Happy Sunday everyone! This post has been a long time coming. I have been a busy bee so just haven't had the chance/motivation to write it! Long story short... I had another interview at the end of August, I got the job, started on Monday and finished my first week of full time adult work on Friday... and here we are!
So yes, rather than go into a big old story about the interview process etc etc. I just thought I would write a post now to update anyone who is reading that I got a job and give a little bit of an overview of my first week! Also will attempt at some advice for any grads out there still in the never-ending hope for jobs!
My new job is a secondary school SEN Learning Support Assistant. So for me as a psychology graduate (and I'm sure this will resonate with graduates from all subjects on the grad job hunt at this time of year), I did NOT want to come out of a degree and go into teaching. In any form. I respect teachers so much and take my hat off to them and all that they do and I would love to work with children and adolescents but I just don't see myself as a teacher. I can't deal with big groups of kids very well... one on one or small groups = absolutely fine. More than 10 for even half an hour and I think I would go a little bit insane. So thank you to all the teachers out there who do a fantastic job that I would be hopeless at! Teaching assistant jobs, especially, are not paid very well and to be quite honest I hadn't heard too many great things about them! The work load, the work environment, other staff and so on. So I was apprehensive about applying for this role.
Firstly though let me say that you should not make a decision about applying for a job or, for that matter, going for a certain job/taking a certain job based on other peoples' opinions of them. This is something I repeatedly told myself when I found myself not applying for jobs because of something someone had said about it that was negative even when I thought it was a really good opportunity. Remember that you are on your own journey, your pace, your future, your choices. Secondly, I saw the value that the role as a SEN LSA could give me - I'm looking to become a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) and from my recent interview for a PWP role I learnt that I need to work on my experience. It doesn't matter what level that experience is at, it just needs to be experience of interacting and supporting people with mental health difficulties. For me, I want to work with children and adolescents so a position at a secondary school in their SEN service for a year is perfect. Thirdly, this particular position is at my old school (yes I loved it so much I just couldn't stand to be away...) so I thought, what the hell? At this point I am so ready and desperate to get into the working world and to try to work on myself and my professional reputation and enhance my experiences more than anything that this would be a good start - I know the staff, I know the school, I know the area, I live nearby, I probably have a good chance of being interviewed... so I went for it!
So fast forward a couple of weeks, I have the job, I started and I finished my first week and I am returning tomorrow morning so it can't be that bad right? Some real eye openers this week...
1) Coffee is real happiness.
2) Tiredness hits, not when you expect it to like Wednesday morning or something, more of when it feels like it for example Tuesday morning when you still have another 3.5 days to get through!
3) No working day is ever the same and that is awesome.
4) Sometimes you will wonder if you look like a deer in headlights and the answer is yes. Yes you do but it's okay.
5) When a problem arises don't think that you have to know how to deal with it, first breathe and then ask.
Summary: I have loved my first week. I have learnt so much already. And let me tell you that this job is so fulfilling and rewarding and enjoyable. Yes there have been periods of stress and uncertainty, like any job, but it is only stress because I have had to overcome problems in order to help students that I have already formed a connection with and care about... so I'm willing to stress for them! The staff are really great, I have my own desk in my own office (so adult... and honestly a big selling point of the job for me 😹), and I get school holidays off (hell yeah).
I was honest with my employer about my goals and intentions for taking the job. I only want to be here for the year; I want to move on to become a trainee PWP but need some more experience with this age group in a mental health/support setting; I am a fresh grad in psychology looking to put my degree to use. The employer was happy to know that this wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, they are more than happy to help me with my goals which is so great, and they tick all the boxes of what I want and need out of this role!
I think what I want to share most with anyone out there who is struggling to get a decent grad job, fighting the urge to just give up, really struggling to find motivation or anything like that is to just take it at your pace. There is no rush or race to be won when there is only your own path to follow. Go for jobs that aren't exactly what you wanted to do - as long as they are in line with your values and are helping you achieve your long term goals in some way or another just go for it. Don't worry about what other people say or how crap the salary is for a graduate (let go of the hope that you will be one of those earning £30,000... if you are, I am envious, if you are not then you are not alone). Don't listen to the misconceptions that others have about the role you have in mind. Follow your own path and listen to your own damn voice and get out there! Also, just keep pushing. For many of us it's not even been two months since we graduated... most grads are in a job by 6 months post graduation. Give yourself a pat on the back for being the eager beaver and getting out there fast and don't be too hard on yourself. You'll have bad days but let those bad days be your fuel for your good days.
I hope you have a successful week with lots of happy positive moments but if you don't, and you find yourself in some negative thoughts and some choppy waters, I hope that you can stay present in those moments and allow yourself to see their worth!
Peace out! xo
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