It's not the perfect job, but ...

DEAR HARRY: I'm one of the lucky ones. I graduated from college in May, and I have a job. Unfortunately, it's not the job I'd hoped to get. I was offered two jobs: one local and one in Buffalo, N.Y. Both were one grade below where I'd hoped to be. I took the local one for various reasons. Now, I'm concerned because the job involves a lot of repetitive work that's as boring as hell. I'm tempted to quit and look elsewhere. My mother said to write to Uncle Harry and see what advice he can give me. Incidentally, the job in Buffalo is no longer available, and there are no jobs here that are in my field. Help!

WHAT HARRY SAYS: There are boring times in almost any job, some longer than others. You can learn things at almost any job: coping with boredom, how to work comfortably with other employees, handling stress, how to deal with bosses. You can learn how to manage your time, how to multitask. Use this job as further education so you can handle the work you want when your promotion comes along. I had a friend who worked three years for a boss whom he hated because he wanted the experience the job gave him.