It’s now six months since I graduated, and two months since I started my first ‘real’ career job. Having gone through 18 years of full-time education, all the while being praised for my intelligence and hard work, and constantly reassured that I was destined for big things, I now find myself asking, “Is this it?”
This isn’t a slight on the company I work for now. I like the company, I get on well with the people that I work with, and the job has some interesting aspects. Nonetheless, I often think, is this what I worked all these years for? Is this my dream job? Is this how I want to spend the rest of my life?
Of course, the answers are, respectively “Yes”, “No” and “Obviously not, dumbass.” No, this isn’t my dream job. And obviously I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in an entry level job. But yes, this is what I worked for 18 years for: a chance to start at the bottom. To be given an opportunity that not everyone gets. I think I first heard it from Tucker Max: the only thing that success gives you is the opportunity to prove yourself again. “Oh, you have a degree? Great, so do all of these other people. Do this other task well and maybe we won’t fire you.”
Or maybe this is just what has been drilled into me by everyone else: that everyone starts at the bottom, that you have to pay your dues, grind it out at the lower levels, and slowly move up. That’s The Way Things Are. But is that still the case? And will the pay-offs still be there when I finally arrive? I don’t think so.
Solution: I need to think very deeply about my priorities, what I want to do, where I want to go in the future. Then I need to make some solid goals, and move towards those. I need to make sure I’m doing things that I want to be doing, rather than that which other people want me to do. This won’t be easy.
I graduated about a year and a half ago and found myself in the same situation. It made me physically nauseous just thinking about slowly working my way up the ladder.
Been busting my ass on some entrepreneurial activities ever since but nothing has panned out yet as much as I need it to. Still busting my ass but beginning to think I might not have a choice for the time being, especially without any other very useful skills and a lot of student debt.
Chris, there’s nothing wrong with taking a job you’re not thrilled about if you need the money. I think the important thing is to always keep your eyes on the prize: think “yes, I have to take this shit job now, but if I keep working hard on other things outside of this shitty job, good things will happen.” Although that’s easier said than done.