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am I being paranoid?
I finished my master's degree last May (public policy) and scared that my student loans would come due before a paycheck came along I took the first job that came along. The job is in non-profit fundraising/development. I love the organization I work for and some of the people I work with are great and some of them are horrible. I don't really feel like I'm getting much experience and my boss has told me there is no growth potential in this position. The problem is I went straight into my grad program after undergrad so this is basically my first job out of college so I don't feel like I have a whole lot of options.
I'm worried that all the skills and things I learned in grad school will get rusty while I spin my wheels in this job. Am I paranoid? I've started looking to see what else is out there, but it isn't much. (I'm tied to the city we are in because of my husband's job) I know I should stick it out a little longer to get some more experience on my resume, but I'm afraid that it is only going to get harder to switch fields in the future.
I apologize if I come off as too whiny, I feel really lucky to have a job! I'm just worried about the future and being able to use this expensive grad degree.
Re: am I being paranoid?
By May of this yr you would have been there a year so around that time I would start looking. A year is a good amount of exp to have on a resume for a MS degreed beginner. Don't expect much of a pay raise though but do expect to transation into a starter role in a company that you can grow in. Good luck!
This isn't a one or the other situation. You have a job. Keep it. It doesn't mean you have to stay there forever.
Apply, apply, apply. Put yourself out there and submit your resume to every position that fits with your graduate degree.
Network. Are there professional groups in your area? Having a network is your biggest asset in job hunting.
Volunteer. Are there opportunities to volunteer in something related to your graduate degree? This is something you can put on your resume that will also keep your skills fresh.
Blog. Join the online community of people in your field. Are there blogs already? See what they are talking about. Is there something different you can add to the conversation?This keeps you relevant, helps you make contacts, and is, again, something you can put on your resume.
Work your current position. Are there things you can do that will translate to your desired next role? A friend of mine has an environmental science degree but is currently doing admin work (she is a recent grad). She is taking on some new responsibilities that will require her to mine through data and interpret it. She is working for a technology company, but doing business analysis is something that translates to any job.
Good luck!
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