Kate DeSena got her current job by first taking one in an industry she didn’t like. At all.
After graduating with a degree in advertising, Kate began her career in finance. It wasn’t her passion; she wanted to work in the entertainment industry. But finance got her foot in the door. And when it came time to move up in finance or move on, Kate went back to school to study interactive communications and started applying for jobs in a variety of fields. She landed a job at HBO as an account assistant, and with hard work and persistence, scored a leadership position as a sales development executive.
Kate’s current work allows her the freedom to be a little bit of everything: event planner, graphic designer, presenter, motivator, trainer and marketer. She draws on her own experience as a telemarketer in college to motivate and empathize with her sales reps – proof of her mantra, “No experience is irrelevant.” Kate says finding your passion and what energizes you is no easy feat, referring to her early career as “24 and unsure.” She suggests writing as a way to explore your innermost desires and advises, “Don’t put limitations on yourself.”