A good place to start.

Apr 13, 2017

3 min read

Career? Whats that?

I have found myself thinking that on multiple occasions in last couple of months. After graduating in July 2016, I jumped straight into a job. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and if I’m honest I still don’t. Adjusting between university and the real world is not something to be taken lightly and hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I had the opportunity to go back to Graduation and give myself some advice, here’s what it would be...

Do not rush into anything.

Realistically, you will not get your dream job straight away. It will take some figuring out. A job with a salary may seem like the biggest priority in the world but take a breather and decide what kind of work you want. If your immediate goal is to earn some money (overdrafts are fun until you leave university), think about your long term plan. Boost your CV and get a job you enjoy that will allow you time to figure out what you want to do.

Value yourself.

All experience is good experience. Although a little clichéd, a bad job will give you more confidence in the long run. You may end up quitting but it will help you to figure out what you want as your career.

I would definitely class myself as a people pleaser in the workplace and that has led to people taking me for granted. However, knowing your worth within a company can help you enjoy your day to day life within the workplace. I think that this is especially important for women who are socially inclined to think they are worth less or find it harder to value themselves and speak up about their contributions in the workplace. Some companies will not acknowledge you or your achievements unless you shout about them.

Find your passion.

Sometimes the hardest time to motivate myself is after a long day at work and a tube journey to match. Resisting the longing for McDonalds and doing ‘extra’ work might seem daunting but hopefully my attempts at doing what I love will be for the greater good. Putting in the effort now is going to help later on in life.

It’s okay to cry.

I don’t know if many of you are like me in that I don’t like to show any sort of ‘weaknesses’ by talking about stresses in my daily life. I am, however starting to realise that it is okay to cry. After speaking to a very close friend, who was also going through a very similar experiences to me in her life, I had an epiphany. I am not alone in wanting to be alone. There has been the odd... okay, pretty regular occasion where my weekend has been occupied with Netflix and the contents of my fridge but the important life lesson is not to feel guilty about that. I don’t need to post a fabulous outing on Instagram every weekend to feel like I’ve got my life together.

There is nothing wrong with a balance between working towards your future and working hard and also having a toddler style meltdown because you got in the shower with your socks on.

I have already learnt a lot about work and what I want to do as a career in the last year.my work life balance but I know there is a lot more to happen on the way to becoming 'successful'. At least that means I will have plenty to write about.