Work Your Assets Off

Being a twenty-something in Oklahoma can be a dismal experience. There are a million hurdles to cross and very little (free) help out there. Even though the economy is looking up it is a slow-going process. As of 2016, the Oklahoma economy was ranked 43^rd in the U.S. The market is tight and higher paying jobs are difficult to come by. In my experience, I have found it tough to find an employer willing to offer me a secure 40 hours a week to a new employee. However, the upside to living in Oklahoma is it is one of the most affordable places to call home, so it hasn’t been that problematic.

What this means for me is that the promise of higher education remains unfulfilled. Even with a bachelor degree, I’ve had to take several jobs just to make ends meet. There is absolutely no shame in taking a job you’re overqualified for or picking up odd jobs to get by. No matter what it is, take pride in your work. It’ll positively change your outlook on the experience. Working like this isn’t uncommon for my age range (I’m 27). But I have often been faced with that all too familiar paradox of needing the experience to get a job, but how do I get experience if I can’t get a job? I haven’t taken an official survey, but I would hazard a guess that this would be one of the most common complaints of college graduates, along with “what next?” and “how do I file my taxes?”

Really, I don’t mean to be a huge downer. Here’s where I put a positive spin on the situation.

Unbeknownst to me, I had many marketable skills. They may not be what I studied in college, but I picked up a few skills other than being able to write a ten-page essay at four in the morning. My ability to communicate and plan have become significant assets while branching out and searching for opportunities beyond retail. The unfortunate reality of working in an environment like retail is that you’ll never be adequately compensated for the work you do. The raises are very rare, and no matter how good you are at your job it is a position that is easily fillable. And that sucks! The answer to this is to find your strength.

You must market yourself. Job skills are more than just a proficiency in Microsoft Word. Take a moment to consider what makes you an effective employee and play to your strengths. For example, I’m not a solid sales person so I wouldn’t go looking for a job at a car dealership. I’d never make any money. But I’m good with my time, I can effectively communicate with my coworkers, and I put my head down and power through until the job is done. I’ve found that my work ethic has become one of my greatest assets.

The next step is to find an employer that is willing to work with you and put you in a position that can properly utilize your skills. At Premier Edge Resources, I feel like I’m a productive employee because they asked me what my strengths were and put them to good use. Of course, I find myself in a somewhat unique position because this job doesn’t require just one thing from me. It is fast paced and ever changing. But that’s what I love about it. It’s not just the same thing Monday through Friday, lather, rinse, repeat. The work I do with PER keeps me engaged because it is always interesting. The other good thing about this job is the people I work with. This is something that could make or break a job, and I’m fortunate enough to have found people that I gladly call family.

To find something you actually love you have to know your strengths and be willing to put yourself out there. This is not an easy thing to do, but it is worth the work you put into it. Possibly the most difficult part of this is learning to accept rejection because there’s a lot of that out there. But I’ve learned that my attitude can give any experience a positive spin. If you didn’t get the job, take what you learned from the interview and apply it to your next one. Take everything as a learning experience.

                  To do something you’re passionate about you have to be willing to work tirelessly to achieve it.  Play to your strengths, work hard and put yourself out there.  Anything is achievable.