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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

career criteria//

Call it a mid-college crisis...
But I have no idea what i want to be "when i grow up" anymore.
//
Anyone with me?
If so, let's be friends.  And share a pint of ice cream. And bawl our eyes out while looking at the amount of debt just growing before us, while we wander aimlessly through the rest of the college years still trying to figure out what exactly is going to happen "post-grad".
//
Or, to save on tissues, how about something a bit more productive?

Nerdalert, but I am actually learning a lot in my academic and career planning class.
Not figuring out exactly what title I want for, but the criteria that goes along with it.
Lemme do some 'splaining.
//
People always ask "Oh, so what do you want to do after graduation?"  Family, professors, high school buds, interviewers, your dog, your gerbil; they all ask this same question! And we always retort with the usual one-word description that's supposed to fulfill all our hopes and dreams.
A writer. A designer. A banker. A teacher. A whatever.

But I've come to the point where someone asks me this question and I give them a blank stare and some sort of trailing speech of "Well...I don't really know anymore..."
And then whoever is listening responds with a sad smile and a look that says, "I'll be praying for you, you poor lost little child, you."

Now, as depressing as it is thinking about owning a useless $60,000 paper that says "college degree", I still believe/hope that this imaginary dream job just fit for Melissa is waiting to be discovered.  Although I have no idea what it is, this fantasy career is going to happen.  Just you wait.
//
While waiting, I decided to follow my instructor's idea of writing down not the optimal job title for myself, but the different aspects I am looking for in this pie-in-the-sky career.
Some silly, some serious.

 //Helps get all your ducks in a row and whatnot.
Try it out.  I promise, you won't be disappointed.

found via pinterest
my ideal workspace.
inventive&&inspirational

1.  Creative- My first criteria when choosing my dream job is a no-brainer.  Well techniqually the right-side-of-my-brain-er.  I need a job that lets me use the original (and sometimes weird) ideas God purposely gave me.  I would not be able to handle a mundane, repeated task every time I clocked in.  Don't get me wrong, that type of work is great when needed to rejuvenate those visionary thoughts once in a while.  But I need my juice. My creative juice.

2. Comfort- Sweats. Ya gotta love 'em.  If anything, I am hoping my job requires sweatpants/shirts as the uniform.  But more often than not, this isn't really happening.  So, since we're dreaming here, let's just pretend I can get a job that lets me stay at home.  Eat breakfast at my leisure.  Go on a run when needbe.  Blast some jams to wake up the mind.  Plus, I don't even have to shower every day then.  WinWin situation.

3.  Change- I like change.  To an extent.  I like that I can constantly adjust the direction my writing takes me or having a different idea come to mind about a blog post.  So, in order to keep the passion alive in my job, I would like to be able to sometimes switch up the routine.  Writing not working out? Let me go take some pictures.  Camera isn't cooperating? Let me go hash it out on the keyboard.  Basically, I want to be able to use all my various hobbies and fancies in a daily work routine.  But also to keep raking in the moola.

4. Comical- I love to joke around.  Seriously.  If you've read this far along in the blog, I hope you have chuckled along with me as I write these posts.  If not...then that's just awkward.  I think I'm a funny person.  Maybe just to me? Possibly.  But when someone tells me that they read something I wrote and literally "LOL-ed", I get all warm and fuzzy inside.  I NEED a job that lets me do this.  Whether in writing or joking along with my co-workers, working-life is just more enjoyable when you crack a side-splittling laugh every once in a while.  Doctor's orders.

5.  unConstrained- (See what I did there? Keeping the "C" thing going? Mental high-five!)  This is a word I definitively wouldn't put on my resume for my work qualities...But let's just roll with it.  By this description, I mean two things.  A) I like setting my own schedule.  Period.  Work-life balance is going to be the biggest thing I strive for in my future.  B) Maybe there is some undiscovered rebellious side in me, but I HATE being told what to do.  Mostly when its comes to what to write.  Ideally my job would never do any of these things.  I would have the freedom to express my thoughts and opinions in the way I know best.  I like to bend the (grammar) rules a bit.  Be unexpected. Take a stand.  Do what I want to do.  Gosh, this is making me sound like a stubborn little child.  Overall, I want to be able to BE MYSELF.  I don't ever want a job that makes me lose sight of WHO I AM and WHO I WAS CREATED TO BE...which may be a little stubborn sometimes, yes.

1 comment

  1. That struggle to find yourself and who you want to be is difficult but believe me when I say you too can get through this and that there is a light at the seemingly endless tunnel. Your happiness and success will come, do not give up on yourself! SO, you my dear are on the right path of acknowledging that you need more and that you will fight for yourself! :) you know what you want essentially, you just need the right fit and by no means are your 'stipulations' ridiculous or unreasonable- they're real and things that will help you feel fulfilled in life, then don't you change a darn thing!

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