First Job : A Trap or a Dream

First job is always a special event or a turning point in our lives. It is the beginning of our professional lives, a transition from a student to professional. As a fresher we have dreams, goals, ambitions, responsibilities to fulfil and achieve a sense of accomplishment called success. This "First job" holds the key to our future, so it can be a dream for one or a trap for someone.

When we are ready to start our career journey we all have dreams in our eyes about what profession we want to get into based on our area of interest and skills. But sometimes talent and interest are not enough, situation does matter. Everyone starts this journey with high enthusiasm, goals and ambitions. Like many of us wanted to be a pilot, astronaut, architect, engineers, doctors, defense personnel, civil servants, athletes etc. But where are we now? Have we achieved these goals? If Yes ! the credit goes to the determination, hard work, consistency in the efforts to achieve it. But, if the answer is no! were we less determined? Lacked hard work? Or the efforts lacked consistency? Maybe or may not. Many aspirants miss the goals by a whisker. A defense or civil services aspirant may clear the written exam with high score but miss out at the time of SSB or in interview. A engineer with second division CGPA but high practical understanding can bag placement in tech giant while a topper may struggle to get good placement. An athlete may miss out due to selection politics in the sport etc. But why does such things happen? the answer is situation. When situation favor's our efforts we get our "Dream" job and start the career as we always wanted. But when situation does not favor we need to settle and reassess. Those who got the dream job have found the path but others need to navigate a path to reach the goal or change the path towards plan B.

Is it a easy task to restart and change to a new "dream"? No, definitely not. At this point the individual has two choices: One, get any job one gets to avoid "GAP" in CV irrespective of their talent and interest and simultaneously find ways to get closer to your dream job. Second, be rigid and make persistent efforts to get what one wants or forge a new path all together. Now, If one makes the first choice they may fall in a trap which I call "First job trap". I call it a trap because now the entire world will presume one's interests, treat this as the individual's dream job and undermine their talent/potential based on it. A bias will be formed that one fits only in this role and must not be considered for other opportunities, closing all the doors of possibilities. People will presume one's abilities and skills based on this situational life choice by this judgmental biased attitude and chances of getting the opportunities one's talent deserves would be reduced. There are few quotes to further demoralize such individuals. Like "Beggars have no choice"..."For you it is a job, for someone it is dream job and for someone having a job is a dream" etc. By such quotes the underachieving individuals with low morale and motivation are forced to continue working in the field they actually never wanted to do and find themselves trapped in the situation. This creates a roadblock in advancement of the career. So here someone's "dream" job becomes a "nightmare" for someone.

But, when an individual makes the second choice, they find themselves in a "Make it or Break it" situation. By the zeal to achieve, self-belief, determination and persistence in their efforts they may achieve what people call their "Dream" job or break the ties with previous dreams to start a new journey and forge their own career path due to their risk taking ability. We say so, as these individuals do not get into the societal or pear pressure which constantly tells us "Do not have GAPs in career ... you will not get jobs" as these gaps are treated as sins in job market.

While making the choice of "First" job an individual must make sure it aligns somewhere near the area of interest, even if it is not the exact match. Otherwise the feeling of being trapped in a place they don't belong to will affect not only their skills, abilities but also their mental health and eventually lead their life towards lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart problems at a young age. So lets modify a quote... "It's a job for someone, it's a dream job for someone, it's a dream to have a job for someone and this job is a trap for someone. "