This appeared in a recent posting on the New York Society
of Security Analysts (NYSSA) site. Susan Mach, PhD, is a communication coach,
trainer, and strategist. She teaches management communication part time at
major NYC-area business schools, and investment research report writing at
NYSSA.
Early-autumn weather is bracing. Millions of students
eagerly gear up for a new school year. Business leaders fine-tune their
strategy for the fourth-quarter push. It’s a time of optimism, renewed
energy, and forward-looking thinking.
But these times are painful for people who are unemployed.
So, if you’re a recent college grad, it’s understandable that you miss the
structure, rhythms, and deadlines of the semester.
Bottom line: Take a job—any job. As long
as it won’t harm our health or violate you ethics, any job is better than no
job. If you hate it, leave it. But it’s worth a try.
Here’s why:
- Structure:
Having a job means having a schedule. Regardless of what kind of job it
is, you have to manage time, balance family and work responsibilities, and
plan your days. Plus, as you continue to search for the job of your
dreams, you have to stay focused, in shape, and highly presentable. So you
might as well earn some money.
- Revenue: Even
if it’s a low-paying job, at least you have a revenue trickle, if not a
stream. It will enhance your emotional intelligence: Imagine the
challenges people face when they have no education, no skills, no
credentials, no network.
- Network: Video games, Facebook, and
texting can be fun, but they are also time vampires. And having no job can
lead to loneliness and isolation—which have deadly effects on your morale.
Most jobs require you to interact with others. You never know where your
big break—an idea, a contact, a job lead--will come from.
- Skills: Today’s job market is a
skills game. Every job is an opportunity to add to our personal skills
arsenal. If you can wait on a table of six demanding customers ordering
breakfast with a total of 18 unique configurations of coffee, omelets, and
toast, you know how to stay calm under pressure. If you can stock shelves
in a grocery store, you learn a lot about inventory management, customer
preferences, and global trends in the food retail industry. If you’re working
as an assistant day-care worker, you observe a wide variety of learning
styles and you sharpen your ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
- Forward movement: Taking any job demonstrates
your work ethic. It’s not giving in to paralysis. It’s not standing
still—and that’s what matters most these days.
