alchemy, a coaching practice that has helped thousands of early-stage, and established professionals create purpose-led careers they love. ​ 

TO CONNECT WITH / HEAR MORE FROM CAROLYN:

Connect with Carolyn on social media:

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Find out more about Carolyn's new book:

'Change Your Story: Escape from a job you hate and create a career you love - on purpose.'

Interested in hiring Carolyn as your coach?

Why not book a free 30-minute discovery call with Carolyn to discuss your needs and find out more about how she can help you to change your story?

https://bit.ly/Coffee-with-Carolyn

Transcript

Change Your Story, Episode Three - a conversation with Mel Cameron

[00:00:00] Carolyn: We all have a story. Sometimes it's a story we choose and sometimes it's a story we fall into. That choice can either work for us or against us.

[00:00:19] Now, according to experts Gallup, on average, we spend 81,396 hours at work over the course of our lifetime. And in fact, the only thing we spend more time doing than working is sleeping.

[00:00:31] And yet, as Gallup's research shows, only around one in 10 people in the UK truly love the work they do. 

[00:00:38] And that's the reason for this podcast - to help the nine out of 10 who dread the thought of weekday mornings.

[00:00:44] I remember myself how that felt before I changed my own career story. 

[00:00:48] So if the thought of those weekday mornings fills you with dread, or that quiet voice keeps telling you there is something better waiting for you, why not join me for a conversation with an inspirational guest about how they've successfully changed their career story.

[00:01:02] My name's Carolyn Parry, and I'm an award-winning career and life coach and every fortnight I'll be joined by an inspirational guest for a conversation about their career journey, the highs, the lows, and the lessons they've learned.

[00:01:16] Full of ideas, strategies, and insights drawn from those real-life stories, the Change Your Story Podcast will help you to discover your why and what else really matters to you so that you too can create a working life you love. 

[00:01:30] Welcome to Change Your Story. 

[00:01:33] You are in for a treat in the episode today of Change Your Story.

[00:01:37] I'm delighted to have with me here Mel Cameron. Now Mel, croeso, welcome. 

[00:01:43] Mel: Hi, thank you so much for having me. 

[00:01:45] Carolyn: We first met I think in November, when we were both, in Lampeter, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. And I was there proudly wearing my president of the CDI badge doing a development session for all the career advisors in the team there [00:02:00] of whom you are one.

[00:02:02] And I think I shared my story of career change, fairly early on as my, the reason why I'm so passionate about working in career development. 

[00:02:12] And, and I remember you coming up in the break and going, do you know what? I changed career and it was around the same age, so I'm going to disclose, mine was 39, I think yours might have been a little bit less than that.

[00:02:23] And then I said, well, I'm writing a book and it's called Change Your Story and I've got a podcast. Do You fancy coming on and sharing it so that anybody who wants to change career has got a bit of inspiration, some insights, and some help to do exactly that, to create the story they want rather than endure a story that might have been put on them.

[00:02:42] So that's why we are here today. Mel, welcome.

[00:02:45] Mel: It was great to meet you and I'm glad to be doing this today.

[00:02:47] Carolyn: I'm absolutely delighted you are doing it. We are going to have a little look at your career story and how that change came about. So now I know from you that you were an Army child, us a bit about that.

[00:02:59] Mel: Yeah, so my mum and my dad were both in the Army and they met when they were in the Army. My mum was a nurse. She was, um, uh, very proud, to join the Army at the age of 18. She left, her little village in Wales and my dad was a paratrooper. He joined the Army first, then became a paratrooper.

[00:03:17] So both of them worked really hard to get where they, they were. And they loved their roles there. 

[00:03:22] They were living in England at the time when they first met, but then we moved to Germany, which is where I was born. And we were there for a few years and then we moved then to the south of England to Aldershot where we lived on another Army base there.

[00:03:36] And, yeah, it was a great environment to grow up in. Lots of people from different cultures, all different ages. It was a really great experience, very different than Norm. And then when we eventually left Army Life, it was, uh, quite an adjustment. 

[00:03:51] Obviously now I, I don't really remember it, but the time, family members said it was.

[00:03:55] I came with this little weird accent, um, to, to normal life. I look back and I think fondly on my memories of my time, going to different bases and all different events. But yeah, it was, unusual.

[00:04:10] Carolyn: It's funny you say about Aldershot because I grew up not far from there. I grew up in Camberley and I got married in Farnborough,

[00:04:16] Mel: Oh wow. No way.

[00:04:17] Carolyn: Yeah. and I think the accent you are talking about is what I fondly call the southeast conversion kit that was fitted. It's the accent that everybody has in the home counties like you.

[00:04:26] Mel: Oh, wow.

[00:04:26] Carolyn: Everyone thinks that I'm English because of the accent, but it's what is around you, isn't it? And that's how you develop. And then you come back to Wales, and you develop a beautiful Welsh lilt instead.

[00:04:36] Mel: Yeah, I know.

[00:04:36] Carolyn: Back to uh, origins. So, you've talked about that sort of sense of change and movement, and I suspect that that theme of travel might be important as we go through some more of your career story shortly.

[00:04:48] So you move from Aldershot and a base around Llantrisant and actually go to college. So school rather first in Bridgend. You developed an interest in a particular area, didn't you? Tell us a bit about that.

[00:05:02] Mel: Well, I'd always enjoyed, entertainment movies like all children do. But then as I got older, I was obviously making my choices about what I'd like to do in the future, and I was always gearing towards the creative side of things. I wanted to be doing things I liked to be, thinking on my feet and, just being creative basically.

