Writing Romance Novels Has Made Me a Better Employee Heres How

Writing Romance Novels Has Made Me a Better Employee Heres How Rosalyn Martin lives what you might call a double-life. By day, shes managing the Martin says her super cool side hustle is only made possible by the supportive environment built at Qualtrics one that provides plenty of work-life balance and encourages Martin to bring her entire self to work. She says she finds her day job super fulfilling because she has a say in how she wants to grow as a professional, and because she is constantly reminded by her books that shes capable of growing however she pleases.Im an arbeitszimmer manager for the Dallas arbeitszimmer and I pitch in a bit with the Toronto office, as well. I do a lot of coordination work I help ensure all new hires have a smooth onboarding experience, I make sure the team is well fed and hydrated, Im in charge of office supplies, IT inventory, swag and other things. Im also the event planner for our two big office parties. What has your career path looked like?Be fore Qualtrics, I was an Office Administrator for a staffing company in DC. I was in a position that had very little opportunity for career growth unless I wanted to change jobs within the organization. The promise that my future would be what I made it at Qualtrics was definitely a contributing factor in my decision to make a move. What drew you to work at your current company?The culture. The growth opportunity. The city. All-in-all, Qualtrics was my best aussicht at redefining my work-life balance, and I couldnt turn that down. Whats your favorite thing about your job?I have a lot of say in what I do and do not want to take on in my role. Of course, like any job, there are things on my plate I may or may not like that fall under my jurisdiction but as I grow in my role, I can reach for tasks or responsibilities Id like to add to my repertoire. Even mora, as I hone in on the direction Id like my career path to take at Qualtrics, I can strategically carve my own way. Tell us a bit about your side hustle. What do you do, how long have you been doing it, and how do you fit it into your schedule when you have a full-time job? Im a self-published author on the side. I write mostly romance, but Im starting to venture into different genres lately, which is pretty exciting. I published my debut novel in 2015, so I guess thats when the craziness began. Ive been writing for more than a decade, but selling and marketing my work is still a beast of a venture. As for how I find the time I just do. On the marketing side, I have help. I hired a social media manager a year or so ago, and she helps maintain my presence within what I call the necessary evil of internet networking. As for the writing, I do what I can when I can. You make room in your schedule for the things that matter, you know? Sometimes that means no television or fewer happy hours sometimes that means my apartment isnt as clean as it could be or my meals arent super extravagant. Finding balance is far fr om easy, but setting boundaries has come to be a must for me. Can you talk a bit about how your company is supportive of employees lives outside of work? What kind flexibility/support systems have you taken advantage of at your company?Id say the respect Qualtrics has for my time away from the office is a big help. When I leave the office, I leave my day job behind. If I had to take it home with me, I wouldnt be able to pursue my side hustle. I am human, after all, and there is only so much I have the energy and mental capacity to accomplish in one day. Ive also taken advantage of the flexibility I have with my schedule. Every day doesnt have to look the same, so long as I put in the appropriate amount of time and do what is expected of me.Do you think that being able to pursue your side hustle makes you a better productive employee? If so, how?100%. Writing is my passion but it doesnt pay my rent. It might never be so lucrative, and thats okay. If I was just in it for the money, i t wouldnt be much of a passion. Yet, knowing I havent given up on my dream of seeing my name in print, or sharing my stories with an audience, it makes me appreciative of the job I have that enables me to continue to pursue my side hustle. Also, knowing how hard I work on my side projects, its a reminder of all Im capable of managing and all Ive been able to overcome it reminds me of what my brain and my heart are made of, and I can tap into that at work, too. Whats your no. 1 tip for women who are job searching but are unsure about whether theyre pursuing roles that are the perfect fit for them?Sometimes you have to make the perfect fit. Sometimes what you think is the perfect fit isnt. Rather than zulauf away from an opportunity that seems just shy of what youre hoping for, perhaps its worth it to give it a shot and put in the effort to reshape it into the perfect fit. Who knows, maybe youll realize perfect doesnt look like you thought it did. Whats the most memorable piece of car eer advice youve ever received?No matter what anyone says, no one cares about your career progression as much as you do. Dont abandon it into someone elses hands. --Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Qualtrics.Find a job there today