Ah, the question of my life. Any of you have this experience? I feel like it's impossible to have a conversation with someone without them asking me what I was doing after I graduated. At first it bothered me because I had no idea. To be honest, I was pretty embarrassed. I was yet another college kid who paid all this money to go to a four-year college but had no idea what they were doing with their lives afterwards. Wouldn't it just be perfect if the day of your graduation someone gave you a list of five jobs and told you to pick the one you liked the most, and that's what you did? Yeah...that would be the life.
Now that I actually know what I'm doing after I graduate I still get a little embarrassed. I know some people will look at me and think of me as lazy, unable to get a "big girl job," etc. But the truth is that I am actually really excited to be doing what I am. At the end of September I got a second job. I'm essentially a nanny, but one of the kids I work with has autism. A few weeks ago she asked me what I thought about working with him full-time after I graduated. I hadn't really thought about it before that. I was applying to jobs and interviewing with companies like a good soon-to-be-college-graduate should. But when she asked me this, I couldn't help but think that it was a great opportunity. Currently I am only looking for a job until May of 2014. I figured it might be hard to get a good full-time job knowing that I would want to be quitting in the near future. I want a job that is pretty relaxed so that I can still see Dillon on three-day weekends and such. And this just seems like the perfect job for me. I have already been working with the family for about two months, so it will be a pretty comfortable transition into a full-time job. Plus, this job will pay more than some of the other jobs I had originally looked into. And even though it isn't with a company, who is to say that this isn't a "big girl job?" The other jobs I was wanting were essentially the same thing; working with people with special needs, but it was with a company instead. You can see I get a little defensive about it. I am nervous for people to judge me or look down on me because it's not "what you're supposed to do after you graduate." But I really think I'll be happy with this, and I think that is all that should matter.
Have you been through a similar experience? What was your first job after college?
Don't worry about what anyone else thinks! If this is the job you want, GO FOR IT! Do it proudly! And you'll be great at it! :)
ReplyDeleteI hated that question so much last year! I graduated this past May and was doing the same thing - applying and interviewing. The job search has changed so much since older adults and our parents have had to do it, and it seems like they really don't understand how difficult it is.
ReplyDeleteI took an internship position at a small municipality as the marketing coordinator right after college. It was only 3 days a week, and I'm sure people considered me "lazy" or thought it "wasn't a real job," but what they don't understand is that almost every job, even entry-level, requires some sort of experience! I ended up loving my internship, and it landed me the job I have now. Just remember that there is no cookie-cutter way you should be living your life post-graduation. Any job you have will teach you valuable lessons and give you experience.
Good luck with the rest of your year! Cherish it while you can - I know I miss it dearly! :)
-Catie
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