Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please login or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!
|
 b0blet
Drummer
Registered: 01/25/07
Posts: 156
Last seen: 4 months, 25 days
|
 Accepting failure on desired career path 
#9052005 - 10/09/08 04:58 AM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Hi,
I graduated in Economics almost a year and a half ago now. For the last year I worked in a wine bar until finally, after 21 years of education, I realised that I liked studying and started actually doing it. As a result of working in the wine bar I realised that I need to pursue work of a higher nature if I want to be happy in employment.
I had this revelation around April and have been studying since then. I've also started volunteering for two charities (office admin & Trust fundraising intern) and I have two graduate schemes to apply for. The first I'm going to apply for within the next month and the second (Assistant Economist), which is the main one, I will be applying for in February or March.
Now that I feel I have a purpose or a direction in my life, how do I prepare for potential failure?
Typical office jobs in the range of different departments don't appeal to me. I'd rather do one than work in a bar again but it seems that you have to work incredibly hard to actually get one; demonstrate your commitment, competency etc, only to find that what you're actually doing requires no extra skill or intelligence and that you're going to be just as bored and demotivated doing that as you would be pooring pints.
|
 badchad
Mad Scientist
Registered: 03/02/05
Posts: 9,214
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: b0blet]
#9052193 - 10/09/08 07:44 AM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
For a lot of things in life, you have to work extremely hard to get where you want to be. This may involve "Typical office jobs in the range of different departments don't appeal to me." You have to put your time in and work your way up.
If it doesn't appeal to you, then don't do it. For a lot of people, its much easier to go back to doing whats comfortable and easy.
--------------------
...the whole experience is (and is as) a profound piece of knowledge. It is an indellible experience; it is forever known. I have known myself in a way I doubt I would have ever occurred except as it did.
Smith, P. Bull. Menninger Clinic (1959) 23:20-27; p. 27.
...most subjects find the experience valuable, some find it frightening, and many say that is it uniquely lovely.
Osmond, H. Annals, NY Acad Science (1957) 66:418-434; p.436
|
b0blet
Drummer
Registered: 01/25/07
Posts: 156
Last seen: 4 months, 25 days
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: badchad]
#9052651 - 10/09/08 11:17 AM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I'm more than willing to work hard.
With that last comment I merely wanted to demonstrate the level of scrutiny and of course, competition involved when applying for generic office jobs.
|
WhiskeyClone
Not here
 
Registered: 06/25/01
Posts: 16,492
Loc: Longitudinal Center of Ca...
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: b0blet]
#9052652 - 10/09/08 11:17 AM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
You can never be 100% sure about anything before you do it, but in my experience the easiest/most comfortable path never seems to be the most rewarding one. My life got a lot better when I started to do things that were difficult for me.
Don't worry about failure. Setbacks are setbacks, but failure means resignation. It's always a choice, not something that happens to you.
--------------------
Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it.
~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
|
meams
Blessed
Registered: 01/11/05
Posts: 17,773
Loc: In a Tree
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#9052878 - 10/09/08 12:32 PM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
b0blet, i'm wondering what institution you're applying to be an assistant economist at? I am also an Econ major, with great prospects and am currently wrestling with my career path once I get out.
I interned in DC this summer and would LOVE to move back there, but am unsure about which agency to focus my efforts on.
Anyways, there are tons of research assistant posts all throughout the area:
World bank
IMF
Board of Governors
BLS
BEA
etc...
I'm just intrigued as to what you're considering since i'll be in the same boat in a few short months.
Luckily, the professor leading our Fed Challenge team used to live & work in DC, so he has a healthy list of connections to try to get me a job.
As far as preparing to fail goes: Just don't accept failure as a possible outcome. Work your hardest, prove your worth, don't take no for an answer - and if you work hard enough, you won't have to.
Also: medial office jobs are a given. you have to do them to prove your ability to cope under a variety of office cirumstances. My internship this summer was fucking dull. Administrative duties, research, drafting letters & mailings, envelope stuffing - you can't just jump halfway up the ladder... everyone starts on Rung #1
|
b0blet
Drummer
Registered: 01/25/07
Posts: 156
Last seen: 4 months, 25 days
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: meams]
#9053098 - 10/09/08 01:17 PM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
You guys are right. I guess I've put too much emphasis on my two opportunities as being the only options for being involved in something thats challenging and interesting. I also think I've been putting too much pressure on myself to 'achieve now'. I suppose optimism and perseverance is the answer!
Quote:
meams said:
b0blet, i'm wondering what institution you're applying to be an assistant economist at?
Civil service in UK (www.ges.gov.uk). Which department you get assigned to is decided after you've been accepted.
Unlike you (it appears), I didn't study hard at University. I put the minimal amount of work in to get a good enough grade (2.1 Honours in UK) and never had any other drive, until 6 months after I graduated. I regret not striving to my potential but I'm glad that I now have a goal and am working hard.
It's great you have so many options, meams. You're drive inspires me. I wish you the best of luck and thanks for the reply.
|
meams
Blessed
Registered: 01/11/05
Posts: 17,773
Loc: In a Tree
|
Re: Accepting failure on desired career path [Re: b0blet]
#9053683 - 10/09/08 03:34 PM (4 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
I'm glad you have adopted such a good mindset and became moivated - it will prove to be a great tool to help you achieve.
While your grades in college may briefly inhibit you at the start, once you have a job and are exceeding everyone's expectations they will completly forget about any past scores - and only focus on ways to utilize your productivity and motivation for higher organizational purposes.
Attitude is the key to success. If you want to work hard, you will, and you will reap the benefits.
| |
|
|
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: CherryBom, eris, boO, Gumby, ZippoZ, Newbie
712 topic views. 0 members, 15 guests and 0 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Toggle Favorite | Print Topic ]
| | |
|
|
|
Images only 
Threaded
Previous
Index
Next
Edit 
Reply 
Anonymous
