First Jobs in Your Twenties

As a young girl, I knew what my future career would be. I would be a teacher, and my dream school to work in was the elementary school I attended. I had my future mapped out, and that school was at the top of my list.

I was one of the lucky girls in her twenties who began looking for her first job in the Summer of 2020. The world was finally starting to open up again after a long winter. I applied to every school I could and never heard back. As a last-ditch effort, I emailed my first-grade teacher. My mom had run into her pre-pandemic, and she said to reach out when the time came. Well, the time had come. I expected a kind reply saying she would love to help but that, there were no positions open. To my surprise, the school was hiring additional staff due to the pandemic. She sent my resume to the principal, and I had an interview within the week. I may not have had all the advanced qualifications that some applicants had, but I had a passion for that school that no one else would. That is what I told myself while I waited to hear back. To this day, I am sure that is what got me the job.

I remember the first day of staff orientation like it was yesterday. Due to a miscommunication, I was under the impression the orientation was on zoom from home. To my surprise, everyone was zooming in from the school. Luckily I lived five minutes away and booked it over. I was almost in tears as I walked through the familiar double doors. 'How could I be late on my first day?' I repeated to myself over and over. I was in a stress blackout the rest of the morning, but let's just say it all turned out fine. I reunited with my old teachers and felt relieved to see familiar faces. I was living my dream.

My official role was a tutor for the resource room, but the reality was that I wore more hats than I could have thought possible, and I loved every moment. I loved my job and felt truly happy each day when I woke up. I made amazing friends, had great relationships with my colleagues, felt I had mentors, and absolutely adored my students. One student, in particular, made every day worth it just to see his smiling face. What more could I ask for?

I know this is not the reality for everyone. Most people don't like their first jobs. Though I loved my job, it still came with hardships. I had to deal with pressure to say yes to everything, colleagues that were not always nice, zoom school, children with strong behaviors, covid drama, teacher drama, and school politics. Those hardships taught me what it means to work in a professional environment. Those hardships made me appreciate the good.

Like most people, I didn't know what to expect when starting my job. I had worked in high school, but nothing compared to what felt like my first official job, and I learned a lot. While some of what I learned is specific to the field of education, some are universal for any industry.

Top 10 things you should know before starting your first job:

1. Greet everyone each morning with a smile

2. Treat everyone with respect

3. Take initiative

4. Take every bit on your lunch hour

5. Don't be afraid to put your foot down

6. DO NOT gossip

7. Embrace every opportunity

8. A good poker face is everything

9. Take any and all advice.

10. Remember to have fun