Jessica just graduated from college with a
liberal arts degree, but with the economy being so poor, she’s having trouble
finding work. So, to tide her over in the meantime, she’s increased her hours
at the part-time retail job she’s held since sophomore year…or so she’s told
her friends and family.
The truth is, Jessica hasn’t even begun to
look for a job. In fact, she’s not even sure what she wants to do. She assumed
she would ‘figure it out’ over the course of school, but she feels no closer to
making a decision now than she did when she started college. Her retail
position will allow her to stay afloat for the time being, but she knows that
she wants—and others expect—more than it can provide. She’s felt panic building
under the surface, because she knows that this is only a temporary solution and
she doesn’t know how long she’ll be able to make excuses and hold on.
Now, Jessica’s aunt, Grace, has told her
about an opportunity. One of her professional contacts is looking to hire for
an entry-level role, and he owes Grace a favor. He told her that he’d need to
interview Jessica as a formality, but assuming the meeting went well, he’d
offer her the job. Both Grace and Jessica’s parents are very excited, but
they’re confused and alarmed by Jessica’s lack of enthusiasm.
Jessica
wants to move on with her life, but she is afraid to move forward without
direction. Is it as simple as picking something and sticking with it, or
perhaps starting something new and learning more about herself in the work-force,
or holding out until she determines what she wants, and then make
that her goal?
Clinical Considerations
Every
transition occupies the space of transformation between “before and after." Transitions,
while unsettling, are constants throughout the stages of our lives. It is
important to take the amount of time necessary to collect useful information to
weigh the findings.
This
first step in Jessica’s journey feels daunting because she fears making the
wrong choice. What she doesn’t realize
is that all her choices, including the mistakes, grow resilience. For now,
finding clarity is Jessica’s goal; and every experience she takes on is a
chance for her to move closer to attaining confidence on her career
path.