I found this article by Dan Finnigan’s from blogs.wsj.com very interesting. In his article, “Relax. A Job Is Not Forever.” he is speaking specifically to recent college grads. He speaks to the fact that now compared to the 1960s, the average careers a person will hold has increased more than double to 10.6 careers in your lifetime. This is his premise for reminding college grads to relax when they are looking for a job and that “it is just the first of many job choices you will be making throughout your career.”
I really liked his article and I thought it was very valid in today’s world. I agree on the one hand that finding a job that you might not stay in forever can be helpful because you need work experience. You need to get out there and just get your foot in the “real world”. Work experience can help show you what you like and don’t like in a job.
On the other hand, you also don’t want to just pick anything. You want to be mindful and pick a job that would be a fit for your skills, talents and values. And you also should remember that this is your job to get started. You need to continue to network and not get stuck in the comfort zone of an entry level job. You should be working towards achieving more.
Here’s an example for you on what can happen if you don’t make your decision for your first career wisely. I had a client who was so desperate for a job that she took it even though she didn’t have the right skills for the job. She didn’t know a lot about the company but in a tough economy she was excited to have gotten a job right out of college. She lasted one week before she was so miserable she quit. That was when she started her career search to find the ideal career for her.
Here’s to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Career Coach
