Teknoe Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 It's been a long, slow (all my fault for lollygagging, truth be told) journey, but at 28 I finally landed my first REAL FULL time job. I had to nail two one-hour interviews and deliver a 15 minute demo session. Everything went well and I am so excited. Last night went to my small group and the girls all complimented me on how sharp I was looking (normally I'm not a suit and tie kind of guy). I also shared with them how I got the full time job, and they were so excited for me. My stock went up like 100 points. I was feeling extremely confident, too. It's amazing what a nice suit and a full time job can do to one's confidence. Whether we like it or not, if we don't work, and we're fully able, there's probably something "off" with us. Whether it's a lack of drive or an immense fear of failure. Also, how you present yourself goes a long way. When I dress to impress I notice people (esp. girls) giving me more attention and drawn to me. When I dress kind of slobby it reflects in the way I feel and how people interact with me. Anyway, I'm just really glad to start my career! This is gonna be a crazy learning year for me. I'm glad I put myself in the game! 8 Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Scorpio Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Congrats Tek! If I could wave a magic wand and gain a full-time job or a GF, I'd choose the full-time job no doubt. It would be such a confidence booster. Better days are ahead for you, no doubt! Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Congrats Teknoe, way to go! Link to post Share on other sites
USMCHokie Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Congrats, brother. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Congrats Tek! If I could wave a magic wand and gain a full-time job or a GF, I'd choose the full-time job no doubt. It would be such a confidence booster. Better days are ahead for you, no doubt! Thanks, and no doubt about that full time job vs. GF thing. I have been trying to do things BACKWARDS the last 5 years. My parents got me a house (sorta), a car and I was working part time. Never really applied myself to work full time because quite frankly, I was so content and complacent (I freely admit and own that). Finally, I placed myself in position to succeed. A full time job won't suddenly cure all my ills, and I am not focused on the GF aspect to be honest, but I know getting up early everyday, heading out to make a difference, and just learning how to function as an adult will stretch and grow me so much, that one day I would make good BF/husband material. For the last 5 years I've focused on just surfing the net, watching Netflix movies, playing video games and chasing my female friends whom I fell for (and all got rejected, because my priorities in life were out of sync). Not that there's anything wrong with those things IN MODERATION, but they were my time-eaters, and I think in a nutshell, I just didn't want to grow up since growing up takes some changes and change can be scary. But change is also necessary for us as humans to constantly evolve and get better. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. I don't really believe there's a middle ground. Nobody stays in the same spot (mentally) forever. You're either improving, or regressing. I hope my story encourages others. Because I know I am not the only one. I have purposely delayed full adulthood for the last 5 years or so. At some point though, I had to mature, take some calculated risks and step out of my comfort zone. Now my entire life -- how I spend it, hobbies, time I go to bed, time I get up, what I do on my down time -- completely changes. I'm excited You can't be a "Toys R Us" kid forever.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 I don't think our jobs make up who we are as human beings, or that we should be defined by our jobs PER SE, but it's an undeniable fact that if you work full time, you'll be looked at in a certain positive way, and if you don't work full time, you'll be looked at in a certain less-than-positive way. Since landing the full time job (again, it's my first REAL full time job, at nearly 29 years old), my family interaction has been different. They're so proud of me and I feel like I can actually look them in the eyes now, lol. With my friends I feel so much more confident and it just feels good to know I'll be contributing to society everyday rather than comfortably and complacently doing my part time job that I've done for the LAST FOUR years. Regarding the ladies, I already feel so much more confident being able to say "Oh I am a ____" and to have them not instantly write me off based on if I'd answer "OH I am a ____ but only part time. I'm hoping to go full time one day..." When you're in your mid-late 20s or older, and you've finished school a couple years already, you should be working full time. It's what normal grown adults do. They grow up, get full time jobs, contribute to society, etc. It's just tough to get your life in order if you don't work at all or only work part-time. Again, I want to emphasize that I do believe there's so much more to a person than whether they work full time or not, but the fact remains that if you look at most successful desireable people, one thing they have in common is they work full time. They are financially stable. One thing "losers" have in common is they don't work, or work part time with LITTLE TO ZERO desire to stretch themselves further. I used to be so focused on chasing my crushes the last five years when I wish now, in hindsight, that I had been pursuing my career instead. Oh well, better late than never. I can't control the past, I can only focus on today. I officially received my contract in the mail today. I'm overwhelmed. It truly is amazing how life works when you put in an honest to God good effort, and you REALLY apply yourself. Good things happen, whether it's a tangible big step like getting a full time job, or simply a less tangible thing like progressing toward your goal. While the destination is important, a lot of people don't know how to value the journey/process end of it. Not something to be overlooked. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
NXS Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Hey welcome to adulthood Teknoe. One of the things about working is it that getting up every morning and accomplishing things gives you discipline and confidence that spreads to other areas of your life. It also helps if you like what you do, I really love the job I have now after some really crappy ones for a few years. Link to post Share on other sites
