Jumping and Then Regretting. What Do You Do Now?
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So you follow all the rules—search everywhere for a job, prepare for the interview, draft a stellar resume, and get the job. But what happens when the job is absolutely wretched? Should you quit and risk a gap in your resume or wait until something better comes along?
Even though Susan, a 2005 graduate of Boston University, says she considered becoming a flight attendant at one point, the communications major got her first job out of college as a coordinator for a non-profit performing arts organization. She notes that her school provided little guidance in the art field, and she didn’t take advantage of on-campus recruitment. The long hours—especially on weekends and weeknights—with no overtime made the gig a letdown for her.
So Susan switched to a second job as a marketing specialist for a non-profit historic preservation organization. “I lasted almost a year and a half at my first company, which isn’t bad for a non-profit. Most people say you should stay at least one to two years, but I say if you’re miserable, it’s better to leave before things get really hairy.”
Though Susan makes a little more money at her current job as a marketing specialist for a non-profit historic preservation organization, she says that it is not what she expected. “Everyone on my floor is over 40, so I can’t connect with them socially and have to dress more conservatively than at my old job. I found out on my third day that the hours are 9-to-6, not 9-to-5 as they’d told me before I started.”
What’s worst of all? The job involves a lot of graphic design work—and she expected to be doing more writing. “I said in my interview that I’m not a strong designer and now I struggle with the design programs, but there’s no one else who knows the programs either.”
Many students experience the same sort of disappointment, and it has nothing to do with their job-hunting or job-selecting skills. Sometimes you need to get into a job and stay with it for a little while, even if it’s not what you expect or want.
I remember being in the same situation. Driven to the point of tears most days at my old job before I started my own business, I recall all too well what it is like to job-hop a little and be miserable after finding out that yet another opportunity wasn’t “the one.”
But you will get there. It takes time to build your skills and determine what you really enjoy. I had to do the same thing as a reporter and as a communications consultant at the environmental company. Both have paid off—I ace getting work for environmental and technical clients because of my experience in the environmental field and I have the skills necessary to pick up magazine article writing on the side. Everything can work for you—it just has to be leveraged correctly. During the time that I worked at the jobs I’ve mentioned, I didn’t hate them but I questioned what I was doing. I think I knew I was great at writing but wanted so intently to use my degree that I convinced myself I couldn’t be a writer.
I was wrong . . . here I am. You’ll get to your happy place too. Just use everything as a growing experience. In the meantime, I wish you happy job hunting and I challenge you to make the best of your entrance into the working world.
Excerpted from Ramen Noodles, Rent, and Resumes, by Kristen Fischer.
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Editor's Note: Inappropriate comments that are offensive to the author or not in context to the author's post will be removed. For editorial feedback, please contact our Community Manager through his user profile. Click here.
July 20, 2008 2:33 am
Fischer makes a good point when she says, "Everything can work for you—it just has to be leveraged correctly".
Sometimes fear and anxiety makes it hard for a new college grad to see that. Of course as someone with a lot of experience in career center operations, I know there is often a difference in the outlook of those who used the services and those who didn't. Unfortunately, the latter group is often the larger of the two.
I liked the book a lot and have recommended it on my career blog for college grads.
Marcie
July 21, 2008 10:10 am
job hopping and struggling to find the perfect job with the perfect environment with the perfect people is never ending.
This struggle to keep on the look out for all your dreams.
July 21, 2008 7:05 pm
Hey, that's me a few years ago! Now that I'm working full time as a freelance writer, I think I've finally found the right job and work environment for me. At that stage in my career, I never would have thought it possible to support myself as a freelancer, but here I am. :)
July 21, 2008 10:43 pm
It is so disappointing to start a new job only to realize that it's not going to work out.
My first job out of college was horrible and I only lasted for about eight months. When a new opportunity opened up I jumped and I haven't regretted it for a moment!
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Grad School Zone
UVA (Darden) MBA Admissions Deadlines for 2010-2011
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The University of Virginia's Darden School of Business recently published its application deadlines for the coming admissions season. Here they are, followed by our comments in italics:
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