Career Advice From My Career Mishap

Just so happens I wound up in a pretty good job, at a pretty good company doing very unique work in an industry I was interested in but knew little about. The position wasn't something I was accustomed to, that being operations and technical support related.

I found this gig through a varied, harrowing and often frustrating search. I've been on dozens of interviews and learned a bit about myself and what I want each time. When I landed in my current role, I felt less than satisfied with where I stood in the company. I wasn't doing a ton of work with what I was interested in, but the longer I stayed, the more I was able to feel my way around the subject matter my company deals in. Despite not working with the deliverable, being on the back end made me more curious and forced me to try to learn on my own what the hell we were doing.

Sorry to speak in vague terms, but my point is that this past year has proved that taking a less than ideal job is a calculated risk. Winding up in a "rut" is a bad thing, but if you're able to stay in a less-than-perfect job for a while and get your footing in your real interests while still getting your work done, then you're truly making the best your situation.

Never settle. If you need to make ends meet doing something you don't love, always keep planning. Always keep your Plan B fresh and ready for deployment. If the economy is going to be as bad as many believe, keeping your day job may be necessary, but knowing what you're going to do next is also necessary as well.