There are questions un- or underemployed people ask themselves: When will I find that perfect job? Where will they accept my qualifications, (or my lack of qualifications)? Why won’t anyone hire me? Why does it feel like the only jobs out there for me are bottom of the barrel?
I was there for a while myself as well. And while it took me a while to grasp this, embracing those jobs may be the best move you can make.
Hear me out. I’ve worked a number of weird and wonderful jobs, and every one of them has had something to do with my own growth and personal development. The jobs people coveted most from me were not always my best, and the jobs of which no one was envious were sometimes the most fun.
I’ve been a camp counsellor, dance teacher, English teacher, industrial cleaner, nanny, dog sitter, tele-surveyor, ice cream vendor, potato chip seasoner, banquet server, barista, art gallery desk monitor, among others. Not all of my jobs were ideal, true, but I could not say that any one of them did not contribute to my own growth in one way or another.
When I was working as an art gallery desk monitor, a quarter of the questions I answered had to do with how I landed my position. It was a great job—don’t get me wrong. I loved being able to answer people’s questions about the artwork, and safeguard the pieces and the introspective gallery atmosphere.
However, I did learn that this type of job is mostly a silent one and that I prefer conversation. I loved those times when customers would come up to the desk just to discuss the artwork with me, and silently begged the new visitors to do the same.
Two of my more recent jobs—ice cream vendor and barista—involve much more customer interaction. Though no one envied these positions as I’m on my feet all day, working hard for little pay, remember that the happiest people are buying ice cream in the summer and people in coffee shops love chatting with a cheerful barista.
I flourish in these atmospheres because I get to interact with the customers, and I learned that I love doing that.
Everyone has their own skills and abilities, so I want to remind you to keep your mind and eyes open. Just because a desk job is sometimes pitched as the ideal place for a recent grad to be, I would be wary. Use these early roles to discover what you like (or even what you love) and keep that in mind when pursing your career.
Though this past year of job-hopping and general nuttiness has been a real test of my character, I would not trade it for the world. I’ve gained so many varied skills that I can discuss at length in my future interviews. I find myself applying little tidbits of knowledge that I learned banquet serving to being a barista, and I’ll surely applying my coffee-making experiences to my next job.
In every job posting there is opportunity: to explore your own abilities and knowledge, as well as to add to your own life experience. Rather than being frustrated with not finding your dream job, focus on what you’re taking away from jobs in the meantime. Eventually, all those skills you’ve accumulated at the bottom of the barrel will create a meaningful path to the top.

Émilie Towsley is a recent bachelor of humanities graduate, barista, and social media addict. She aspires to teach English abroad in the near future, and is always ready to try something new. Follow her on Twitter @emtowsley, and check out her blog, fireflyflight.wordpress.com.