Is it better to take a job outside your industry, or wait until something better comes along? It’s a precarious situation to decide on. If you wait for something to come up, you might be waiting (and struggling financially) for a while, however if you do take the job that’s outside of your desired field or specialty, you may be settling when something else is right on the horizon.
It’s a hard decision to make, however ultimately, I don’t believe that you should sign a contract for a long term position if it isn’t in the direction you see yourself going. In this case, I always suggest that people look into temporary or contract positions.There seems to be a negative connotation of temporary jobs, however I personally know many people (myself included) who’s temp positions opened doors which they never expected.
Temporary positions serve three main benefits:
- They give you income while you’re in transition or in between jobs
- They give you the freedom to look and apply for other jobs while you’re still working without the guilt of leaving a position you feel tied to
- They establish networking connections and opportunities for you.
Temporary positions help fill in the gaps of your resume so you don’t have prolonged periods of unemployment, which is always great, however temporary jobs also show that you’re a motivated person who doesn’t want to just sit around while looking for a job. Even if you take a temp or contract position that’s not exactly in the area you want, it shows that you want to be working, are willing to work hard to get what you want, and that you are ambitious.
If you excel at your temporary position, chances are that you will meet people who can a) point you in the right direction, b) know of a job that may interest you, or c) will work with you to keep you at the company but progress to an area that better suits your qualifications.
There is no down side to taking a temporary position in between jobs, because if you don’t like it, you can simply end the position. Similarly, if you do find a better position, there is no need to feel bad about leaving a job or a company. A temporary position is one that is made to be flexible, so companies are generally pretty understanding if you find a full time position that is better suited for you long term.
What will happen if you do take a long term job that isn’t what you want? On the surface, it may not seem terrible. Everyone understands that you need to make a living, and will do what needs to be done to make that happen, however if you do take a long term job that isn’t in the direction you see yourself (or would like to be) progressing towards, it could make it even harder for you to meet your goal.
Think of it this way: If you have been working in business development but want to transition into marketing, the more positions you take in business development, the more likely you are to appear as a business development professional, and less likely to appear as a marketing professional. If you want to transition into marketing, a better way to go about this would be to take classes in marketing and volunteer to collaborate on projects with the marketing department in your current company. The more you can put on your resume that’s marketing related, the more your marketing skills will be highlighted, and you can focus on that aspect of your expertise instead of business development. If you continue to take role after role in business development, the farther away you get from your goal of transitioning into marketing.
When you’re looking to transition jobs or roles, it is important to think about the big picture and think about how your actions now will affect you later. It may be tempting to jump on the first job offered to you, but take a step back and answer the question, “Is it better to take a job outside your industry, or wait until something better comes along?”
If you are struggling financially and find yourself eager to continue working even if it’s not the best position, consider taking on a temporary role where you can explore your options and establish new connections. There is nothing wrong with taking a temporary or contract position to fill the transition space, however taking a job that you’re not suited for could start you down a path that you’re not willing to take.