You >Your Resumé

I am soon approaching my one year mark of graduation with already two jobs under my belt, and I do not feel disadvantaged, in fact, I feel encouraged! Encouraged to share 5 things that my jobs have taught me in the past year. This week has been especially telling, and has encouraged me to spend some time soul searching. With changes in my job, I have been forced to search for a new career, but am struggling to find a good fit. I know that I do not want to simply jump into a job because an offer was extended, yet I fear being too selective. As a candidate, I wonder what makes my resume stand out, when it is simply bullet points of fancy sentences to describe briefly what tasks I spend my 8 hours doing. However, I feel that my resume does not accurately reflect who I am as a person, and hardly shows who I am as an employee. I believe there is more to me as a person than what my resume reflects.

In my time spent quietly reflecting on my positions/my career, here's 5 major lessons I've learned:

1. Nothing is wrong with switching your career

I hate that there is such a stigma for needing to stay at one job for multiple years. How am I supposed to know what job will be a good fit for me after graduation? I don’t even know half of the titles that are offered! This is such a time for me to absorb professionalism, workplace culture, develop goals, and learn about business, and I should focus on doing just those things. I am someone who is in my second job within 9 months of graduation, and searching for my third, because I really don’t understand how I am supposed to know what a job is going to be like without trying it. Marketing 101 in college is FAR different from the title “Marketing Specialist” at a large corporation. Who knew? So why then, are we discouraged to change our minds, and switch jobs, isn’t this our learning period?

2. There is more to life than working

There will be days at work that you feel discouraged, mad and sad, but once the clock his 5:00, guess what? Life starts! You get to do the things that make you happier; read, drive with Pandora on, watch Bravo TV, go waterskiing, vacation… whatever!!

One day I hope that a job will be something that I love, but for now, I live for the moments outside of work. And you know what? That’s ok. Because that is where I am at right now. I’m giving myself mercy and grace to just accept that this is my situation. Living in the now, planning my 5:00 and weekend plans, with BIG dreams and goals for the future.

3. Kindness

You are not defined by your work nor your mistakes. So many times I have felt defeated because my work was not up to someone else’s standards or I have received harsh feedback. Cry out those tears in the stairway, but then get back to your positive self! Isn’t it easy to dwell on your sadness of how someone else made you feel? Well why, then, would you ever want to make someone else endure those same feelings? A true friend of mine values inclusion and kindness, and questions hatred and ill-will. Though we all fall short, let us make it our goal to value understanding, tenderness, and consideration. Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Encourage yourself with kind self-talk and do your best to take the criticism from superiors constructively, but remember that you are MORE than the results of the presentation you put together.

Check out the “So Worth Loving” campaign!

4. Patience

The first three months of my two jobs were painful. I made mistakes daily and felt like a burden to the ones involved in my faults. After tears and embarrassment, I wanted to quit at the end of the day almost every day. Why did I stay? Good question. Mainly because of the stigma to have a long-term job on my resume, but also because I didn’t want to disappoint my parents and simply give up (although I consistently asked my friends if it was too early to become a stay-at home housewife yet).

Each mistake, I forced myself to create a way to not make that mistake again (although, many mistakes were made twice), by finding solutions to things that were difficult to me. Ex: forgetting to make a name tag for a newly added attendee resulted in developing my own unique system of crosschecking in Excel. Eventually, that mistake didn’t happen again, and slowly but surely, I impressed myself with less and less mistakes, and before I knew it, I started to like my job.

Like most things, time heals all wounds. So do your best to make it through those first few, tough months because soon enough, I promise you will become great at your job (doesn’t mean you have to like it).

5. Listen to superiors, but stick to your morals.

Recently, I overheard my very rigid boss (think Miranda Priesly from The Devil Wears Prada) say some harsh words that hit close to home. “Obviously something is VERY wrong with her if she has multiple jobs within 2 years after graduation. Definitely not a good hire.” OUCH!! I couldn’t help thinking that this girl is probably just like me, trying new things until she finds a better fit. I believe in myself, and appreciate the feedback. I will learn from it, but for now, I want to change the bad reputation for exploring your career options at a young age. I believe it is important as you age to stay at a company, but for now, right out of college, I am determined to find my niche!!