When I began to consider getting out of the customer service industry, anxiety about looking for a “big girl job” crept in. I had only ever worked in the restaurant or retail industries; making it pretty hard to realize what my next step could be. It took some soul searching and future planning to start thinking about jobs that would look appealing to employers I was actually interested in working for.
Once I narrowed down which type of jobs I should be looking for and in what area (part-time, preferably social media/ marketing based), I decided a pay range that would work for me. Many job postings will say what their pay range is, but some won’t. If not, it is something that I casually bring up in my interviews to make sure that we are on the same page. I wanted to make more than my previous job, which I believe is always an obtainable goal.
I did some digging and came across a job through the website of a company that I really wanted to work for. I recommend finding email addresses and contact information for a company that you want to work for one day and applying through that. Taking initiative and sending an email with my resume and LinkedIn profile link got my current boss’s attention, and she set up an interview.
Heading to my interview for my first real “big girl job” was nerve-wracking. I had a phone interview a few days before I went into the office to meet my boss in person, which was less nerve-wracking and felt more casual. The position is office assistant, and this includes more professional duties than I have ever been responsible for.
I was nervous about the interview, but my boss and I clicked so well that the conversation flowed well. She hired me, and I was so excited to start the next week. I was ready to show up and do my best work. I asked lots of questions about what was expected of me and how to do my job the best way possible.
Three months later, and I am still working for Black Wednesday Marketing and PR firm and loving it. My boss has already taught me so much about the field that I want to go into and being around hard-working people who do what I hope to do one day is inspiring. My best advice for anyone in college that wants to begin taking steps towards their career path would be trying to get involved with people and a field that you want to be in one day. Entry-level jobs count and are important, as well! Don’t feel like you can’t achieve career greatness in college.