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G
OUR FIRST JOB:
GRADUATION
is imminent. The
time is at hand:
it’s time to start
thinking about your
first job! You may be
brimming with questions.
What should you look for?
What are important
decision-making factors and
what aren’t? And really, how
important
is
your decision? How
much pressure is there to pick the
right first job?
While there
may be no right
or wrong answer,
there are many things
to consider before you
make your final choice
(once you get to that point).
Tomesah Harrison of Bayer
and Jennifer Struck of DuPont
Ag & Nutrition share advice for
new graduates considering their
first jobs.
HOW IMPORTANT IS MAKING
THE RIGHT CHOICE?
It’s important to be happy in whatever
you do, so new graduates often
approach their first job determined
to find the perfect position. Take the
pressure off: making the right choice for
your first job should not be a stressful
experience but rather one of openness
and excitement.
“I believe it’s important for new grads
to evaluate their options but don’t get
too anxious about your first job choice,”
said Harrison. “Every experience brings
learning, and the first job is guaranteed
to be one of many for new graduates.”
Struck also emphasized that
students shouldn’t stress about finding
the “right job” but the right job for this
time in your life.
“As a person grows in their career, the
right job will change,” Struck said. “Many
times, we have higher expectations
of what we can do when in reality, we
need to start somewhere to learn the
ropes. I always challenge students to
step outside their comfort zone when
leaving college because it’s the time that
they are more likely to be able to do so.”
Consider taking a career in an
industry you may not be as familiar with.
Explore opportunities in a new location
that you may not have considered.
In many scenarios, a new graduate
may not be presented with job openings
that match their idea of a dream job.
You may find yourself feeling forced to
apply to whatever’s open including
positions you may not be at all
passionate about. But know that it’s not
as dire as you think.
“I’m not sure there is a ‘dream job,’”
Harrison said. “There are aspects of
every role that we really love or dread.”
“There are many times when people
work in roles that they would not
consider ideal,” Struck said. “However,
after being there, they are able to find
a new passion or see their career taking
them in a different direction. You will
learn and take something from every
experience that will then help you land
the ideal role.”
You may decide your first role really
isn’t for you, and, as it’s been said, that’s
fine. Just beware of job-hopping.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
by Kristine Penning, AgCareers.com Creative Marketing Specialist
30
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g
& F
ood
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Areer
g
uide