It’s Not Your Dream Job, But You Should Take it Anyway

Photo Credit: The Devil Wears Prada, 2006

This article originally appeared on Ed2010.com

By: Jame Jackson 

How many times have we been told that we should just “hold out” while waiting for that dream job to come knocking? Well, we're here to tell you that advice sucks. The reality is your ‘dream job’ may not come in your early or even mid-20’s, but nonetheless, you’ve got to work. Here are three reasons why you should take that job, even if it’s not your dream:

1. You May Learn Something New About Yourself (or a Skill Set!)
   The world of publishing is changing and those that don’t bring a wide experience to the table are going to get lost. Even up to three years ago, I just wanted to be a print editor. Now, I’ve worked hard to master print, digital, and social media, never realizing I’d actually like digital more than a print magazine.Whenever tasked with a new job opportunity, you may learn it requires knowledge in a field, software, or just technicalities in general that you have absolutely no familiarity with. Take the challenge head on! Even if it’s not necessarily an ideal situation for you, you never know when you’ll learn a new skill, master a new craft, and heck, maybe even come to learn you love what you’re doing! At least you’ll walk away better off than when you came in.
2. You Can Network and Establish Viable Connections.
   You’d be surprised by how small the world is. When I went to a huge event on the West Coast, I went to some random restaurant and ended up sitting next to a woman who, after chatting for about ten minutes, realized we had met three years ago in a different state. The world is small, so people know people.Even if you’re looking at getting into fashion and the only roles that are giving you an edit test are health roles, take the position and network within the company! You never know who may know someone at another publication in a different vertical and who can easily namedrop you around their friends in the industry. Just get your foot in the door, and once you’re in the room, you can make moves a little easier. But no matter what kind of job you take, there’s always an opportunity to network and get your start. Just get the ball rolling.
3. Economic Stability is Kinda Nice.
   Nobody gets into journalism and publishing to make money *laugh cries*. We do this for the craft of storytelling, but the truth is, nobody really ENJOYS suffering to pay the bills. If you’ve got a skill that a company sees and wants to pay top dollar for, don’t shun them away just because that’s not the blessing you were expecting.One of my favorite lines from Ann Shoket’s book, The Big Life, is “Whether you have honed in on your Dream Job with laser-like focus or have no idea what career you want, know that just getting a job is better than flopping about trying to figure out the right path while burning through any savings left in your bank account.”  So work the job, do the best you can, and save your money.
4. But Don’t Forget To Keep Your Dream as a #LifeGoal
   I love goal-setting when it comes to money and your career: designate a time period by which you’ll have accomplished your set goal. In 6 months, I want to have saved $400. In 9 months, I want to leave my 9-5 job with a nest egg that’ll allow me to pay rent while I pursue my dream of writing my book. Whatever the goal or vision, putting yourself on a time crunch will force you to mentally get the ball rolling. In the meantime, save your coins for a rainy day. It may not be the dream job, but you can move into your dream job with a little bit of goal setting, a lot of planning, and all the hustle you can muster.

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