When I Grow Up I Want to Be…

grow up

…(and What To Do When You Don’t Know)

“You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up.” Have you ever heard that? If you have, it was likely when you were young. Some of us have aspired to be astronauts and superheroes as children. Soon that becomes a distant memory as we prepare for graduation from college, but the same question dictates our conversations, “What are you going to do?”

Each time, it is very likely that we have a different response to this question. It is also very possible that we have the same response: “I don’t know.” And that is OKAY. Yes, even as a graduating senior, it is okay NOT to know what’s next. After four years of college, many job opportunities and interviews, our next step may still be unclear. We may even feel like “I graduated with this degree, but I have no idea what I want to do with it.”

In our culture, the expectation is that after more than a decade and half of schooling (kindergarten through college), we should instantly know what’s next. The decision can be overwhelming because we’ve never experienced so much freedom. Why are we expected to suddenly know how we want to spend the next forty-some years of our lives when we’ve barely had a choice about the previous twenty-two?

Forty-plus years is obviously a long time. It is perfectly normal to take some time to figure out how to spend them. We should be proactive and wise about our next step. But if we don’t know, if we find ourselves between jobs, or if we loathe our first job, it’s going to be okay.

For me, this in-between time was certainly not ideal. I graduated with an education degree, and I ended up walking dogs for my mom over the summer (not my dream job!) before starting a long-term substitute teaching position. Once I was in the classroom, I discovered that it was not a good fit, especially in that particular context. The pessimistic atmosphere and limitations within the role seemed to prevent me from doing the very thing I loved most about teaching: building deep relationships.

Transitional times involve opportunities that help us clarify our values and discover what we want (or do not want) to do. Our discernment process may include job shadowing, taking an entry-level position in a questionable field, informational interviews, or internships. We may have to take that job at Starbucks for a stretch or even experience unemployment before finding something that’s a fit. No matter what season we’re in, God has a purpose within it. He doesn’t waste any stretch but rather uses it to shape us and prepare us.

It’s important to not “write-off” in-between times. Often, there are many valuable take-aways. As a dog-walker, I learned to be content no matter what my circumstances. It also taught me the importance of being intentional with the job search! As a substitute teacher, I learned how to be flexible and go with the flow—invaluable lessons for any job or life season.

So, what do you want to do? I don’t think we can answer this question with a typical job title. Though we should always be listening for God’s voice and looking for a vocation where we can offer our gifts in service to others, we are created for more than a career. We were made for an eternity of worshipping Him, and we’re created to bring Christ’s Kingdom here, in every sphere of our lives (not just our paid worker role). As we face that infamous question, let’s remember who we are in Him. A career and a job is an opportunity to do what we were created for—to bring His Kingdom through the worship of our work. But, landing the perfect job right after college is not the ultimate goal. We were created for more.


CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION:

Today’s millennial goes through an average of seven job changes in their 20s…and six in 10 have already changed careers at least once.

Read more at the links below:

*What Is It About 20-Somethings?

*Twenty-Somethings: What You Risk By Switching Jobs Too Often