“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

-Mark Twain

The beginning is the hardest place to start but begin we must.

The job search is all about getting started. All action starts with a single step. But taking that step is incredibly difficult.

Once you graduated, the path was laid out in front of you. It was simple. You will go to college and get a job. However, after graduating,  it’s not as easy to just “get a job.” It takes hard work and dedication. Your sights might be set on a dream job. Or a path to a dream job.

Your first job won’t be your dream job. Get a job to get started and learn as much as you possibly can. Ask questions, be curious and excited to dive deeper. You might not be excited about the job but it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. Make mistakes. Learn from them. You’re on your path to get started.

Treat your job like a science experiment. You’ll find out what you like doing and what you don’t like doing. Knowing what you don’t like doing is just as helpful as learning what you do like doing. Find ways of doing more of the things you like and find out why you don’t like doing the things you don’t like. Ask to do more. Play.

What did I do when I moved to NYC without a job? I got a temp job at a temp agency answering phones for a commercial real estate company. It was the most boring job in the world but I took pride in how I answered the phone, the messages I took, the coffee packets I refilled and how I greeted the people who came into the office with a smile. I worked hard at the things I could control within my realm. And you know what? It paid off. Soon they started introducing me to people in the building who might have a job to offer that aligned with my experience. They liked me and wanted me to succeed.

So try. Just get started. Take pride in your start. Everyone has a different place to start. If your friend gets that full-time job before you or “better one” – focus on you. Just start. Begin with working hard and learning and see where the path leads you.

Ready? Go kick ass in your career! 

Want more? Listen to my podcast where I talk about it more!