[00:05:23] And there was nothing really available in my school at that time that interested me. I did actually like school, but I did then look towards the technical college, which was in Bridgend and found immediately, as soon as I opened up the prospectus, I thought that's what I want to do. And it was film production, media production, that kind of thing. And I thought, yeah, I love that. So, I did that. 

[00:05:46] I was a little bit sad to leave school because I did enjoy the environment. Obviously, it's safe as well because you know everybody there. But going to college it was like, I remember the first day walking through the gates and it felt like it was where I was meant to be. [00:06:00] And I know it sounds so corny, but it really did because it was from the no uniform to the freedom to know that I could be creative, and I was in charge of my own destiny almost. It felt like it was right. And I just loved the environment and being in that environment with people of all different ages again, different backgrounds, everybody was so different. I just thought, oh this is brilliant, and I love it.

[00:06:28] Carolyn: So, some really strong values about independence, freedom, taking control of where you were going, different backgrounds, different cultures. Obviously, that's a quiet echo of the Army, isn't it? Different cultures and different backgrounds. And actually interestingly, probably the opposite of Army life, which is not free in the same way at all and comes with some quite significant restrictions.

[00:06:51] Mel: Absolutely.

[00:06:52] Carolyn: Interesting stuff, and I suspect although you like the freedom and so forth, I suspect you had quite a strong work ethic having come from an Army background. Is that right? 

[00:07:00] Mel: Yeah, I would say so. And I had worked as soon as I was able to. Obviously when I was a bit younger, I couldn't work officially, but little things in the community. But then as soon as I was able to, I naturally went into that role of looking for a part-time job, but I'd always like to be busy. And I think my parents, their work ethic, the long hours, like Mum being a nurse, we know that's a tough job and long hours and things like that. I'd had that example set to me and the people that were around the family as well, were always working.

[00:07:31] So it was I would say a good influence and, I wanted to do the right thing and I wanted to be that person as well. It gave me like purpose as well. So I think early on, when I got my first job, I was like, oh, I like this. I'm responsible. This is, I'm in charge of my own money and all that kind of thing.

[00:07:51] I think because I got good things from it, I worked and I met people, I made friends, and I had a good time and I was enjoying it. So, it kind of fired me up to do want to do more. 

[00:08:00] Carolyn: And that was in Pizza Hut, wasn't it?

[00:08:02] Mel: It was indeed. Yeah. My very first job was Pizza Hut. And I remember the interview so well because it was my very last day of school and I actually went to the interview with my school in a uniform on, and it was the day that everybody signs the t-shirts and stuff, but they knew I was going in my uniform, and I asked if it was okay. They said, "oh, when's your last day?" And I was like, look at my shirt. It was obviously under my jumper. I wasn't going to go with a scribbled-on shirt but yeah, it was my very last day. So that chapter was finishing, you know, then I was leaving there. That whole summer then I spent most of my time, because it was a brand-new store, we were putting our mark on it. Again, all different ages of people working there, different backgrounds. So, it was just like a time in my life where some old things were ending, even though it was a bit sad, it was all exciting because, all these new possibilities and doors were opening in front of me. So, it was a brilliant time.

[00:08:58] Carolyn: That's what life's about, isn't it? Changing chapters and ends. You can't have a new beginning without an ending,

[00:09:03] Mel: Absolutely.

[00:09:05] Carolyn: We do have to let things go to move forward and you certainly moved forward, didn't you? Because you moved forward quite a long way that summer, didn't you?

[00:09:12] Mel: Yeah. Well, I worked in that Pizza Hut for quite some time, but in between that I was, going back and forth, going to college. I was studying full-time, in that September and I did that for a couple of years, finished that course and my itchy feet started to come through. I was like thinking, oh, I want to do something different.

[00:09:32] I'm not sure what I want to do. And at that time, I was about to turn 18. And the talk of university was starting to buzz around, with lecturers and people in college asking, what was I going do? Obviously my parents as well wanted to know if I was going go and I did want to go, but I didn't know what I wanted to do.

[00:09:54] And at that time I realized if I'm going spend this money to go to university, I [00:10:00] want to know that I'm actually doing what I want to do. So my parents were totally okay with it, but I was a bit worried about whether delaying my entry to university was actually a good idea or not. But in the end, that is what I decided to do.

[00:10:15] And I thought I would like to travel. And that's where basically that journey started. And I didn't realize that it would take me in a completely direction to where I thought I would be, but I've got no complaints about it. 

[00:10:31] Carolyn: So that travel was over to the States, wasn't it? 

[00:10:34] Mel: Yeah. So one day I was, in Pizza Hut working, and I was talking to one of my managers at the time and I was explaining my dilemma, what do I do? and I said, I know, I want to go traveling, but I want to go somewhere where they speak English because it's my first time away from home and I want to feel safe and I want to work. I don't want to just travel. And then this, manager said, oh, have you heard about the Camp America thing? And I was like, no. And then all the doors opened, and a friend of mine And I went to London, to a recruitment fair and we met lots of different camps. It was a very busy day, but we got very lucky. And I was offered a position working at a summer camp in Pennsylvania and I was, hired to, teach video, with the children and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. That was, this was 2002, so the internet was just being born.

[00:11:33] So, it was limited. Like nowadays, if we were to go, there's obviously websites everywhere, the social media, but I obviously had an idea what I was getting myself into and I was very excited. I was looking forward to summer in the sun, working with different people. But it wasn't until I arrived that I could see the size of the place and how far away I was from home.

