30 in 30: This Is Only the Beginning of Your Career

Remember that while starting a first job can feel like a permanent decision, it is really just the beginning of a (very) long working life. Take it seriously, but don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re still young and have relatively little experience. Or the fact that we're in a recession and the job market is tight.

When you land a job, give yourself some time to settle in, bask in the glory of your new salary, and focus on learning as much as you can. Keeping your eye out for new opportunities is always advised, but you don't want to overlook the one that you've got right now.

Because here's the thing: for the vast majority of us, knowing exactly what we want to do is a long way off. So even if you don’t end up loving this first job (though we hope you do), it might open up a new door that you never knew existed. If nothing else, at least you’ll know one more thing you don’t want to do—sometimes finding a great job just comes down to a process of elimination. As a wise man once said, "Life is a long-distance run." If you stay cool and retain that internal drive to pursue your goals, things will work out.

Looking for a job in the new year? Be sure to stay on top of all the essential job-hunting tips from Gradspot's new series, 30 in 30: The Insider's Guide to Job-Hunting in '09. If you'd like to share your own tips with the Gradspot community, email 30in30 [at] gradspot [dot] com with your tip, your occupation/industry of interest, and your name as you'd like it to appear on the site.