Whether looking for your first job, returning from a career break, being made redundant or simply looking for your next role, whatever the reason, sometimes we need to take jobs we don’t like.
It might be for financial reasons, limited opportunities, restricted availability, or other circumstances, but taking a job we don’t like isn’t the end of the world.
We just need to recognise the purpose the job serves at that time, and that it is not forever.
It might not make our heart sing, or give us the intellectual stimulation we would like, but there can still be much to learn and benefits to gain from the experience.
Grow your network
Every job offers an opportunity to build connections and grow your network, which could open doors to other opportunities further down the line. Just because you’re not in the dream job right now, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a valuable piece of the wider colourful career puzzle.
Keep in mind the bigger picture.
Speaking from experience I know this can happen, as it happened to me. I was working in a temp role where I met someone who, years later, tapped me up for a job and went on to become a great friend. Double win!
Time for Reflection
If you’re in a job that is not making best use of your skills and brain power, you probably have the capacity to do some reflection on your situation and get some objectivity on where you are in life and career. This can be insightful and lead to personal growth and self-discovery, which are essential to really understanding who you are.
What really matters to you?
Helps you to identify your goals
When you can recognise what you don’t like about a job, you can identify some goals for future roles. You can get clarity on the values, responsibilities, and culture you think you would thrive in, and start planning and researching companies that would provide you with these.
By writing them down and keeping them in your mind you will feel more incentivised to find these roles and start actively applying for them.
Character Building
Doing a job you don’t enjoy for a while, can allow you to improve skills like tolerance, patience, and resilience and help you to build a strong work ethic, all of which are highly sought after skills by any employer’s standards.
If you can maintain a cheery disposition and keep a positive mindset, influencing those around you to be positive too, you are likely to be well liked and importantly, get glowing references when you leave.
So, you see?
There are some advantages to having those dead end jobs you don’t enjoy. Just keep in mind the purpose they serve and how they're helping you grow and get that step closer to where you want to be.