[00:11:55] And I actually realized what I got myself into and I just, as soon as I arrived, it just felt like I was in heaven because it was just so beautiful there. when you're in the middle of nowhere, it's, surrounded by a beautiful lake, in the forest. and it just felt like the people that were there were just all great kind people who just cared about making sure these kids had the best summer ever. And it felt like a family because the camp now is, over a hundred years old. So it'd been going for a very long time. And they knew what they were doing.

[00:12:30] They were professionals, these are all people that work with kids all year round. their kids are gone. They've gone to camp, their grandparents have gone to the camp or met there. So very traditional. And I just love that environment because, I had a relatively small family growing up, so being part of something So big just felt amazing, All the people that worked there from all over the world, the kids, the staff were just one big family. it was amazing. 

[00:12:56] Carolyn: So again, some common themes around different cultures connection. It's funny how that's come out of one conversation with somebody. lived experience, really not, anything from a professional career specialist, but it would have been interesting at that stage if you'd gone and had a conversation with a careers advisor actually at that point to see what they'd have come up with. or what you would've come up with together, be better way of putting it. But you went on this big journey out to the States, and I just wonder how much of your mother's background of being a nurse and caring for people is echoed in that sense of working with those kids and caring for them in that family context of those camps. Does that resonate at all with you 

[00:13:36] Mel: Yeah, definitely. I think so, because especially when I was, much younger when we were still, in the Army in, well, when I say we, I wasn't, you know what I mean? But when we were still in that environment, yeah, we, when we lived in Aldershot there was a time when my mum actually, left the Army and she worked a nursing home for children who were orphaned. and the home was in Farnborough.

[00:14:03] Carolyn: Oh.

[00:14:03] Mel: When she would go, sometimes if my dad was posted somewhere, I would go with her to work and I would just sit with my colouring book or whatever. But often when we went to this place, I would interact with the children and they were from all over the place. they've been in places, where there were had been war, and I would just, help her out or I'd play with them and sit in colour, that kind of thing. And I think that kind of, experience probably, I didn't realize at the time, but it resonated me. and I think the help inside of, being with different people and having an open mind really to, different abilities or just different people in general was probably the seed was planted quite early on, and it just developed from there really.

[00:14:43] But. going to camp For me, when I first went, it wasn't my intention for it to go in the direction that it did. It was more of a, oh, I fancy going away for the summer, it'll be a good experience. But I knew the day that the kids [00:15:00] arrived, which was a very nerve-wracking day, these American, very confident young women arriving a camp. And I had no clue, but I just fell into it. And I knew that I would be back the following year, but I didn't realize I'd keep going. But it just took, it just snowballed. But it was probably the best decision I'd ever made. 

[00:15:24] Carolyn: Just to widen that thinking, variety of experiences, learn some different skills along the way, communication skills, all of that presumably is what you gained from that experience and a whole heap more, I suspect. 

[00:15:35] Mel: Oh gosh, definitely. I think it's so interesting because when I look back, I think to myself, gosh, you had no idea. Because I really didn't, I went into it to have a great summer and meet some people. That's honestly what I went into it for. But looking back, the things I learned, even in that one summer, just the independence you gain, you are working pretty much 24 7, [00:16:00] except obviously when you have some time off, but still you are in that environment.

[00:16:02] There's no escape. You are looking after people's children, Obviously there's a degree of, there's other people that are above you that have other responsibilities too. But in, on the whole, you are responsible for making sure that these children go home at the end of the summer and that they have a great time.

[00:16:19] So you just throw yourself into it and you see these kids. Worship the ground you walk on. And it's just so, such an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone because you know the people you meet as well, the experiences you have, the memories you make will really, oh just stay with you for life. I think about when I was 18 now, and I just would love to be able to watch myself and see how much I've changed because I think that it really taught me a lot about resilience and powering through, digging deep, all that kind of stuff, that you don't necessarily pick up. I'm not saying that, working in pizza, Hut it wouldn't have taught me a lot of things because it definitely did. but, being immersed in an environment really was something that I got a lot out. 

[00:17:04] Carolyn: Clearly. that immersion in an environment, that's a long way away from the previous environment. that's quite a formative experience, isn't it? Because it helps you realize you can actually thrive even though it might be a challenging context. You can stretch and thrive if you've got trust and faith in yourself to do that.

[00:17:21] So that was all 18 through to about 22, wasn't it? And then there was another change, another chapter started when you decided that maybe university was right for you. How did that come about? 

[00:17:33] Mel: Yeah, so I'd been going back and forth to America for maybe three or four summers at that point, and I was working, and I did some part-time courses at college just in, in the media field just to, make sure that I was still studying and then started another full-time one. and that was in Performing Arts. And I thought, I'll try the other side of the camera this time. And I loved that. And I went [00:18:00] to university with, so much confidence in that field and I thought, yeah, I'd like to do this. I did more performing arts with a little bit of media on the side. and I thought, you know what? I know I'd like to do this now I want to have that experience because I think I loved camp so much Being with my friends all the time, I thought university's going to be 20 times better. And I'm in the uk I applied for a few universities, and I went to visit a couple of them.

[00:18:26] And the day that I went to the university I actually ended up going to, walking on campus. I just knew this is the place for me because it was just, it was a stunning campus. and I absolutely loved my time at university. Looking back, I think if I'd been younger going to university, I probably would've changed my course.

[00:18:47] Not significantly, but I would've, probably gone to a more media direction because that's probably where my interests definitely lay. But I would not change anything else. The university, the staff, [00:19:00] the people. All perfect. 

[00:19:04] Carolyn: It's interesting listening to you this is the second time you've gone. this is the right environment for me. I know this is the place. That's twice that's happened in your story so far. How do you know? What is it that goes? Yep. How does that internal feeling arise? 

