A big fat NO

This is going to be a short blog. As you may have assumed from the headline, yep, I received another NO in my search for a graduate job. Yesterday evening, just after I thought that another day will pass before I hear from Dixons Carphone there was an email in my inbox. There are a couple of reasons that I kind of knew what was written in it. First, it wasn't any more an ‘early week’ and with more and more time passing I somehow knew I wasn’t the person they will choose. And second, it was an email, and knowing that you do need to accept the offer before getting a job, I knew that a phone call would be a positive sign and email a negative one. So here I am, £100ish lighter and unsure what to do next. I’ve been going back and forth with what I wanted to do after graduation for past 6 months. I still don’t know, but at least I’ve got two options, rather than three, to choose from. Hence, let me just cut to the case.

As mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I am completely certain a master’s degree is currently not an option. I feel comfortable with that decision and am not looking back. The debate that I’ve been having in my head for the past few months is if I should just go and do my own thing or get some work experience first. At one point, I’m ‘certain’ I want to get into employment and then, on the other hand, I feel like doing my own thing back in Croatia and seeing how it all develops would be the best thing to do in my situation. There are a few reasons why neither of these two choices won me over just yet. So let’s look into them.

Getting a job The first thing that prevents me from being 100% for a job is the framework to life that it brings. I don’t know how valuable freedom of choice to me is until I test that. And if I test that on a 2 or 3-year contract and don’t like it, I might just become miserable despite all the benefits I would gain by working for someone (e.g. experience, skills, network). Likewise, there is always a chance I get into something I either don’t like or just can’t find anything beneficial in it for me. However, I am aware that by working for a year, I could get so much value, new skills, experience and security which I probably wouldn’t be able to get as an entrepreneur. By getting in the right position, I would be able to soak all the positives in and identify and alienate everything I might dislike. One year of great work could give me skills I could base the rest of my life on.

Entrepreneurship First factor all and a really simple one…fear. I know a fair bit about business and I also have some experience with business consultancy and see that my reasoning benefits my clients. But, fear still doesn't allow me to be 100% for entrepreneurship. It might be due to the uncertainty of that path but, when I think thoroughly, I realise that uncertainty is what I’m looking for. Therefore, I need to step back and admit what the real problem is. I am still scared to fail and am insecure about the value of my idea/service. Moreover, it is possible that lack of experience becomes a big downside but, after all, there is no better time to start something than now. I can learn everything on the go with very little risk involved. On the other hand, freedom is what I would most certainly find beneficial. Having nobody to tell you what to do and being able to prioritise for yourself is very appealing. And finally, I would be back in Croatia with my girlfriend, friends and family.

To sum up, even though I plan to think about this more, I have a rough idea what might be the best thing to do. I’ll casually scroll through different job posts and pick only those that are a 100% match. If there are no jobs like that then I won’t apply for any. But, if I find some opportunities I like, I’ll apply for them and see what comes out of it. I’ll give myself time until September when I’ll create a schedule for the next year. I’ll be testing my idea as often as possible and the best I can until September while also looking around for jobs. If by September I don’t find a job or my idea gains traction, I’ll plan my next year and invest all I have into my business. On the other hand, if I manage to find a job which I’m 100% satisfied with then my enterprise will have to become an outside work thing and step into a slower lane before, and if, I decide to go all in on it. Makes sense?

PS: The blog ended up being longer than planned. I guess I lied both to you and to myself. Sorry

#assessmentcentre #dixonscarphone #no