What To Do After College

What Are Your Post

Recent college graduates have many choices. Some graduates are ready to begin their careers while others want to volunteer for their communities. Graduates often move away from their college, sometimes back home, to new places or even to international destinations. Carefully consider your options and interests and choose a post-college path that benefits both your career and your passions.

Related:Guide: How to Get a Job After College

Network Early And Often

Put aside images of that sleazy, cheesy, bad-salesman person who shows up at every event to talk about him- or herself. Networking is about forming relationships and taking a genuine interest in people around you. How often have you heard people talking about landing a job because of an old college buddy?

Yes, you should attend events related to your field of study, but if youre not exactly the social type, look for people on LinkedIn and people at other colleges and universities. Practical networking tips include:

• Meet people through people you already know.
• Look for community groups related to your field.
• Always have your business cards with you .
• Be well-read in your field so that you can talk about it easily.
• Ask people questions rather than talking about yourself.
• Ask your new contact for suggestions of other people to meet.
• Practice networking conversations with a trusted friend if they don’t come naturally to you.
• Be aware of body languagesmile and uncross your arms.
• Dont try to be somebody youre not.
• Dont have an agenda be open to meeting all kinds of people. You never know where a conversation will lead.

I Want To Go To Graduate School

This lets people know that you have plans for graduate school and are actively working to figure out how to make those plans a reality. Additionally, it lets people know that you are already in the process of working out the details, which may mean full-time work, an internship, or time off studying for an entrance exam. Regardless of the specifics, this answer lets folks know that you already have plans in motion.

Also Check: Selling Back School Books

Why Does It Take So Long To Get A Job After College

You may feel like youre in no position to be picky with what jobs you want to take, but its important to evaluate yourself, your skills, your desires, and what you want to spend your time doing. A little soul searching wont hurt and there are activities like the IKIGAI or The Big 5 Personality test to understand yourself better and what youll find fulfillment in.

The majority of recruiters say their biggest challenge is finding candidates with the skill and quality they need for the open positions. With this in mind, its up to you to acquire the skills and qualifications for the job youre aiming for.

Here are the most common reasons why fresh college grads have a hard time finding a job:

Not Being Prepared

Finding your first job requires checking off some non-negotiable requirements like having your resume up to date with relevant experiences, a cover letter, an online portfolio, and being interview-ready. Having your ducks in a row will give you more confidence when you start applying to your first few dream jobs.

Speaking from personal experience, being able to have a professional portfolio that showed my resume, cover letter, and recent projects made a lot of a difference when trying to stand out.

Acadium apprenticeships help you find mentors who are willing to give you hands-on experience in digital marketing.

Applying Only to Job Boards

I’m Looking For A Job As A

Using the “What are you doing after graduation?” question as a networking opportunity isn’t cheatingit’s smart. If you want to go into a certain field or work for a certain company, get the word out. Don’t be shy about telling people what you’re looking for and what you’re interested in. Doing so is an important form of networking, and you never know who might be able to help you get your foot in the door somewhere.

Recommended Reading: How To Sell My College Books

Figure Out What You Are Good At

What are you good at, like truly good at? Before starting your career, you can discover what you are truly good at. You can find your passion before jumping right into your career. Taking time before starting your career for personal development and some self-reflection is also something that one should seek to accomplish before jumping right into your career.

Interested In Launching A Career In Digital Marketing

Starting your career in digital marketing can be a daunting and overwhelming journey. Dont let that stop you from joining an industry that offers variety, excitement, and endless growth opportunities.

Check out our complete guide to starting a career in digital marketing if you want to get everything youll need for your journey.

And if youre ready to immerse yourself in real-world marketing projects, then become an apprentice on Acadium today. The skills, results, work samples, and network you develop will make it much easier for you to get your firstor nextjob.

This post was first published in October 2020. Weve updated it with contributions from Lexi Rodrigo, Content Manager at Acadium.

Don’t Miss: Brandon Charnas Real Estate

I’m Going To Help My Family Out For A While

This can mean you’re working for your family’s business or that you’re going home to help care for a sick family member. And while you don’t need to share the details if you don’t want to, mentioning that you’ll be supporting your family in one form or another lets people know that you already have plans in the works.

Volunteer With Your City

You dont need to travel outside your city to volunteer and make a difference. Right within your city, there are several opportunities to volunteer.

Organizations you can volunteer with within your city include:

• Meals on Wheels
• Homeless shelters
• Habitat for Humanity

You can also use websites like LinkedIn, Taproot+, and Idealist to find more volunteer opportunities around you.

Now of course, these are volunteer opportunities which pay little or nothing at all. So you would still need to have some financial support while serving in these volunteer roles.

You May Like: Grammarly For Free Students

Pick Your Major Strategically

It used to be okay to head to college now and figure out your degree path later. Now, it’s best to know where you want to go. One way to save on education: Plan the most efficient path to graduation by taking the courses you need for your major and to fulfill requirements with the fewest possible additional steps. Graduate in four years or less, if you can manage it.

Then, there’s finding the best college major for your talents and goals. With the average student-loan payment now up to $351 per month, getting out with the right kind of degree can make a huge difference in your life after graduation. Your ability to live comfortably, get a car loan or apartmentand, eventually, buy a home or marry and have a familycan be affected. The question is, what qualifies as the right degree?

You will likely spend more hours working than playing, so choose a major that will enable you to do something you enjoy and find meaningful. The issue is finding work you value that also promises a decent salary and good career path after graduation. That could leave you choosing a field that may not be your first choice. Fortunately, most people have more than one career path that they would be happy traveling.