[00:19:22] Mel: Oh, I've never been asked that before. well, I don't know, really. I just think it's a feeling. I can get a vibe. I hate to say that, sorry, but I felt the people around me were happy. and it wasn't, it was real. I guess I'm not, it wasn't like I opened the door and it was like, wow. It was, you know, spending a little of time there. And I thought, but although it was beautiful, I had to say, cause it had a beautiful clock tower. There was grass It was the summer, well, it was just about to be the summer people were sitting on the grass chatting. I thought, yeah, I like this. I want to be somewhere where I feel like I'm in the environment. I don't want to just shut my door at the end of the day and then that's it. I want to be in it. I want to be absorbed and I want to enjoy every aspect that I can. and I did that definitely when I was there. 

[00:20:08] Carolyn: Okay. So that's connection really. it's the sunshine and connection with the two things that came out strongly very similar to what you said when you went to, the, states and, other experiences. And I suspect that will come up again later on as we carry on moving through your story.

[00:20:21] So at uni you did some part time work and spent some time doing more stuff to do with helping people get onto camps, whether it was recruiting or interviewing or, it was actually then doing a bit of outreach stuff to get people who have come from more challenging backgrounds to consider developing themselves through university. Then we get to 2009, which is graduation, another shift, another chapter. What was that like and where did you go? 

[00:20:48] Mel: Well, this was, an important part. I guess it's an important stage for anyone who's about to graduate because I was very torn. I had the opportunity to stay at the university actually and work within the Student Union, and that was something that was proposed to me, but I was very conscious of my age. And I know it sounds crazy now because I look back and I think you are no age, but I was very conscious that I was a mature student even though I was, 25 or 26 or something, which is insane now. But the company that I'd worked for at the time, they had a marketing role and they'd asked me, if I would like to do it. Being a graduate, finding a graduate job is hard enough. And I thought, well, this is something that does interest me. And I like the sound of that. I can talk about camp, I can get people to come along I'd had some experience in that point with the interviewing and I get to meet students, travel around and I thought, oh, that sounds quite interesting, I wouldn't mind going to visit other universities and seeing what they have to offer and. I was quite a confident, public speaker and I'd had experience in that. And I guess my, that's my performing arts background, I suppose. And I thought, you know what? I'm going to give it a go. And I did that for two years and I was marketing manager then for, Wales and the southwest of England.

[00:22:15] So I was basically responsible for every university that fell in that area to promote the program to. So I didn't drive at the time either, which made it very difficult. But thankfully lots of the people, at the different universities were really helpful. Most of them were easy to get to, but when you go down to, the southwest of England, some of them are a little bit harder to get to.

[00:22:37] But it all worked out and I would basically go and promote the services. I'd go to events like Freshers Fairs or, recruitment fairs. I would also do presentations in evenings or, afternoons, whatever they wanted, and just delivered, sessions. Promoting what we did and explaining the experience really, and working, with those universities was really interesting experience for me. And I really enjoyed it because I would book all the events, organize them all, and plan the content that they would like me to share. And it was just, A real learning experience for me because I was doing a lot of marketing then it was the first time I'd really done that and I really, got a lot from it because I enjoyed getting, students involved, getting them recruited, and working with the different career services, at all these different universities was I would say a seed planting moment.

[00:23:26] I dunno if that's a thing, but I'm going to call it that. 

[00:23:29] Carolyn: I think we all have within us the seeds of things we could go and develop. The seeds are there, it's for us to spot them and decide to water them or not. And to take that further. And obviously later on we'll come to how that happened. And you started to grow a career in a different direction.

[00:23:42] So you are also doing some digital marketing there weren't you? you talked about your American experience where the internet was just about coming through 2002 and here you are now doing things like search engines and direct mail and online advertising and all of that.

[00:23:57] Did that take you away from the helping people bit that have been a bit of a theme up until then? 

[00:24:03] Mel: Yeah. I think so I loved the face-to-face things I did with the students and working with them, I loved that. But other than that, I was working from home predominantly. And, I was living in a student, house share at the time as well, so it was quite difficult. it was the first time I'd had to really, manage my workflow to make sure that I was getting, what I needed to do, done.

[00:24:25] But, I did struggle, I think, with the working from home aspect, because I liked the interaction with people. I'm much better at it now, but at the time, when I was a lot younger, it didn't feel natural. so I was, always looking for the next thing so that I could have that, face-to-face, interaction with people.

[00:24:47] Although, looking back, I learned a lot in that time because the social media was really basic at that point. Well, for me anyway, things that we put out now, would be so much more advanced to what I put out then But it did the job, and nobody knew any different. but I had to do a lot of, chasing, I was doing a lot of emailing, the groundwork, really pushing, and I, guess, for me I learned a lot. 

[00:25:16] Carolyn: Was it something that went with your sort of strengths and energy, or did you have to push to do them because it didn't feel like a natural place to be for you?

[00:25:23] Mel: I enjoyed the creative aspect of it, but I had to think out the box because if I didn't do the work, I wouldn't have anybody at my presentations, no bums on seats, which is obviously what we were working towards. I think maybe at the beginning I was like, Ooh, I'm, I might need to change my tactics here.

[00:25:42] And then I realized then what I needed to do to get where I needed to be. So it was definitely, not a natural, way for me to work, but I soon realized that it's what I needed to do to be successful. 

