5 QUESTIONS WITH EMMA WILDER

I'm Emma and I'm a 27-year-old content editor, blogger and mad dog lady from England. I graduated in 2016 with a degree in English and American Literature and words are well and truly my passion! I write about everything and anything, from books to mental health, and my blog is my space to express myself and share my random thoughts and feelings, of which there are many. Since my role requires me to write all day, every day, sometimes in boring formats or on topics that don't grab me, it is so important for me to have a space to write the things I want to write; whether my pieces are good or not is up to each reader! I have loved writing this interview and hope you enjoy it and find it a little bit helpful!

 

You can hop over to my blog here: www.justemmathings.com or follow me on Instagram @em_wilder. 

 

 

1. How do you seize an opportunity?

This is a really great question that's definitely made me think! The honest answer is that I've never been very good at seizing opportunity. As women, I think we are often taught to be less assertive in pursuing opportunity and I definitely spent my teens and early twenties feeling like I owed the world a lot more than it owed me. As I've grown older, I've grown in confidence in both myself and my career and that's massively helped me when not only seizing the obvious opportunities but also creating them for myself. My mantra is "don't ask, don't get", and more often than not, you just have to be confident enough to put yourself out there; people will respect you for it rather than thinking you're pushy or entitled. 

2. In what ways do you maintain your peace?

Honestly, it's been a struggle! I was diagnosed with panic disorder when I was 17 which is probably the furthest thing from peaceful. However, I've found meditation, and apps like Headspace, a massive help in helping me to clear my head and identify the warning signs of a panic attack before it happens. In the last few years, I've started to understand myself and my mental health much better which has helped me massively, but there are always times in life when you're not at peace and it's just as important to remember and acknowledge those times when they do happen; they make you who you are and the lessons you learn about yourself are just as important. 

3. Have you tried getting rejected from a career choice? How did you cope?

 

I have been rejected by so many interviews and jobs over the years! That might seem like a bad thing, but I'm in a great career now and have a really clear idea of where I want to go next. All because I was rejected from the wrong jobs and accepted in the right ones. Obviously, it always stings to be rejected but I've found that asking for honest feedback from the recruiter or interviewer really helps. You'll find that usually, the interviewer really likes you as a person but is actually worried you won't be happy in the company or you'd be bored in the role. Always remember, any hiring company needs you, just as much as you need them so they have just as much to prove to you in an interview. I think it's so easy to forget that a job interview is a two-way street so try not to be too nervous and just think of it like a chat with a new friend. No matter how far you go up the career ladder, rejection will always be a part of your journey (unless you're some kind of prodigy) so take it as it comes and learn to embrace the feedback whatever that may be. 

4. What is your message to the fresh graduates who are anxious about landing a stable job?

I cannot imagine the stress you are going through right now. I remember how anxious I was when I graduated, and that was way before a global pandemic. The most valuable thing for me was networking. I asked my parents to connect me with friends and colleagues who were in fields I was interested in and reached out to them to get work experience, internships or just to have a chat to find out more about what they do. It's true that "it's not what you know, it's who you know". Many people will be happy to help if you just ask, and whilst they might not be able to give you job, they might just know someone who might. Remember, there is light at the end of the tunnel so don't lose hope! 

5. Do you believe a person must lose himself to find himself?

 

That's another really interesting question and definitely food for thought! I don't know if we ever truly lose or find ourselves. Life is a journey and who you are doesn't change, it evolves. Of course, I'm a different person I am now to how I was when I was 10 or 20 or even 25, but I think that there are elements of every version of myself in the 27-year-old I am now and there will be elements of this current self in my future self. The experiences we have, good or bad, make us who we are and shape the selves that we become, but they never wipe them out completely. You can never truly lose who you are because that all becomes an element of who you will be.