Jen was a smart college graduate who had high aspirations as far as his career ambitions were concerned. Landing a job wasn’t that difficult for him. However, he wanted the job of his dreams and that was to be an administrator in a top oil firm. Whilst awaiting the job he yearned for, he rejected offers from several graduate entry jobs. He always thought, why get into a job when you will soon leave it for your dream job. For him, as long as you are qualified, you are going to land your dream job pretty soon. Time they say waits for no man, soon it was four years after graduation, and the perfect job had not dropped yet. His colleagues who took entry level jobs are not doing extra fantastic but are making quite a decent living for themselves.

Jen will always say, just a couple of months’ salary in a top oil firm will be much more than all the meager pennies they call salaries. For Jen there was no point in starting with a much lower job when he was fully qualified to be at the top and sooner or later it will be in. Jen’s parents were so considerate of his plight and gladly made him feel at home and provided as usual with meals. It’s been five years now and they are starting to get frustrated; the fact was not their inability to cater for him. It was the fact that, they could not fathom why a graduate of his calibre would be languishing in the house whilst defending himself of waiting for the perfect job.

Landing your dream job right after college is great. However, your inability to land it right after does not in any way mean you cannot start from somewhere and get to it. The point is not where you start from but where you get from where you started. Jen is still waiting whilst his colleagues who took not so glamorous jobs according to Jen’s description are doing quite well. It is good to keep the dream, but what is more important is, working towards it.

The call for an Audit Associate eventually appeared in a top oil firm, just the perfect fit for Jen. Jen had braced through almost all the formalities including the daunting aptitude tests which most people dreaded. The last stage was the interview stage; it had been very good for Jen until his experience in the field was sorted for. Jen had not really factored gaining experience as a huge determinant in seeking his dream job. He never bothered and went home in high spirits; alas, he was about to get his dream job. Aki was a colleague of Jen, actually his junior in college but had gone on to work in an entry level job with a not so glamorous company in same capacity as advertised for, for two years. Jen had a higher score in the aptitude test that notwithstanding, Aki had the requisite mark and coupled with his experience he was selected as the preferred candidate. No doubt Jen had good academic prowess, but what the recruiting panel considered when it came down to the two of them was who had more experience and that was where Jen missed out.
Had Jen taken any of the not so glamorous entry level jobs on offer, he would not only have been making decent returns in terms of salaries but would also have been acquiring indispensable experience and expertise which would have put him in a better stead over the other candidates. You cannot always get it straight, you’ve got to start from somewhere sometimes and that will make all the difference when the defining moment arrives.  How you are going to get to the top should not drain all your efforts. Your only weapon should be the fact that, you are constantly keeping your dream alive no matter where you start from. Keep going, keep improving, with positive thoughts and habits coupled with consistent self-investment you will get there. Start from somewhere, keep going on and with the help of God you will get there, I wish you well!