Where I’m Supposed to Be

Have you ever tried with all of your might to accomplish something and then figured out that the hardest part was following through with it? I have. For me that feeling came when applying to graduate school. I wanted to attend school out of the country and felt like applying for school and being accepted was the biggest hurdle I’d have to overcome. Along with financing it, getting documentation (such as student visas) out of the way and of the course the big move there, but honestly I think the actual degree program may be my biggest hurdle yet.
This example can also hold true for the job search, and that’s why I bring it up in the first place. We get anxious about finding the “right” job, about creating “winner resumes,” about structuring cover letters, references, interviews…but what about when we get that job? How do we accomplish what our employer expects of us? How do we accomplish what we expect of ourselves, what we touted in those cover letters and demonstrated in those resumes? It can seem overwhelming, it is overwhelming, and honestly that is the hardest part.
The preparation getting there is always going to be there. You do it and it’s done. The truly interesting, and altogether challenging, part is making the most out of that entry-level job. Investing a large chunk of your time in a place that counts on your every day efforts, interacting with your fellow employees, learning what it is you have to learn to do a satisfactory job. Taking those lessons with you when it’s time to move on and building upon the last experience until you are there, until you are at your desired career. Whew, that’s intimidating.
When I think of that, I don’t mind making resumes, typing up cover letters or going on interviews, that’s a piece of cake. It’s when the responsibility comes in, when I know that I have what I want and now I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of it. Times like these I have to take a breath and realize that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and just go with the flow. Just like with my graduate school acceptance. I am intimidated by the very fact that someone suspects I have what it takes to pursue a graduate degree and now I must take responsibility for that. In the same token, when I am hired for a job I must recognize that although I am new here I have a lot to offer. I am exactly where I am supposed to be.