Job Searching

O, job searching.  It just makes me want to sigh.  Clearly, I can't stay in my Dead-End Job forever, nor do I want to.   I know full well that the only reason I am enjoying myself now is because I feel like I'm on a vacation, and even I don't want to be on vacation forever. 

Also, Dead-End Job or not, I believe that (when using a rather liberal definition of work) pretty much everyone wants to work: whether it's through a traditional job or hobbies or charity work or raising kids, people need to feel useful and productive.  I know I do.

That, and the job's ending in six weeks.

Thankfully I have been using this respite from the real world to my advantage, and looking long and hard at what I want my new career trajectory to be.  It's very difficult for someone like me to figure out what I want to do for a second career.  (Yes, I am 29 and starting a second career.  Doesn't seem right, does it?)  I've gotten over the fear of the unknown and the vast quantity of directions in which I can go (mostly by looking so hard I realize I don't actually have THAT many directions), but that doesn't necessarily make it any easier.  After the fear, it just became "Hmph. Now what?" 

"Now What?" has turned into a lot of career books and online advice and research.  I'm not there yet, but I have come up with these two tidbits so far.

1) I eventually want to work for myself, just not yet.  I know that I probably will not feel like I've lived my life completely unless I have started my own business (or non-profit).   I'm just not there yet.  Not only do I not have enough experience or capital to start any kind of endeavor now, I also haven't settled on what it will be.  I have a running list of options, and each day it feels like I place a different one at the top of the list.  Until there is one that firmly sets itself as the obvious choice for a long stretch of time, I don't want to dive into something that monetarily or emotionally costly.  I think I can safely say that I probably won't be at this point for at least another five years.  Until then, I would like a job that doesn't suck and pays me enough to be able to save for said future endeavor.

2) I need something I like enough to stay put and be content if the going gets tough.  I really know too many people who got stuck in a job.  Out of sheer dumb luck, they got stuck with a sick family member, an oopsy-daisy baby or two, a boatload of debt, or a costly house repair.  Even though they had all kinds of dreamy plans, those got shelved for the practical needs of putting food on the table, paying the medical bills, and staying on top of the mortgage.  I would love to think that there is no way my life could ever go in such a direction, but I also think it's best to play it safe for the just-in-cases in life.  I want whatever trajectory I'm on to be a tract I can stay on if the shit goes down and I can't be mobile in my career anymore.  And that means a kind of work I am content in.  Maybe my new business will be just a side hobby for a while, but at least my children won't go hungry.

Hopefully more revelations will be coming soon...