[00:25:57] Carolyn: Interesting listening to then talking again [00:26:00] about environment and I think it's probably fair for me to say that you are more extrovert than introvert as an individual. and a performing artist is not necessarily somebody who's more introverted. and I think that's probably why you need that sense of having more people around because that reinvigorates your energy and recharges it whereas for people who are more introverted, it's the, I want to sit in an office on my own. Thank you with the door shut because that too much interaction with too many people actually is exhausting for somebody who's introverted, isn't it? Interesting to see personality play out through career choice. 

[00:26:30] So you spent some time doing all this digital marketing stuff and rushing around universities and then suddenly there was an opportunity to go to the States again. 

[00:26:36] Mel: Yeah, so the cultural exchange, summer camp situation is very seasonal. And in May, June time, the participants would leave their home country and head out to the States and then go to their camp that they've been hired at. And I'd actually done this journey myself many times and was going to do it that summer again, regardless, but I got an opportunity to work at the meet and greet, the northeast of the United States has a large amount of, the summer camps. the majority of people go through New York and they have a Meet and Greet where the students would fly in, they'd have a night in a hostel, and they would have a short orientation, what to expect, that kind of thing and then they would go on their way the next day. And I'd done it many times. I thought, this looks amazing. I really want to do it. I love New York City. It's an absolutely amazing place. I just. Loved being there and to get the opportunity to live and work there for, two months was a dream come true. And so when I'd finished my, course and I was working, I thought I'm going to apply when I, when I get the opportunity to, and I was lucky enough to get the position, and it was just the most amazing experience. I don't think I slept for two months, but [00:28:00] it was fantastic. but I couldn't have done it for much longer than that. I would've had to have had a better sleep schedule, that's for sure. But it was just a fantastic opportunity. 

[00:28:10] We were based in a hostel, which was on the upper west side of Manhattan, and 15 of us worked there and we would welcome the staff. We'd go to the airports to meet them. We'd bring them back to the hostel. Sometimes we'd have coaches of people arriving with like a hundred people on a one particular day, and people were coming from all over the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, everywhere. A lot of these people were first time away from home. They were, some of them were scared. They didn't speak English as their first language. And you were there as their Person to welcome them, be a shoulder to cry on because some of them were very nervous, but on the whole, people were so excited, and we were there to just pump them up and get them ready and excited and they were arriving at all times of the day for the whole two months.

[00:28:58] And [00:29:00] I just, I loved working with staff, and it was just a fantastic environment because a hostel anyway has got people coming from all over the world. And the people that we worked with were all people who had been to camp, and they all understood what these kids were going through.

[00:29:15] So that is one of my fondest memories because I was, living the dream in New York City and I yeah, I had such a great time, and it was exhausting. I can't deny that. We were running on a short amount of sleep because I was managing this site, and I was just wanting to make sure that everything went smoothly because these people were relying on us to make sure that they arrived. Oh, I loved every minute of it.

[00:29:41] Carolyn: So there's that helping and caring theme back again through from your mum and the visits to the hospital in Farborough, then the kid where the kids were. So, you had to do something to catch back up on your sleep. So another shift came shortly afterwards. Talk us through that one.

[00:29:57] Mel: So well, after I finished that job, I actually went straight to Camp and then worked there for the summer, that was fantastic and a great experience. And then I did the CCUSA marketing for two years, and then I felt I'd done everything I could within that particular role and I started looking for other things. And whilst I was in America, I received an email letting me know that there was this position available within the summer camp industry. And I thought, that sounds fantastic. Less of a marketing role, but more one-to-one processing participants who were going to work overseas and doing all of the things that are involved with that.

[00:30:40] And I applied for that. I had the interview and I found out I had the job, I had to get home and find somewhere to because it was in Liverpool and move up there and start a new life up there.

[00:30:55] And I did that for five years and I learned an awful lot at that job. it cemented my thoughts of thinking that I I don't know if I'll work in camping forever, but I want to work in, in a role where I'm supporting people because the majority of the people that we were working with were around 18 to 25 and most of them were in university.

[00:31:17] So working in that coaching environment was something I thought, oh, I really like this. And I think that's where, I thought about the future and thought, where can I take this maybe once I've had enough of the summer.

[00:31:28] Carolyn: So a few more years on the clock, a few more missed nights of sleep, and then maybe I might shift direction. Fascinating. 

[00:31:33] And of course, you'd gone back to your roots a little bit, hadn't you? With the sort of the media lead work you were doing there, doing much of the digital content around video music and radio and photography and media production, back to those training days that you had earlier. 

[00:31:45] And around the same time, you started to do an awful lot in the volunteering space, didn't you, a sort of health and wellbeing theme emerging there because you started to be a St. John's Ambulance First Aider, didn't you? How did that come about?

[00:31:57] Mel: When I was when I was a child, I'd been a Badger. I think that what they're called and I didn't really commit to it for too long, but I always thought, I'd like to go back to it I think with my Mum, being a nurse, I'd always been interested in it. I didn't really know exactly where it was going to take me.

[00:32:14] I enjoyed working with people and I wanted to learn first aid for personal reasons. When you join up with St. John's, you go through the training and they take you through different levels before you can go out on up before you can go out on duty. And because St. John's are recruited by councils or people who are running events to supervise these events and make sure that if anyone needs care that they are, they are there to help.

[00:32:40] And you go to all kinds of events. You can go to music events, sport events, the local fete. Anything where there's people, the event organizers make sure that the first aid is on hand. And I just really liked working with people who needed support really. And I enjoyed working with the team because some of the people were extremely skilled and had a lot of experience. The people that I was working with, some of them were doctors, nurses, so really skilled people who were teaching me lots of great skills. So, it is just an environment that was, um, very, people focused.

