When you set out to find your first entry level job after college, you want to make sure you are getting your future off on the right foot. Yet it seems nearly all of us have some horror stories in our past about the job we wish we hadn't took on or the one we let slip through our fingers. Sometimes people even tried to tell us before hand that we were going to regret what we were doing but pride got in the way and we made a decision we later regretted. For those of us who have traveled this path, we know the mistakes. For those still coming up the ladder, this article is there to help you avoid the mistakes we made... even though you will make some too.

Mistake #1: I have plenty of time to decide what I want to do with my life.

How many of us have said that? We all seem to have the thought that the world is waiting on us to decide what we want it to give us. Unfortunately, the world doesn't like to be kept waiting. If a entry level job opening or an internship opportunity becomes available and you think you might want to take advantage of it, jump on it. It is far better to decide what you want to do with your life with a few extra dollars and some work experience in your pocket than to regret a missed opportunity when you are bankrupt.

Mistake #2: Lots of jobs equals lots of experience. That will help my resume, right?

Wrong. Sure it is fun to change the scenery every week and you are getting a lot of experience but there is something else you are developing at the same time... A poor work ethic and reputation. Companies that hire for entry level jobs want someone who will stay and make more of themselves than just an entry level employee. That is why they include the keywords, entry level. It is like a marathon. You can enter a hundred marathon races but just entering isn't enough. You have to go through the whole experience to derive any benefit from it. Employers looking at a resume for a person who held ten jobs in the last year are going to see someone who won't be with their company in six months. If they are going to invest the time and effort training you, they want to make sure you will run the whole race.

In the next post, we will discuss a few more mistaken notions and how you can avoid these pitfalls when you are looking for your entry level career.