I have been entrenched in the pursuit of starting my career.  Now having graduated with my Master’s degree, I am looking heavily for the job that will help me launch a career.

But the transition is not an easy one.  In fact, it is a transition unlike one I have ever encountered before.  Maybe it is because for the first time there is no start and end date with this new chapter.  My life has been spent in school with every early fall and late spring denoting what I would be learning and doing.

Now it comes the point to jump into life feet first and once I land, to run and keep moving as best I can.  But sometimes it is hard to know where is the best point to jump.  I’ve heard time and time again it is a job just to look for a job.  Casting my net wide to television studios, nonprofits and really any organization that desires a need for a passionate writer, I have found that there are a variety of things I feel passionate about and love.  They all complement each other nicely, so I find it easy to know that no matter what I choose I have the potential to be happy.  But truth be told they are different enough that I fear taking the wrong leap will rob me of time I could’ve spent doing something that makes me happier, something that excites me everyday.

Is a job at a nonprofit the best choice for me? Or maybe getting my feet in the door at a television studio? Better yet, what about freelancing to make a name for myself? What about something I have a natural talent for like sales and customer relations? The choices are endless each one with its set of rewards and fallbacks.  I’ve come to realize in the foggy transition that is ending your education and starting your career that whether you are ready or not you have to start somewhere.  You need to take a leap and at least try.  My high school AP Physics teacher gave our class the best advice when we were entering college.  She said when you go in, declare a major that you think you want to do, even if you are unsure.  This way even if you hate it, you will know you hate it and can take your time somewhere else.  I find that that advice rings true even to the start of a career.  I won’t get the clarity of knowing if something is right for me unless I take the leap and find out for myself.

So to all the young people out there, whether they are in the same boat as me, or will be soon, or have set sail on this path already, just remember ready or not, you need to live your life.  It won’t wait for you.  Don’t be afraid to make the mistake of choosing the wrong course.  The fear is natural, but it can trap you into making no enlightened and passionate decision at all.  It’s better to give something a try, and know it’s not right for you than to be questioning choices for, well, ever.

I have found that the answers come to you when you are living, not when you are wondering and questioning.  So get ready life, because ready or not, here I come.