Learning to Embrace the Unexpected

Let me introduce myself. My name is Jonah, proud Minnesotan and NJI Media Strategy Intern. On my first day, I didn’t know what to expect. Do they know where Minnesota is? (Yes). Does everyone say y’all? (No). What happens if I don’t know everything about Google Analytics? (You live – I’m proof).  Yet before I found the answers to those questions, it was clear that at NJI, you are surrounded by people who succeed by embracing the unexpected.

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word unexpected as: not expected: unforeseen. Dealing with an event like that can be stressful. Here at NJI though, it’s just another day. The first unexpected encounter I had to adjust to was the office itself. Throw out everything you have read about the stereotypical office space, because that’s not how it’s done here. I don’t know if it was the putting green or the eye-opening assortment of snacks that threw me off more. I’ll say snacks; there are just too many options.

As the digital landscape is evolving seemingly everyday, we continue to evolve with it. For some, this could be an unpredictable and fortuitous task. Lucky for us, our Strategy, Design, and Development teams embrace the challenge and the unpredictability that comes with it. Working hand in hand with our clients and each other ensures that no tough question goes unanswered.

One such example took place at the end of another busy week. Several members of the strategy team were flummoxed as to how to most effectively tackle a sitemap that would guide the content architecture for a new website. As we exchanged pondering looks, two brave comrades from the Design and Development teams embraced the struggle, offering opinions of their own.

With a fresh new set of eyes and ears, we were able to take a step back, look at it from a different perspective, and figure out the best course of action. This sort of intertwining amongst team members is nothing new here. It allows us to constantly challenge each other creatively, which is a big part of what we’re all about.  

In my short time here I’ve learned about all the important nitty-gritty parts of the job such as sitemaps, SEO, and snacks. However I’ve also been fortunate to learn how to embrace the unexpected, and witness the success that comes from doing so.