You wanted a slice of American prosperity. A chance to live the “good life.” You went to school and studied rigorously. In college, you were active in student organizations. You gravitated towards others like yourself. It empowered you to know you were “on the right track.”
When you weren’t working, you were either volunteering or improving your grades. School wasn’t necessarily your thing, but you stuck with it and saw it through. You always believed a proper education was vital to financial and professional stability.
Once you graduated, you thought the world was your oyster. Not only were you young and bright, but you had a wealth of academic accomplishments backing up your resume. You felt you had done everything right; good jobs would be lining up at your door.
But that’s not how it worked out.
Instead of the thousands of job offers you thought you were getting, you had to scrummage through internships and part-time opportunities.
“According to a Mashable article in 2012, there were 514,000 new business owners, and 79 percent of those businesses are still active. Entrepreneurship is a great way to use your craft for your benefit.”
Then you hit the career “Bermuda Triangle.” Factors outside of your control made you invisible to employers. Being a recent grad, you don’t have much real-world experience, and you haven’t yet made the connections to put your name at the top of the list. It can be even tougher if you’re a minority, happen to be a mediocre interviewee, or struggle to meet corporate culture (whatever that is).
No matter how talented and skilled someone is, the job market doesn’t ensure everyone gets the job they deserve. It doesn’t even ensure the best person gets the job they deserve. So, if no one is supporting your growth professionally, it’s time to consider using your skills for entrepreneurial options.
According to a Mashable article in 2012, there were 514,000 new business owners, and 79 percent of those businesses are still active. Entrepreneurship is a great way to use your craft for your benefit.
The following are seven ways being underemployed puts you in the driver’s seat to entrepreneurialism:
Creativity Under Pressure
Great inventions have been made out of an initial misfortune. For instance, Milton Hershey, founder of the chocolate candy giant, The Hershey Company, was fired from his apprenticeship. His first three businesses failed. It was when he tried his hand at caramel that he found success with milk chocolate.
Leveraging Networks
Using your connections is paramount. The best way to land an opportunity is to know someone creating them. If you don’t know someone, find a way to meet an entrepreneur. If you can’t energize your personal contacts to support your business, how will you expect your pitch to strangers to be successful?
Optimizing Time Management
When you’re filling out 15 job applications a day, volunteering, and working a gig so you can make ends meet, the value of time becomes more profound. Recognize each second is an opportunity to achieve your desires. For entrepreneurs, this quality is vital to sustain growth in all aspects.
The Need for Self marketing
Many people with great jobs and careers are excellent self marketers. If you have trouble landing work you’re qualified for, there’s a good chance you aren’t marketing yourself successfully. It’s time to give an honest review of your skills and career goals. If you’ve taken the process seriously, you’ll learn which skills and experiences to highlight for employers. The same can be said if you venture off on your own. Funding, recruitment, and engagement all depend on how you market yourself.
Selling an Idea or Dream
Sales jobs are among the highest revenue generating positions in the world. If you can sell yourself to an employer or sell a product to a client, why can’t you do so for your own interest and personal gain?
Maintain a Hustle and Bustle Mentality
Being denied a job you wanted teaches you how to keep going in the face of adversity. Waking up at 6 am to get a jump on making your passion a reality shows you’re serious about your career dreams.
Attention to the Small Things
The more times you apply and interview, the better you get at the process. After your 17th application, you notice the nearly invisible requirements and fine print. The ability to notice fine details is a strength if you pursue your own business. Opening a business requires a considerable amount of time spent filling out papers and legal documents.
It’s like what the author of the “4-hour Work Week,” Timothy Ferriss said, “The universe doesn’t conspire against you, but it doesn’t go out of its way to line up the pins either. Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.”
If you currently have a job you dread, starting your own company or business can help you get to where you want to be professionally. It can create confidence in yourself too. Starting your own business can, even on a smaller scale, display your tenacity and aptitude in the industry. It’s a calling card too if you apply for a job in the future. You can point to what you did for yourself during the tougher times. Shortcomings in your career shouldn’t be taken as ineptitude, but a chance to develop.
“Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”
Founder of the Virgin Group -Richard Branson
