phoebsallen

Since I graduated in 2015 I had been working part time jobs and trying to figure out this thing called life we are all thrown into. I recently accepted my first full time ‘big girl’ job offer a couple weeks ago. I had two weeks before I started and I took that time to rest and reflect on the time I spent in between college and accepting this job. I also did things I would no longer be able do with a 9-5 job, such as sleeping till 11AM. But besides sleep and catching up on Netflix, I tried to think of ways I could help guide people who were in my same boat.

Here is how my life went after graduation:

I graduated college worry free, without a care in the world. I assumed that everything would work out one day, which in reality it did, but with hard earned effort. I started working at SoulCycle, an indoor cycling studio in Chestnut Hill, a couple weeks after I graduated. I was loving life. I got to work out for free, I made instant new friends, and I only had to work 28 hours a week so I had plenty of time to be with friends and create an amazing summer. This routine got old fast. As the months went on, I began to feel more and more like I was missing something. All my friends had full time jobs, their own apartments, and a ‘real world’ life. I was behind.

In January 2016 I started to send out applications and updated my resume. I remember thinking that the first job I applied to I would get, because how could I not? Well, I didn’t. I didn’t even hear back from them. I kept on applying on and off for a couple months. At the end of summer I told myself I would have a job by September, and then September came around and I still didn’t have any leads. I then told myself it would happen in December, then January and so on.

I really stared pursing a job in September. I was spending at least four hours a day stalking LinkedIn. I got really comfortable reaching out to people I barely knew, introducing myself, and asking for and an introduction to someone they knew. I would have multiple phone calls and interviews scheduled each week. Some days I had a really good feeling that I was going to be working soon, and other days it seemed like I wouldn’t get a job for a year.

But, I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason. And some days it was really hard to believe that, but I had to keep telling myself that it would eventually work out. I was now working at a restaurant by my house, which I actually really enjoyed. I learned a lot about what I liked and didn’t like between working at soul and the restaurant. Having all this time to be with myself and think about my life, I really started wanting a job. I had always wanted one, but now I really actually believed it, instead of just conforming to society. I wanted the same schedule as my friends, I wanted money in my bank account, and I wanted a reason to put on real clothes in the morning instead of just leggings and sneakers.

This drive that I now felt really pushed me the last couple months. I wound up getting an interview with an event planning company, and then had a second interview and had really good feelings about it. I remember I was in the car when they called me to offer me the job and I actually screamed a little. I was really happy about this, and I was mostly happy that I felt this excited about getting a job, because for so long I was dreading getting a job and now I was actually excited.

I started work and the first day and I knew I would be ok. Even though I was 40 minutes early and locked outside, I didn’t care because I was excited. The people were more than friendly, and I felt very welcome. I even had my own desk! If I had just been thrown into the work force without my drive to actually want to be here, I would be miserable and always wonder what else is out there. However, now I am confident in my ability to have a real job and be able to enjoy it.

My main message to anyone out there trying to figure out their career is that there is no straight path. You make a road for yourself and follow it. Never compare yourself to your friends. Always be willing to try new experiences, and give yourself time to reflect and understand what you like and don’t like. I realized from my past experiences that the people I work with matter a lot to me, and I wanted a creative outlet.

If you do not know what you want to do right now, who cares? You’ll figure it out as you go. Five months ago I was so miserable trying to find a job that at Thanksgiving my cousin asked me why I looked so droopy… But everyone has to go through those low moments to catapult them into a new direction.

Go find your catapult and trust it.

7 Tips for your first week of work:

1. Dress so you feel like the best, most bad ass, version of yourself

2. Get to work early no matter what

3. Pack a really good lunch, you’ll look forward to it, and bring snacks