To Be Or Not To Be

So as I sit here and apply to job after job, I start to wonder what is it that I really want to do. I have had so many goals, dreams, aspirations - maybe even a little too ambitious for most. But at this very moment, its like I have no clue as to what to do with myself. Of course,  I went to school, majored in finance and minored in accounting, but is that what my heart desires, is that the will of my Creator. That would be more clear of course if I had experience working in my field. I thought I had it all planned out, even before college.

Could a person be overly ambitious? I wonder that about myself sometimes because there are so many ideas that run through my head day in and day out. So many that at this point in my life I find it hard to write them down so they will become concrete. That's funny to write because here I am just typing away with thoughts and ideas flowing; but I can't even write down a concrete vision, dream, or goal. It's baffling.

To be or not to be is the question I ask myself daily. We should all ask ourselves that daily in order to explore what is really in our hearts. We have to sit back and ask that question and fill in the blanks with our dreams or goals. To be or not to be....a financial analyst.....fashion buyer.....magazine /book editor.....entrepreneur.....mathematician....sports/entertainer agent.... Do that and see how many different avenues of life you could follow. You never know you may just come up with your vocation not just a career.We all need to be looking for our vocation- working to do something you love, and in no way will it feel like you are working everyday. Vocation is a hobby that you get paid to do; and better yet if you find your vocation and you are truly happy then chances are that was God's will. And to do His will is the more important than anything that this earth could offer.

Although I sit here everyday wondering and trying to figure out what my vocation is I shouldn't be. The reason is because He will provide me with that information when I'm ready, when I am fully prepared. Preparation is key. He has to work inside of me before He uses me! So remember that for yourself as well. Everyone has a purpose and do not short sell yourself and say, "I want to be like such and such." We are unique beings, no two alike; so expect to be better than the rest. So in the mean time I will follow Proverbs 16:3, Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. He will answer my question of "To be or not to be..."

Stepping Out on FAITH

Stepping out on Faith is how I came into the position I am now. I don't have any regrets to any actions I have done in life. One reason is because God has taken me through everything thus far and Two, he will continue to carry me through. I recently made the decision to resign from my current position as a "telephone girl" to explore opportunities else where. My hope was to gain an opportunity outside of NC. I will keep praying for that, but until then I am going to continue to look both outside of NC and in NC. I was stubborn to look in NC just because of my own pleasures. But as we all know, God usually fulfills what is His pleasures and not our own. I read a scripture last night out of the book of Proverbs that got me really thinking. Proverbs 18:2 says, A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.

So of course that hit home quite a bit. Me looking to leave NC is something I wanted to express in my own heart. I can tell because so many of my family members wanted me to take a different path. This is not to discourage anyone from following their dreams or their heart. But you want to make sure that what you have in your heart was put there by the Lord and if you commit your works to Him, your dreams will be fulfilled.

So do step out on faith, but make sure you are stepping out at the right time. I stepped out before I fully gave myself to God. But now that I have, He has made it clear to me that I must follow my heart and my dreams, if and only if they are of His pleasures and not my own. So write down your vision, dreams and goals, pray about them and make sure they are within His will. If they are go ahead and Step Out on Faith and don't let anyone deter you from doing so.

As a we finish up and close our education chapter of our lives, remember we are young, brilliant and favored. So with that said you can posses anything you ever put your mind to. There is nothing to it as long as it is not for your own gain but for upbringing of others as well. Continue to DREAM BIG! Put yourself out there, because the more it may seem like failure, the more you are actually learning from yourself.!

Carpe Diem!!

Work Ethic Vs. Work Experience

   It has become seemingly apparent that experience in the workforce is more relevant than a person's work ethic. As I have started this new journey to gain experience in my field, I can't get past the interview stage because I don't have experience. Would an organization rather have someone that has been in the industry for many years rather than a person that is capable of doing the job and work extra hard at it because they know that they have to hit the ground running once there? All organizations have certain ways that they do particular services. How one organization does service Z is different how another organization does service Z. We have come to know there is truth behind that saying because that is sometimes how an organization gains a competitive advantage over another- because they know how to do service Z more efficiently. 

    So my question as a college graduate is - how do organizations expect us to get experience if we are not hired because of that very reason. Of course the most prevalent answer comes to mind, and that is through internships and co-ops as an undergrad. Which I totally agree with the concept. I say now as a graduate that my biggest mistake in my college journey was that I did not take the opportunity to explore my options for an internship or co-op. So I will hold myself accountable for that mistake. But with that poses another question, which I will ask in a few.

    But let's think about the average college student. Now mind you, my definition of the average college student may be different from your view. But when I think of the average college student, I think of a person who is able to go to college without having to take on any other responsibilities while there. Meaning, their focus is on college and their lifestyle while there. That is my view on how it was for my peers, which in my opinion that is absolutely how it should be.

    But here comes my other question: If you are not categorized as the average college student, how do you make time and sacrifices to do internships and or co-ops? Not everyone has the pleasure or opportunity to go through college without any other responsibilities. As for myself  I am not in the above category of an average college student. To me it's not unfortunate that I am not but I am fortunate. The reason I am fortunate because as a person who had to work full time and go to college full time, I became very disciplined, independent, and more aware of my time. So this gave my very valuable skills: organizational skills, time management skills, detail -oriented, self-starter, motivated; the list could go on but the greatest skill of all is that I am a hard worker and I have great work ethic. That skill is above all because I am not a person that is bound by my situation, I focus and I get my job done; at that time my jobs were a full time student and a full time employee. Making a sacrifice to do an internship even if it was paid, just did not seem feasible to me at that time. There came the responsibility of surviving my 4 years by working or quitting; and we all know quitting wasn't an option.

    So what do we do if we have the know how, the motivation to work hard everyday; all day, and still no job in our field. If an organization is going to teach the experienced to do it the way they do it; why not take the opportunity to do the same for someone that does not have that experience. I don't elect that ethic should be chosen over experience in every situation. But when you can look in a person's eyes and hear that they are not afraid to take on responsibility, then maybe once or even twice pick the underdog because in the end that person may become more of an asset to an organization than the guy with all the experience!

   Carpe Diem!

Introduction

Hello All,
I want to first introduce myself before getting started. I am a college graduate from one of the best schools in my state. I recently decided to try and get my money's worth of my degree and get into my related job field. So, for the past 3 months I have been job searching and interviewing with various companies. My hopes with this blog is to share my experiences with others and to show others that maybe going through the same that they are not the only one and to remain hopefull. I also hope that anyone that has comments, critiques, and information will also follow to share their insight and experience as well. I hope that this will open my eyes to different viewpoints and others as well. Carpe Diem!