Four Fail-Safe First Jobs

I recently attended a student career conference and several students came up and asked me the same question: What kind of job should I look for if I have no idea what I want to do?

If you have the same concern, here is my philosophy of four relatively fail-safe options for a first job out of college:

1. Take a job where you will have a great boss. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good mentor early in your career. Your first “real” boss is the person who will show you the ropes, develop your skills and may even mentor you for the rest of your career. If you come across someone you’d love to work for and learn from, you’ve found a good opportunity.
   
   
2. Work for an organization with a strong brand name. If you suspect you may make a few stops on your way to career bliss (let's face it; that's pretty much all of us), consider the benefits of having a brand name on your resume. This might include: a major corporation, a well-known nonprofit or another prestigious institution (such as an Ivy League university, a respected news outlet, a prestigious professional services firm or a luxury goods brand). Working for a major company is certainly not for everyone, but it does look great on a resume and helps open doors in the future.
   
   
3. Do something you totally love doing. Even if a job is not very prestigious and doesn’t have the best boss in the world, I think you’ll still be happy if you absolutely love the work you’re doing every day. There is no substitute for spending eight hours or more a day working on something fun, exciting or fascinating to you.
   
   
4. Give back. Employers are always impressed by young professionals who have spent time in service. If you are undecided out of college, consider spending a year or two giving back to the world as part of a service program such as Teach for America, City Year and the Peace Corps. You'll make the world a better place, learn about yourself and build your skills and connections all at the same time.

If you take a job that contains one or more of these elements, I think you’ll have a positive first job experience that gives you lots of room for advancement, happiness and future success. Good luck!