threebyfate Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Most excellent Teknoe. It's wonderful to watch members experience growth by focusing on self-improvement, gaining confidence from self-improvement and finally, accomplishing! Believe it or not, the next step will be to fail at something relatively important, something you've put effort into. How you react to failure as in how quickly you recover from it, will help you accomplish even more in life since greater gain requires greater risk. Resilience is where it's at, where you learn from both wins and fails. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 Hey welcome to adulthood Teknoe. One of the things about working is it that getting up every morning and accomplishing things gives you discipline and confidence that spreads to other areas of your life. It also helps if you like what you do, I really love the job I have now after some really crappy ones for a few years. Ha, thanks. Yes, it will be nice for the first time in my life to go to bed before midnight, get up by 7 AM and get to work Monday-Friday. Whereas the last four years after finishing college, I would sleep at 2-3 AM, get up at 11 AM-12 noon, and go to my part time job at 3:30 PM, lol. Yeah, I was very lazy, complacent and content in my super comfortable lifestyle. I don't even want to count the number of movies I've watched in the last 3 years, or all the time I killed surfing the net, haha... Most excellent Teknoe. It's wonderful to watch members experience growth by focusing on self-improvement, gaining confidence from self-improvement and finally, accomplishing! Believe it or not, the next step will be to fail at something relatively important, something you've put effort into. How you react to failure as in how quickly you recover from it, will help you accomplish even more in life since greater gain requires greater risk. Resilience is where it's at, where you learn from both wins and fails. Amen! I know I will have struggles my first year but you're right, how we respond to struggles is how our character grows (or doesn't, depending on how we respond when tough times come). My goal was to work full time before 30. I turn 29 next month, so I just beat it. I'm currently living at home, but the whole "move out" thing is less a priority because my full time job is 10 miles away from home. It doesn't make sense to move out. I just want to focus my all on the job and do the best I can for my first year. I think I will mature a lot, and my confidence will rise as a result. Maybe I'll get a girlfriend before 30, but honestly, not sweating it. She will come in the right timing. Right now, it's all about me doing my new job justice. And I got the job of course by networking, being proactive and adamantly seeking (change). People who stay in ruts (like I had the last 4 years!) are those folks who are content repeating safe, familiar routines, not looking to change and letting life pass them by. I'm so thankful to break free of my own self-imposed chains. However, I still have a ways to go as getting a job and EXCELLING on the job are two different animals! I don't just want to get a full time job, I want to be able to say that I am good at it, as well Link to post Share on other sites
betterdeal Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Hurrah! Drinks all 'round! *ching* Link to post Share on other sites
lino Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Congratulations Getting your first full-time job is a great feeling! Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Congratulations, Teknoe! I knew you could do it. Best of luck in that new job. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 ^ Thanks you two! Yeah, so 4th of July was interesting. Had some family members visited whom I haven't seen in some time. "Tek, what's new?" "Got a full time job!" Their reaction is priceless. Shock and joy is the best way to put it. So great to receive that kind of hi-five, pat on the back. It really boosts your overall confidence. As opposed to saying "Oh what's new you ask? Oh you know, same ole same ole... still at the same part time job... er, yeah...." followed by them going "OH... well, that's cool..... hey, some people don't have jobs at all right?" And the conversation just dies there. Instead, they're excited for you, you get to have enriching stories to share, and the whole mood of the room is so different. I heard somewhere once that you can tell if a person is living a productive life by the kind of fruit they produce in their lives. People who are constantly producing good stories and good fruit you can almost assuredly say are leading solid, healthy, well-balanced lives. Whereas people who go through a prolonged rut get viewed in a certain light. I guess the best way to put it is I finally got tired one day of saying year after year "I'm working on it" or "I'll get around to doing ___ someday" or "Maybe next year, eh?" or "Yeah, still waiting for that big break you know..." I still got a ways to go to continue to mature into that young man I desire to be, but I've definitely taken a HUGE game-changing step. It will just be refreshing for me to sleep and wake up during normal hours, and challenging myself to make a positive difference each week day. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Teknoe Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 One more thing to add: The past four years my brother, anytime he was upset at me or wanted to "hurt" me, he would always pull out the "At least I work full time" card. Even though he must have said it 20 times in the last 4 years (nearly 50 months... wow!) it hurt me everytime he said that. Now, he can't say that any longer. In fact, he was VERY happy when I told him the news, and he just told me "Welcome to the rest of your life." It made me feel so good, and now I know he can't pull that card "At least I work full time." It's like how a sports team can't claim a championship until they've won. They can brag but the opposing fans can always say "At least OUR team has won a championship." But once that non-championship team wins, that card is null and void. That's how I feel, in a nutshell Of course, these feelings are just a small bit of the "game." The main thing is I got a full time job and that will help stretch me into a full grown adult and I'll have the opportunity to make our world a better place. These other perks are just part of the territory. You never want to make these perks the "be-all end-all," but there's no doubt that it sure is nice to be able to claim such things! Link to post Share on other sites
crazylove Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Congratulations!! Way to go! Link to post Share on other sites
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