The importance of your first job

By Jennifer Casiano Edited: Vicky Kanta and Tomas Kasza. The last few months of graduate school are usually very stressful, because you must wrap up your research, write the dissertation, prepare for meetings, look for a job and prepare for interviews. On top of that, we are concerned with what to do next, which is a crucial and potentially life-changing step. Seeking that first job is one of the most difficult parts of your career, if not as difficult as defending your thesis. That first position has an immense impact on your future job positions. Even though STEM graduates are less likely to be underemployed according to a review made by payscale.com 34% of Ph.D. graduates are. I understand that not everyone struggles with getting a job out of graduate school, but we should look at the importance of the first job from all angles. On the table below we can see that of the Ph.D. graduates who are underemployed, 73% of those are underemployed because they are not directly using their training and 27% are still seeking a full-time position. Percentage of Underemployment by Education Level What are some things that could be influenced by that first job? First and foremost, your salary. In fact, future salaries depend greatly on your previous position. For this reason, negotiating your salary on your first job and managing to get compensated fairly will boost your earnings through your entire career. Plus, the more you negotiate for increases in salary the more money you will have in savings accounts, retirement and investments for the future. Being in a lower position or settling for salaries that are lower than your worth can be a burden for your financial status and career growth. Secondly, your first job will provide you with new networking opportunities. The people you meet in your first job are an important asset and will probably help you out with your next career move. Your first couple of job positions might come from job search pages such as LinkedIn or Indeed, but after that, most job offers will come from word of mouth recommendations. As you gain more experience in your first job you will receive better job offers from the people around you. Look at your boss and peers as because they will teach you directly or indirectly how to act, react and how to do your tasks properly. Finally, the first job should be a training exercise for your next job. This is the ultimate opportunity to get more training, take some chances, explore things you like and identify the ones you do not. This will ensure that you are well prepared and ready for your next move. Be conscious of everything you learn and always think of how to apply it later. Make a list of five skills such as laboratory techniques, projection, presentation, etc., those that you want to learn and how to apply them in your next job. Apply the 3-year rule: give yourself three years to understand your job position, responsibilities and build a strong network that will help you with your second, third or fourth job. Accepting an entry-level position or a contract in a company that is related to your field, even just slightly, can have the potential of jumpstarting your career and giving you much-needed experience. That job will be a jump start to identify your skills, network and build your resume. Even though finding a job after graduate school is financially necessary don’t make the mistake of settling for a good position when you could have a great one, follow your gut and achieve your personal success. The key is to be strategic on your first and next move.