Nobody Talks About Plan D
How embracing unexpected career turns led to discovering my true calling in human resources.
The Unexpected Beauty of Plan D
In high school, we were always told to have a Plan B. If Plan A didn't work out, you'd have something to fall back on. Sometimes we'd even hear about having a Plan C.
I used to joke that nobody ever talked about Plans D, E, or F.
At the time, it was just a joke.
Looking back, it turned out to be my life.
The Formula for Success
Like many students, I believed there was a formula for success: go to college, earn your degree, and everything else would fall into place.
So that's exactly what I did.
I graduated from Rockford University with a double major in Anthropology and Spanish, thanks in part to a Spanish professor who convinced me to add the second major.
A few months after graduation, I landed what I thought was my dream job as a foster care caseworker. I was convinced I was meant to become a social worker.
In my mind, this had to be it.
This was already Plan C, so surely there couldn't be another intersection in the road.
Then life happened.
I found myself facing a difficult decision: stay in Illinois or move to Texas to be closer to my family.
After months of weighing my options, I packed up my life and started over in a new state.
Starting Over
Starting over wasn't easy.
Like many people who relocate, I had to rebuild my career from the ground up. I accepted a position as an Administrative Associate. I knew it wasn't my long-term destination, but it taught me something invaluable: adaptability.
Sometimes the job that doesn't feel like your forever job is preparing you for the one that is.
Then I saw an opening for an HR Coordinator position.
At the time, I had already outgrown my current environment and thought, Why not? We'll see what happens.
Not long after I applied, my now-manager called to schedule an interview. I remember hanging up from that conversation completely unsure of how it had gone. I couldn't tell whether I'd impressed anyone or completely missed the mark.
Four years later, I'm an HR Generalist and Frontline Recruiter, and I can honestly say I found a career I never expected.
Yet it's one that fits me better than any plan I originally had.
I discovered that I'm good at HR. I enjoy the operational side of the work, but more importantly, I care deeply about the people behind every application, every interview, and every conversation.
My background in anthropology taught me to understand people and cultures. Foster care taught me empathy and advocacy. Human Resources gave me a place where those experiences finally came together—like peanut butter and jelly.
The Funny Thing About Plan D
That's the funny thing about Plan D.
It rarely looks like success while you're living it.
It feels uncertain.
It feels like starting over.
Sometimes it even feels like failure.
But years later, you realize every unexpected turn was quietly preparing you for the life you have now.
To every young woman beginning her career, don't be afraid if your journey doesn't look like the one you imagined.
We spend so much time worrying that we've fallen off the path when, sometimes, we're simply discovering the one we were meant to take.
Give yourself permission to grow, change direction, and discover strengths you didn't know you had.
Most importantly, don't measure your progress against someone else's timeline.
Your path is uniquely yours, and that's where its value lies.
