Faith in Business: It's Not Too Late

I was talking to Cathy Modde the other day about the types of interactions our campus ministers are having with seniors. With only a few months until graduation, the process of saying goodbye and preparing seniors for what comes next has already begun (in a way, it began the day they walked in here as freshmen).

Cathy mentioned something that surprised me--she said that in several conversations with seniors, they said that they had accepted post-graduation jobs and positions even though they didn't want those positions.

The reason? Not the economy--although I wouldn't hold it against anyone to take a job just to have a job at this point--but rather because the students felt that those jobs were the only ones they could get based on their major/degree, and that it was "too late" to do anything else.

Too late? It's not too late.

Cathy said that she was actually hearing this from juniors as well as seniors, the perception that they had already come this far in their academic careers and thus the next few years were already set in stone.

I'm not here to contradict that sentiment; in fact, I'm here to affirm it. You're right, juniors and seniors. The first job you take after college will have an impact on the rest of your career. And your current studies have an impact on that first job.

Here's a true story about a young man that we'll call "Jamey Stegmaier": I studied International Business and Japanese at Wash U. I procrastinated a bit and didn't seriously start applying for jobs until the spring semester. And none of the jobs I applied to had anything to do with Japanese...I had studied the language for many years and just needed a break. I was finally offered a solid, boring job in May, but I went with my gut and rejected the offer. Trust your gut. Have faith in yourself.

Thus I entered the summer without a job. Looking back, I'm completely bewildered that I wasn't scared or worried. Somehow I had this sense of peace and faith that everything would work out. I didn't expect someone to hand me a job on a silver platter, but I had a feeling that I'd be fine. Have faith in yourself.

Sure enough, I heard about a job at a publishing company, and even though I didn't have the required English degree, I applied, followed up, interviewed, and got the job. The lesson: 95% of what you need to know for your first job has absolutely nothing to do with what you learned in college. That extra 5% can get you in the door, but so can a phone call. At least for that first job. Have faith in yourself.

Four years later, the doors to my office closed and I was out looking for a job again. I know that's jumping ahead a bit for you seniors, but if you want to look down the road, you need to think about what you're going to do after your first job. Because I can guarantee that your first job will not be your last job.

When you're looking for your second job/career, you might realize what I did: It's too late to change careers. At least, you'll feel that way. I worked in publishing for 4 years, and I no longer wanted to work in publishing. But the only jobs that applied to my experience were publishing jobs.

At that point, you'll have the option to go back to school or use your connections to get a job that doesn't relate to your experience. Informational interviews are a way to get your foot in the door, but they offer no guarantee that you'll be considered.

Even then, when you truly feel like it's too late to change careers, it's not too late. Have faith in yourself. You know you're capable of doing things other than that which relates to your major and degree and your first job--great things--you just have to convince someone else of that.

So back to you, junior or senior in college who feels like you're already pigeonholed into a career that barely piques your interest: It's not too late. Now, of all times, is when it's not too late. Sure, if you're 3 years into an Engineering degree, complete the degree. But for that final year--or even add an extra summer or semester--take some classes that will cover that 5% I mentioned above, that 5% needed to get you in the door of a job that truly excites you. Then go get that job when the time comes. The converse is that you don't take those passion classes, you don't get that exciting job, you spend the next few years in a job that doesn't excite you, always thinking that your next job will be the one that makes you happy, but by the time you're ready to apply for your next job, you've pigeonholed yourself into a career that doesn't make sense for you, and the company you want to work for won't even call you back because you don't have the right words on your resume.

I repeat: If you're still a student, and you have any idea of what your dream job is, try at the very least to get a minor relating to that dream job. Get that magical 5% while you can. It's not too late.

If you want to truly trust in God's faith in you, you need to have faith in yourself. Faith that it's not too late, that you're going to be okay, that you can have a career that really excites and engages you. A job that you value--a job where you are valued.

It's not too late to have faith in yourself.