Be honest – how many hours did you spend scouring the Internet, searching for that crystal ball answer to the one question every college graduate is dying to know…What is the secret to landing your dream career…as your first job out of college?
Well, I hate to break it to you, but…
No matter how many Forbes articles were shared on your Facebook, or company highlights you read from Business Insider, there’s one thing no one tells you. There’s no way in hell your first job after graduation is going to be your dream career. Sure, it will teach you the immeasurable skills that your professors lacked, but the fact that this is the number two Google suggestion with the search term ‘first job out of college,’ speaks volumes.
You graduated with honors from your number one university, but found yourself back with your old roomies (yes, your good ole parents) as a post-grad transition. As you wake up from the alcohol-infused daze from celebrating too many graduations, you realize…Holy shit! I can’t live at home, I’m a grown ass woman. Then like the true boss lady that you are, you score first job out of college that you think will turn out to be the first stepping stone in a company that has exponential room for growth.
If you’re one of the lucky few, your new office is straight out of Silicon Valley with enough benefits to make your friends’ eyes roll, or maybe your sorority sister connected you with a position that boasts a celebrity as the head bitch in charge – either way, one thought remains the same – This is it! This job is going to catapult me into the perfect career path.
The months pass and the work projects pile up. Next thing you know, the sales job you thought you were getting yourself into is actually a customer service job that you could have done with your high school diploma. Not to mention there are only a select few in the office that you enjoy spending time with. I’m not saying your dream career will guarantee that you get along with everyone (’cause that’s never going to happen) but it would be nice to be looked at with a little more respect than just “the new girl.”
But as soon as you feel like flipping your table over and ripping out that stupid headset the VP of Sales insisted that you wear, you meet your WBF – that’s right, your work best friend. You probably hate the same people and love the same booze, instantly making you the best of friends. Hang in there because without each other, it’s going to all go to shit.
Never lose your ability to laugh at the things that are out of your control, and always bring your A-game – even when you’re hungover from that aggressive Sunday Funday (no, you should not club on a Sunday night)! Remember that there is always something to learn from every experience, no matter how awful it seems in the moment.
But, you must recognize when you are no longer being challenged in your role and move on to the next adventure that’s truly going to make you happy.
Take first job out of college everything you have learned about yourself and what you hope to achieve in the future with you to the next chapter of your life. Yeah, you’re still young and you have plenty of time to figure it all out. Because believe me, you’re never too old to chase your dreams and do whatever the fuck you want in life.
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