I was offered a good first job in my field of study, but in a taboo industry. Should I take it?I’m a recent PR grad and have been struggling to find work. My first job offer is a great role with good pay, but it’s with a sex toy company. I personally have no issues working in this industry, but I would like to have experience in other fields and I’m worried about my ability to progress and move to another company if future employers find it taboo.
The second part is how future employers will view this role. To start, I wager to bet that most people reading resumes on the employer side will either not care or not recognize the name of the company. We read hundreds of resumes a day – it isn’t a big deal. In interviews it is only a big deal if you make it a big deal. If the interviewer says: “Tell us about your last role,” you can speak to the job and not the company.
As someone who has been working for 20 years, I can also tell you that, at a certain point, you start dropping old jobs off your resume. So, even if there is an issue at some point in the future, you can also choose to leave what may be a short-term or very junior job off your resume. You have a lot of control over how you position this, and it sounds like a great opportunity.This is a very good and legitimate concern for a number of reasons.
Employers are more concerned with what you’re able to produce and less so with where you acquired the skills, especially if you’re someone who can perform exceptionally well. In order to make sure your career is a success, no matter what employer you choose, create a roadmap of where you want to go career-wise and prioritize developing skills and acquiring experience that aligns with that vision.
As long as you’re good at your job, you’ll be in demand when the job market stabilizes. And that’s the final thing – the market in itself is turbulent. Getting a role in this climate is nothing short of amazing. If you’re a grad struggling to find work and you found a job that aligns with your degree and skills, assuming the company culture isn’t toxic, that’s a major win.