Do not Despise Small Beginning

My dad always used to tell me that and I'm fairly certain he wasn't the original author, so whoever first said that pearl of wisdom, my apologies for not giving you credit. Anyway, what do I mean by "Do not despise small beginnings?" Everyone has to start somewhere and the job market is very competitive. Sometimes you can make the best possible impression and there just happens to be someone with better qualifications out there. That's just the way it is for many recent graduates, especially those of us non-computer nerds/accounting masterminds. What is one to do when the job search process feels fruitless?

Think about internships. *gasp* Especially if you've never yet had one. Yes, even if they're underpaid or even unpaid. Before getting all offended at the prospect of being a lowly intern after all your hard work to obtain a degree, think about how terribly incestuous some industries are. Everybody knows everybody in some job markets and it's not so much what you know, as who you know. Ever seen an entry level job description that requires X years of previous experience? Confused? Employers, unfairly as it is, can find people who have that and would obviously prefer it. This means the first year out of college we might have to hold on to the grueling restaurant server shifts in our agonizing quest for those X years of previous experience! Of course, some are fortunate enough to land a job making bank right away (aka. MIS and Accounting folk), but not all. Just don't think you're too good for an internship simply because you have a degree. Many employers use internship positions as trial stages to try you out and see if you're a good full-time, salary position fit so don't rule those out. Don't get discouraged. Make it a point to spend a certain amount of hours each week searching and applying. Don't throw out the ramen noodles just yet because you might have to start small. Good luck!