Life can be one big adventure at this stage, even though that may not be how you view it whilst you are going through it. Everything is new, you are learning so much about yourself both at work and in life.
So many choices: to work and travel, or study and build your career. There are so many opportunities for you if you want to take them.
Everything you do, organising travel, learning to communicate and live with other cultures and countries gives you new and useful skills that you can add to your Resume.
Still finding the right job can be a challenge. It can be hard to break into the workforce, to get a start in your field, using the skills and knowledge you have tried so hard to get. You need experience but how do you get experience if you can’t get a job? This article from Indeed.com talks further about this issue.
Be kind to yourself, you do know a lot but you will have so much to learn and it takes time to learn.
It takes at least 6 months to feel comfortable in a job, to feel confident that you know what you are doing and what is expected of you.
You are learning new skills, improving old skills and gaining knowledge about a diversity of things. You are learning how to work for a 7+ hour day, you are learning about the written and unwritten rules of your workplace, and where you fit in it. Look at this article by Wisestep on important things you learn in your first job.
One of the most important things we learn in our jobs is about people, as you move from being with those of a similar age and often a similar demographic to a workplace that has a range of ages and people from different backgrounds.
The importance of communication and interpersonal skills at work cannot be overstated.
They are essential to you for career success and for your employer as it affects how well the team works together and how customers feel about the business.
Working with people with whom you may find it difficult to connect with is one of the hardest things about working. If you are in a workplace where everyone gets on and works well work can be such a great place to be but if you haven’t been lucky enough to find a workplace like that then it can be really distressing.
One thing that may help you stick it out is that you don’t have to be friends with those you work with but just get along together politely and pleasantly so that you can all work together productively.
I will be writing more about this in a later blog
This time in your life is when you are working out if the job/career you have chosen is the right one for you. If it is then you are one of the lucky ones, make the most of this time to really focus on building a career that you want, take advantage of any opportunities to build your knowledge and skills. Travel, work overseas (once the borders open) and make the most of this “me” time before life gets more complicated.
If you are finding that you have chosen a field that hasn’t lived up to what you expected, then you are not alone.
A lot of people who find after a few years of work that the career they have chosen or drifted into just isn’t the best fit.
Often at school we are told to choose a field that corresponds with what we are good at or interested in at school but as you find out once you start working, there are so many other things that are important to finding a rewarding job.
For one there are your values ie your important beliefs, an example of this is one of my clients was working in a workplace that sourced their products from third world places, this was a real conflict for her and she ended up doing some extra training and moving into another area altogether.
We spend so much time at work, so find a career that gives you satisfaction and reward is important to many people.
The next article in this series will focus on the start of your career what I have called The Settling Years.
If you are feeling stuck about what you want to do, if you are at a turning point in your working life and need some guidance on how to find your way to more satisfying work or to an interesting retirement then book a free 30 minute “Right for You” call so we can help you.
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