[00:33:17] Carolyn: Connection, chance to grow in there as well, and chance to learn. I'm hearing a learning theme coming through there and we will move on to that in a minute, I think. 

[00:33:24] At the same time, or shortly afterwards, you took on what I would put in the more gritty area of volunteering certainly in the context, and this is fundraising for Ty Hafan, the Children's Hospice in Wales. How did that come?

[00:33:41] Mel: When I was about 14, a friend of my mother's daughter, was a user of Ty Hafan and the family went back and forth to use Ty Hafan as respite as their daughter was poorly. And we'd been to a party there just for her. And this environment was, you wouldn't know what it was for It was happy. Everyone was smiling, there was music playing. It was just a great environment. But to know what good they were doing was inspiring really to me. It always remained in the back of my mind.

[00:34:26] And I think when I was working full-time, I liked to have something else. I liked to have like an additional hobby. And I thought, even if I give, a few hours a week or even a few hours a month, it's better than doing nothing at all.

[00:34:40] So getting involved with them was, is great. Anything you do makes such a massive difference to the charity because everything that they gain is from fundraising. And I was doing little things, from just sharing an email to holding a bucket. And it makes such a difference. And I think to, give back [00:35:00] because I saw the experience that my mum's friend and the family got from it. As tragic as it was without Ty Hafan, it would've been even harder for them. And there, there's true value in that, And I think, you know, if I can give up a few hours of my time, I think it's definitely worthwhile.

[00:35:19] Carolyn: It's not just about the money in life, is it? It's about the difference that you make along the way and certainly the work you were doing there was clearly making a difference. 

[00:35:26] And then of course another period with CCUSA very much marketing communications, maybe bringing together all of those various experiences from the university when you were helping students to settle in during fresher's week through to understanding interviewers and developing interviewers to have those abilities. And then a change again. This was quite a significant change this time though, isn't it?

[00:35:50] The rest have been sort of paragraphs and maybe a chapter or two. This is a whole new section in your career story isn't, it's a whole new part two. How did it come about? What happened?

[00:36:04] Mel: Well, there was this thing called the Global Pandemic came about in 2020, which really changed everything. And at the time it was quite scary if I'm being honest. And I was very worried as everybody was at the time, what's going to happen? Am I going to lose my job? Where am I going to go from here?

[00:36:27] But just to rewind a little bit, before the pandemic, I'd stopped going to camp during the summers in 2017, and it was my totally my decision because my summer job was becoming a more stressful, the job that I was doing there. And I just felt like I needed some time. Not saying I'll never go back, but I just needed to stop and focus on, home life, spending time with family, friends, that kind of thing. And the job, I definitely enjoyed it, but I felt like I needed something new.

[00:37:03] And in my mind, I thought, you know, over the years that I I wanted to work in a university environment and I'd thought about becoming a careers advisor, but I'd looked at different avenues and I thought, well, I'm not in a position right now to be able to do that whether it was money or just time, I'm going to have to study, how am I going to do that? I live here. So it was maybe It's something that, maybe when I'm a bit older and I've got a bit more time, or I can save whatever, I'll do it then. That's that. But it was always in the back of my mind thinking, oh, this is where I want to be.

[00:37:36] And then 2020 happened and as we were drawing closer to March, obviously it was in the news and what was going on, but we carried on as normal. I think, a lot of people didn't really expect the world to change as much as it did. And when we got to around, I would say June, well no, maybe May, 2020, working in the camping industry, I think it dawned on everybody that the summer wasn't going to happen, and that's our income, completely um, gone in, in a heartbeat. and we were placed on furlough, and I wasn't too worried at that point, but it was just this thing that had come out of nowhere and stopped the whole world and was stopping something that had been going for over a hundred years as well as everything else. It completely took us by surprise. And then not long after that, then I was made redundant. 

[00:38:34] And at this point then I thought, think about where I'm going in my life now.

[00:38:39] And fortunately for me, I was actually on furlough after I was told I'd being me redundant. So it gave me time to get myself in order basically. And that was everything from my CV, my LinkedIn, my, my goals, what do I want to do? And I I spent a lot of time thinking about where I'm going. Is working in the summer camp industry, what I want to do, where am I going? 

[00:39:07] And I I thought, no, I need, I think I'm going to have to do this now because I, it feels like the right time. I'd, I literally took a pen and paper, and I was writing down what it is that I want to do, where I want to be. And I started just looking at different roles that are available and all of them that I liked were around people.

[00:39:26] And I thought, I, I need to go for this now. And I was very lucky, that I spoke to a careers advisor, and I told her exactly what I wanted to do and I said, actually I'd like to be doing what you are doing. and I said, oh, I would like to work in a university, though. That would be my ideal environment. You know, obviously I need the training. If I'm going to do this, I might need to save or should I get experience first, et cetera. And I had applied for quite a few jobs at that point in the different areas.

[00:39:58] And I was I was interviewing, which was giving me good experience, I had this whole spreadsheet going. And then I spoke to this careers advisor and a couple of days later, at about midnight, I got this email from her and it was this job. And she said, "Look at this. This is perfect". And the job was at the University of Wales, Trinity St. David with sponsorship. and the job sounded fantastic. And I'd been to the university before with my previous job, and I really liked the environment. I thought, oh my gosh, this is great. It's just down the road.

[00:40:35] And then I thought, I'm going to go for it. And I had an interview, and I loved the people that interviewed me. They were, they were great, answered all my questions. They just were really nice people. And it it just felt right. And then obviously when I found out I got the position, I was thrilled because I just thought, this is, this is it. 

