For many people, figuring out what they’re going to end up doing for the rest of their lives can be challenging.

Some people might know. For others, life has its way of making sure the puzzle pieces come together.

“You’re not going to be a rockstar, so figure something else out,” Paul Rosales, 37, said one of his past professors at Cal Poly Pomona had told him and the entire music class he was taking.

Rosales, now the digital media and communications coordinator at El Camino College, said the class was getting ready to pick their positions for semester apprenticeships.

When the only two options left during sign-up day were theatre usher or photographer for the school paper, choosing the photographer option seemed logical for Rosales.

“I’m like, well, I’ve taken pictures before. I did it in high school, so I borrowed my cousin’s camera,” Rosales said.

That endeavor ended up leading to his cousin’s camera breaking, but that didn’t stop him from realizing he had found something that fit.

He describes that moment in class as the gateway to his career.

“I went into the newsroom and saw that there were students in there, pretty much left to their own work. I don’t want to speak in cliches, but it was really cool to see that,” Rosales said. “I never found a group on campus that I could jive with other than my friends I knew from high school.”

During his time at The Poly Post, Rosales started as a photographer but made his way around the newsroom, trying everything from multimedia editor to investigative reporter.

He believes that it is important to be well-rounded and to dip your toes in everything because every experience is useful.

Rosales, who previously worked at companies including Yahoo, is now in charge of ECC’s brand accounts across most social media platforms from TikTok to LinkedIn.

He also leads the college’s Social Media Ambassadors program, where a team of students creates content to represent the college.

“He really enjoys working with our students, and you can see that in the attention and advice that he provides them,” Ann O’Brien, ECC executive director of marketing and communications, said. “I know that he very much appreciates all that they can contribute, and they provide the student voice, which is what our students want to hear.”

Laylonnie Darnell, 22, a communications major, is part of the Social Media Ambassadors program at ECC.

“I think the best piece of advice he’s given me is that when it comes to networking, to just put yourself out there,” Darnell said. “Try to have a pitch ready and make sure you’re seizing your opportunities and making sure you’re not limiting yourself.”

Rosales’ father was a graphic designer, and the access he had to his dad’s old Macintosh computer gave him the drive to just try and figure it out.

And now he’s representing ECC’s brand image on almost every online platform.

“He’s fun to chat with about what’s going on in his field of social media,” O’Brien said. “He’s just always reading and learning, and so I love what I can learn from him.”

Although many may not understand everything that Rosales does on campus, he strives to make sure that the students are the focus of his work.

“It’s not just about growth; it’s really about your audience and how I choose to not pander to an audience,” Rosales said. “I really want them to have an authentic experience. And authenticity and accuracy are consistent in my work philosophy.”

Though Rosales places emphasis on not taking any experience for granted and making the most out of everything, he also acknowledges that it is important to stay true to the things that make you who you are.

“I’m here to essentially reflect and to put a spotlight on and honor students here. You’re always going to get curveballs, but use everything in your toolbelt to figure out how you’re going to get to it. Resilience, adaptability and just perseverance,” Rosales said.