The question that is plaguing out-of-work job seekers is, "Should I take any job for the sake of having a job?" The answer, in simple terms, is you should do everything you can to avoid it. The most important thing for your career is to move forward. You may ask, “Am I not suppose to take a job unless it is my dream job?” The answer again is no. You can have several jobs until you are working in your ideal career but the key is with each successive job, you are getting closer and closer to your dream job. You are the CEO of your career; therefore, you must be strategic in planning your future. Can you imagine an elegant restaurant suddenly adding fast food to their menu because they heard that fast food profit was increasing? The idea is ridiculous. In the same way, you cannot take any job for the sake of making a few dollars. Think always of your future and ask yourself, “Does this job give me the experience I need to move forward to my ideal career?” The concept begs the question of, “What can I do if I need a job but I can’t move directly into my dream job now?” The first step is to make sure you have a very clear vision of what your ideal career is. You need to spend significant time on this step as it is the foundation of your plan. The second step is to do a gap analysis. Look at job descriptions in your ideal career and determine what skills, experience, and knowledge are missing from your resume. The next step is to fill in those gaps with positions that can build your experience. Determine only to take jobs that fill in the gaps. For example, if you dream of being a professor but have no teaching experience, consider taking a couple of part time adjunct positions. The jobs may be lower paying than a full-time position in another industry, but in the end, you will receive greater payback. The recession won’t last forever and you will be in a position to be a much more experienced candidate when companies are in the hiring mode again. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