[00:40:58] Pre the  interview and pre finding out that I'd had the job, it was the scariest time because, you know knowing, if anyone's ever been out of work or had the thought that they might not have that money coming in, it's a frightening time.

[00:41:16] But looking back on it now, it was the best thing that ever could have happened. It removed me from, something that maybe I wasn't fulfilled from anymore. And it gave me the kick up the butt that I needed to seek out what I actually needed to do.

[00:41:33] And now I look back and I think, oh, it's the best thing ever because now I'm in a role that I absolutely love and I'm working with people who are teaching me things every day.

[00:41:43] Carolyn: So, there's that learning and growth that we talked about earlier. There's that sense of it felt right, the right people around you. All of those elements come together as part of environment to make that work as well, don't they? And I think what's really interesting is that it popped in as if by magic is what I'm hearing from you.

[00:42:00] And actually, you know, there's a careers theory called planned happenstance that when you are ready and the timing is right, things will appear to you. And I'm going to use one of my favourite all-time quotes now that I use probably at least once a week, if not more often. And that's from Joseph Campbell, interestingly, the American Mythologist who said, something like "When you follow your bliss doors will open for you in places where there are only walls for others." And what was so lovely about your story is not only did a door open, but it was opened by the aid of a careers advisor just pinging you an opportunity having worked with you and helped you through that period of transition. And I think you're absolutely right, you know. redundancy is either a disaster if you look at it that way, or it's a massive opportunity to go, actually, what is it I want?

[00:42:42] And sometimes life sends us those moments that forces us to sit and look and think and go, well, I've got a hiatus happening here. Do I carry on? or do I reset in a different direction? And you're right, it is a scary moment, and it can be quite a protracted moment. 

[00:42:58] Was that conversation with the [00:43:00] careers advisor helpful in helping you be certain about the direction you were traveling in? 

[00:43:04] Mel: So, when I spoke to the career advisor, it was actually, I, had to sign on, I guess to get my P 45 and all that kind of stuff. And within 24 hours I was being contacted, which I was super impressed with. I actually had a couple of career advisors from different departments, the council and stuff like that, and talking to the career advisor because actually I don't know if I'd ever worked with a careers advisor personally for my own experience before this time and talking to her made me realize that I was able to do this. And from my experience as well, she was very, supportive was able to give me information just to help me and give me the [00:44:00] reassurance that I needed at that time because I was going through so many emotions at the time, I was so unsure about where I was going.

[00:44:08] And I do believe that some things happened for a reason, but I also feel like you have to push the pedals basically to get there too, if I hadn't had had that conversation with that particular career advisor on that day, would I have found that job myself? I don't know. You do make it as well because you actually put yourself out there. Not achieving it wasn't really an option. It wasn't like if it was when, so whether it wasn't this point, it would've been in, hopefully in another job.

[00:44:40] So I feel like I was driven to get to where I wanted to be. And having that conversation with her was definitely a massive moment in my life because if we hadn't have had it, I would definitely not be sat here. 

[00:44:58] Carolyn: I think you're absolutely [00:45:00] right about the door is there, but you have to walk forward. And obviously what that careers advisor did was held your faith at a time that you probably couldn't hold it for yourself. And you'll know about the theories from Albert Bandura around self-efficacy and one of the things that helps somebody feel that they can move forward is somebody else telling them they can. 

[00:45:19] And that's clearly what that advisor did so well for you. And no wonder you find that a really major moment for you because it was, look, it's got you to here and we are having a conversation about you working in careers now for coming up to two years.

[00:45:33] How's it been?

[00:45:35] Mel: Oh, it's been fantastic. I've learned so much and I'm very fortunate that I work with people who are so open to share things with me and have been patient with me. And have also been encouraging and given me the ability to bring my own skills and experiences in, I'm, I'm, I would say [00:46:00] 60% of my way through my course now, maybe a little bit more. I'm going forward, I, I'm definitely feeling much more confident, and I feel, I felt confident for a while, but that's because they've been so encouraging and given me the ability to do that and work with students. I'm not being held back until I'm, you know, qualified. I'm fully open with the students when I'm working with them that I'm still learning. I'm not qualified yet, but I hopefully will be shortly. I, I think that I'll always be learning anyway. It's crazy to think back though, how much has changed in the last two years because, as well as working full-time and obviously studying as well at Coventry, which has been brilliant.

[00:46:41] And I've got a great group of classmates who are really supportive and the lecturers and the staff there, have been really supportive as well. So, I feel very fortunate and I'm, um, surrounded by good people who are, are all supportive.

[00:46:55] I don't think I've met anyone that has not been willing to answer questions [00:47:00] or share their life experiences, tips and guidance even little things like conducting interviews or, working with students. It's just, it's just been a great couple of years so far. 

[00:47:10] Carolyn: That's great to hear that. I think this is a community, the career development sector is a community that's that hugs metaphorically at the very least and is very welcoming and open to anybody who wants to come and help develop other people, which is what we fundamentally do. And of course, your own development comes through both being part of AGCAS, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services that all university career services are members of or most, and you're also a student member of the Career Development Institute as well, so you've got access to all of our CPD that we offer there as well.

[00:47:40] So, lots of change for you, but a huge period of growth over the last two years and probably something to be very thankful to Covid for, if I can put it like that, which sounds a bit like a contradiction in terms, but it's given you that opportunity to move and pull together all of those strands that you've got about helping and caring for people, making a difference to people's [00:48:00] lives, that was through your volunteering work in particular, and I know you do stuff around the National Youth Advocacy Service as well, helping befriend and support people from disadvantaged or disruptive backgrounds into better life. Lots of threads coming together there.

