Not too long ago I walked across a distinguished looking stage, with a group of distinguished men and women sitting on it, all wearing distinguished robes and caps... I was wearing one too. I received a very official looking folder in which will go a very distinguished piece of paper that I will likely later put into a distinguished looking frame. I spent a lot of time and a lot of money for a graduate degree and I loved every minute of it but now... reality is setting in. I suppose I am experiencing what a lot of graduates are experiencing whether bachelors or Masters... how do I find a job that is a good fit for my interests, training, experience, and passion?
I wish I had an easy answer but it seems to vary depending from field to field. But these are not "meandering thoughts" on how to find your dream job, instead these are my ideas on what to do in the time between finishing your education and landing that dream job. I have been asked, "what are your plans now?" or "what goals do you have for yourself?" To be honest it is hard to set goals when there is no real framework in which to set goals. What do you try to achieve, how do you improve your performance what do you shoot for when you are still looking for a job to perform in?
To help me answer these kinds of questions I have put together a list of nine things I (and anyone really) can work towards in the time "between" times. Now, I share with you how we can navigate the time between ending one chapter in our lives and beginning another; how we can "improve our performance" by setting measurable and attainable goals. These are the first three I came up with. ( I was hoping to get a nice round number like ten, but nine is what I am stuck with. If you have an idea share it with me.)
My goals for the time between times:
- Steward my Opportunities - I may get occasional opportunities to work on some projects that are directly connected to my area of training and education. I need to make the most of those opportunities and use them to showcase what I can do. I need to do my best work here. These chances are where I get to demonstrate who I am and what I am about.
- Stay at the Cutting Edge - Identify ten thinkers and writers who are at the cutting edge of my field and read everything they write. This will keep me at the forefront of the thinking and conceptualization in my field. I will have a grasp on the direction and the depth of my area of expertise.
- Remain Relevant - Find ways to use basic skills in my field in what I am doing right now. I need to know a few things that I can do now that I will also need to be doing years from now. I am in sales now so talking with people and developing a rapport with them is one of the things I need to continually work on.
Just a few meandering thoughts...
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My next three will be coming soon...
