How to Choose the Right Job

When I was in high school, I was in desperate need of a job. I found a job as a phone representative in the back of a store. I thought it would be easy money--all I had to was sit and talk on the phone. Sounds easy right? Wrong! It was a huge mistake! What I thought would be easy money turned out to be a nightmare. I met so many rude customers that yelled in my ear and insulted me when I was really just doing what my job required of me. To avoid something like this from happening to you, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.

1. You should think about the location of the job. If you have your own car and don't mind driving all over the city, then location might not be such a problem. However, if you are not fortunate to own a car or have reliable transportation from a relative, spouse, or friend, you have to make sure you know bus routes, or can afford a taxi, if the location is a good distance away. You should be sure that you will have a way to get to work everyday.

2. You should consider the type of work that you are getting into. For instance, if you are the type of person who likes to move around a lot, then an all day sitting job is not for you. If you like to work with several customers and are more of a people person, then a warehouse or inventory stocking job is not for you. If you are a very shy person and don't like talking to people much, then a phone representative job or being a host/hostess at a restaurant is not for you.

3. You should consider the abilities that you have. If you don't have any experience driving or a driver's license, then you cannot get a job that requires you to drive. If you cannot type very well, then a receptionist job is not something you should apply for. If you are not physically fit or cannot lift heavy objects such as large boxes, then working for a job as a delivery person is not appropriate for you. There are also many jobs that require you to have a certain amount of college education, so if you've never gone to college, then it is highly unlikely that you will be hired there.

4. Finding a job with hours that are flexible enough to fit your schedule is very important. If you are a student, then you should look for a job that has hours that will not conflict with attending school. Perhaps a weekend job or job after school is a good idea. If you are a parent, you should try to find a job that will not keep you from taking care of them or taking them to school, etc. If that is the case, then you can also try to get a sitter for them. If you have another job as well, then you should make sure that the hours won't conflict with one another.

5. You should always consider how much your salary will be. If you have tuition, car payments, rent, bills, and such, you should take that all into consideration. If you can't work many hours and need to make a lot of money for your bills, then you should try to apply for a job that pays more than minimum wage. You should also find out the type of pay cycle you will be receiving. Is it going to be bi-weekly, weekly, daily, or monthly? This is definitely something that you will want to know, especially if you have to have things paid by a certain date each month.

6. Finally, you should consider your physical appearance, or whether or not you are willing to change your appearance in order to meet the job's requirements. If you have your hair dyed, visible piercings or tattoos, it may not be so simple. If you have your hair dyed blue, are you willing to dye it a normal color? If you have piercings, can you remove them for the time in which you are working or where clear retainers in them? Is your hair messy or too long for their standards? Will you cut it if you have to? However, you may get lucky and find a job that allows you to dress however you feel comfortable. There are jobs like this out there, but you really have to look around.

In closing, find a job that suits you well. Don't think that just because the job seems easy at first, that it will always be just as easy. Remember when you apply for a job, there may be other things that you might have to do, such as cleaning and stocking. An easy job may turn into a boring job, and a boring job may turn into a horrible recurring nightmare. Hopefully these guidelines will help you choose a job that you will enjoy and even be proud to work do. Don't forget to keep your eyes open. You never know- the job that you think may only be a short term job may turn out to be your lifetime career.