How to Survive an Entry-Level Job

When I began college I had this misconception of life. I figured that once I graduated I would automatically get a good paying job and all of my troubles would disappear. I also thought that a degree would immediately entitle me to a job with a lot of responsibility. Eventually I graduated, started working, and was struck by reality. While those with connections may obtain high paying jobs immediately after graduation, the majority of us are going to pay some dues. In May of 2005 I accepted a job at Fortune 500 Company in the mortgage industry. I was excited. I remember thinking-Wow! I finally have a real job.

The pay wasn't as good as I hoped it would be, but I was making a lot more money than I had previously. My official job title was "Support Specialist". To translate my title, I was the office errand runner. Some of "job duties" included: picking up my managers files, ordering lunch, and getting bitched at by everyone I handed out files to who was scared to stand up to my manager and took out their frustrations on me. To summarize the job-it sucked. I disliked it from day one. However, I was able to survive working there for nearly a year and a half for a few reasons. The following is a list of things to do in order to make a bad job tolerable.

Make Friends
When I started my job, I was very quiet. I went to lunch by myself everyday, and I didn't say much more than a handful of words to anyone. It made a bad job worse. Eventually, I came out of my shell. I started to make friends there quickly once I opened up a little bit. My job was a lot more enjoyable after I had a crew to hang out with at lunch and happy hour.

Stay Positive
Keep the glass is half full, not half empty. I would try to remind myself that while I don't like this job, I was gaining experience that would benefit me in the future. I also knew that this job wasn't going to be permanent. Staying upbeat will help make work, as well as life, a lot more enjoyable.

Make an Effort
While I didn't like performing my job functions, I realized that I still had a job to do. I also discovered that the busier I was, the quicker the days passed. I tried to stay focused to the best of my ability.

Laugh
I took it upon myself to become the office clown. Luckily my manager had a sense of humor, and I used that to my advantage. I would try to amuse everyone whenever I had an opportunity. In my opinion, laughing is very therapeutic.

Quit
I tried to get transferred to another position to no avail. I was given the rationale that "We need someone to perform you're job duties, and we're not hiring at the moment" for about 6 months. Eventually I decided that enough is enough. I quit. Although this step should be a last resort, and I recommend that you find another job before quitting your current one.

While this guide is pretty simple, following these steps can make a difficult time in life seem a lot better. I still haven't found my dream job, but I am a lot happier today than I was last May.