[00:48:13] And of course the one thing I know from working in universities myself is when you work with students, they come from all over the world with all sorts of different cultures and backgrounds and worries and challenges that if they can have a friendly voice and face to have a conversation with, they can make sense of the world moving forward.

[00:48:31] And it's quite clear that's something that you are very well set up to do already and will be doing all the more once you get your badge of honour and your certificate and have finished doing your post-grad course. Bit of a challenge in managing that with your full-time work, I suspect. Any tips for anybody who's thinking about doing that?

[00:48:49] Mel: Oh gosh. I, I thought it'll be okay studying and working full-time. But I would say that would probably have sent me in overdrive. Even though it's part-time, [00:49:00] there are times of the year when obviously you've got more assignments to do than others. And it's always in the back of your mind. However, I think planning your workload and being clear and starting your assignments as early as possible is advisable, I think it's doable though. And I think clear communication with your employer. If you are lucky enough to work in an industry which is related already, then that definitely helps.

[00:49:30] Keeping a clear line of communication with my manager who has been so flexible and helpful throughout the whole time as have my team who have been very understanding as they've been through the process too, and they understand what I'm going through at the moment. And patient, it's really helped me because I know that if I need a bit more time, I can speak to them and say, oh, you know, would you mind if I took this day or this afternoon or whatever to do the work? Then that really does help because, sometimes there just aren't [00:50:00] enough hours in the day. But just planning it and making sure that you are keeping on top of your schedule will help the process. But I think it's definitely doable.

[00:50:08] But I think just, being kind to yourself and giving yourself time is important. I was never the most academic student growing up. I was very, um, creative and I still am. So it's not come easy for me, the academic writing. But I have a new faith in myself about what I can do. And I think that's been great for me personally, just to, to remind myself that I can do it. I might need to take a bit more time to do things, but I think if you push yourself, you can achieve anything really. 

[00:50:45] I mean, I'll be sad when it's over because I love my classmates and I love traveling up to Coventry. But I'm looking forward to fully immersing myself in university life and really taking [00:51:00] what I've learned and pushing myself forward because I think it's given me so much enthusiasm to go out and be a careers advisor. 

[00:51:07] Carolyn: think that's true. I think there will be no stopping you. It's quite clear the passion for the work you do and the growth that you've been on in your own journey to becoming a careers advisor. And that's what happens when we learn and we change direction, our identity shifts and we grow and stretch, and that's absolutely as it should be.

[00:51:23] It's been fascinating hearing your story and charting those early themes of childhood, growing up in a very wide cultural environment yet sometimes some values that didn't fit, that caused you to change, that wanting freedom, that sense of travel that's perpetuated through, but above all that sense of wanting to help people, we know the root of that as well. Absolutely fascinating stuff. And one thing I always ask people when they come onto the podcast is to share a a quote, a movie or a book that really resonates with you. What would be yours as we come to the end of this episode? 

[00:51:56] Mel: So I am a massive movie buff. I absolutely love nothing more than sitting down and watching a good movie, but there's one film in particular that anyone who knows me knows that my favourite film of all time is Forest Gump. I absolutely love this movie. It's about life and it shows you the different stages that you know you come across in life and how the things that you do have an impact, and how the people around you they might only be in your, your life for a short amount of time, but how much of a significant impact they can have and how life can be if you take every opportunity. And I just think that if you've seen the movie, you'll know that there's significant stages in his life that are massive parts of history, which I think is fantastic, the way they link everything together. And it just makes me feel like we're all on this. I know this sounds so corny, but there we are all on a journey and everybody's going to be so different. And I think [00:53:00] that that you can have multiple lives within your life. 

[00:53:03] I think if you put everything into it, you can have that varied life where you meet people from all over the place. People might leave and never come back. You might have some people who are consistent, and I love that because in the film he has that where he has people that come and go, but he also has some consistencies in there.

[00:53:24] And I just think that, it's such a meaningful movie about people and um, just growth really. because you know, he goes through a massive transformation in his life, and I think that it's just fantastic film and it makes me want to watch it now.

[00:53:41] Carolyn: With a box of chocolates, no doubt!

[00:53:44] Mel: Yes, exactly. 

[00:53:45] Carolyn: Why does that not surprise me that you've said that because that echoes all the themes that we've talked about today and I have really loved hearing your journey towards being able to help others create theirs. 

[00:53:58] Good luck with whatever [00:54:00] the next chapter in your career story brings and thank you for sharing your decision to change your story today.

[00:54:06] Mel: Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

[00:54:10] Carolyn: Absolute pleasure.

[00:54:12] Often we make decisions to move in a certain direction because we've been given opportunities or have been nudged by others.

[00:54:19] We know deep down if what we're doing is right, we all have a voice. That quiet voice that knows what's good for us, the voice within which expresses disquiet. The trick is to listen to that voice, to trust it, and to take our courage in both hands so that we can move in the direction of something new, which calls to us. As the saying goes, we can't be what we can't see until something in someone else's story inspires us to take the next step, to try something new, to adventure.

[00:54:52] If this episode has helped you to do just that, to change your story in some way, then please share it, and the show notes that go with it, on your social media channels so it can help others that you know too, to escape from a job they hate and find a career they love.

[00:55:08] I do hope you'll join me next time when we'll be hearing from another inspirational guest to help you continue to change your story for the better.

[00:55:16] See you soon.

For more information about career coaching with Carolyn, please visit: www.careeralchemy.co.uk

© Carolyn Parry, 2023. All rights reserved.