How do you find which of your paths have high future demand and pay well? Here’s the short answer: If you have a knack for science, technology, engineering or math and pursue a career in one of those areas, you will likely do just fine.

Put Together A Budget For The Next Week Month And Year

Every recent college graduate needs to know how to manage their money wisely.

In the real world, the bills will come whether you want them to or not.

Creating a weekly, monthly, and yearly budget is one of the first things you should do after college graduation. The weekly budget should be specific Include things like food costs, gas money, etc. The monthly budget should cover things like rent, electricity, water, trash, cell phone, cable, and any other expenses that you pay once a month. Finally, the yearly budget should be your financial limits or goals for the year. For example, limiting yourself to $1,000 in the year to use for vacations.

Ideally, youll want to save at least three months worth of income in case of an emergency .

If you have student loan debt, then develop a plan for how youre going to pay that off. You can read 7 Tips for Paying Off Student Loans for ideas for how you can pay the debt off quicker!

Also, I have a free budgeting printable set that you can use to get started.

Don’t Miss: National Guard College Pay

Work For Your College

Many colleges hire their past students to join administrative departments like admissions, development and academic advising. If you love your college and are passionate about higher education, consider speaking with the administrative team at your school to see if there are any open positions for recent graduates.

Beef Up Your Linkedin Profile

LinkedIn is a must if you want to get your face out there. Not only can you create a profile to highlight your achievements and experience, but you can also connect with other professionals. Additionally, your connections can endorse you for the skills youve listed, making you even more attractive to prospective employers!

Its a great way to get your foot in the door to a company you may have not had access to before.

Even if you dont use LinkedIn on a regular basis, I would still recommend checking it at least once a week to either look for new connections, update your skills, or add more job descriptions.

Bonus Tip: If youre looking for a specific job, try searching for that job title in the LinkedIn search bar and then view the profiles of anyone who shows up as a match. This will give you an idea as to what experience it required for a position, what skills might be helpful to have, and where the person has worked before .

Recommended Reading: Test Out Of A Class

Dont Get Stuck In A Dead End Job

You know whats worse than sitting around your parents house doing absolutely nothing? Working in a job thats taking you nowhere! I am not only talking about working at a low entry job in your career field. I am talking about that petty or entry-level job you have before you make take the leap in the getting the dream career you truly want. It is very important to keep your eyes on the prize and realize everything is temporary. Do not let yourself get comfortable. It is easy to get stuck in the routine of going to work every day and work on yourself.

Tell Your Storyshow Your Enthusiasm And Drive Through Your Experiences

Chances are, if youve already done all the things outlined, you have a pretty interesting story to tell, as well. These things take work and showing recruiters that you had the enthusiasm and drive to work on yourself and your network while looking for that job will always be more interesting than a list of skills on a resume. People will have questions to find out if youre the right person and these experiences will give you a wealth of examples to draw from.

Don’t Miss: Berkeley College 41st

I’m Talking To The Career Counselors At School About My Options

Lots of people like to give advice to current or recent college graduates, which can be great. However, not all of the advice you receive can be helpful or constructive. Letting people know that you’re talking with administrators who are professionally trained to offer career advice can be a gentle way to let them know that you’re already receiving advice from others — and, consequently, don’t necessarily need any more at this moment.

Experience Is Often More Critical Than A Degree

Many jobs look for experienced individuals for higher positions. After graduation, you will often hear, Do you have any experience? Or, on the job description, you may see that experience is required. Do not allow this to get you down if you just dont have a lot of experience yet. By accepting an entry-level job and excelling very early in your position, you are bound to climb up the work latter very quickly.

Recommended Reading: How Much Are My College Books Worth

Contemplate Your Level Of Education

You may be interested in learning a new skill, and some jobs will require additional training or education, either now or in the future, Kahn points out. And with an estimated 1,855,000 students earning a bachelor’s degree this year, every little bit of edge counts.

Be on the lookout for certification classes, online courses, seminars, or even graduate schools that could set you above the competition or help you explore out a different area of interest.

Things To Do After College

Now, as a recent college graduate, you have more options and freedom to choose what you want to do next in life, probably more now than ever. It may be time to volunteer or intern in your industry, start trying out different careers or maybe just take a break from a full-time schedule and travel to a country you always wanted to visit. Consider this list of things to do after college graduation to help you find what might be your best next steps:

Read Also: Which School Do I Belong To

Navigating Life After College: Tips From A 25

A class of 2017 grad shares his advice for combatting post-graduation anxiety.

Editors note: The following essay was contributed by Lute Moss, a sales development representative on Handshakes Employer team. To learn more about life as a Handshake SDR, check out this post!

Forget the Sunday Scariesnot knowing what comes after graduation can feel like the most nerve-wracking moment of all. Like many graduating students, I had no idea what my future held when I received my diploma only a few years ago.

Getting paid to do what you love doesnt just magically happen. There are lessons you have to learn. There are obstacles you have to overcome. But guess what? Everything will be okay! How do I know? Well, Ive gone through the ringer and come out the other side. Here are five suggestions, based on lessons Ive learned, for navigating your way through those first few years after college.

Explore Your Options Ie Graduate School Freelancing Etc

What are the options available to you? Have you considered all of your options? Before starting your career, it is wise to explore all of your avenues and find your best fit.

Consider whether graduate school is a good fit for you. Search for freelancing opportunities online. There are several roads you can travel if you cant find full-time work right off the bat.

Tracey Sands was born and raised in The Bahamas. She is a senior at Saint Leo University and is part of the 3+1 Marketing/MBA Program. Upon completion of her degree programs, Tracey hopes to join the hospitality industry back home within a marketing role. Eventually she plans to open a marketing agency geared toward small businesses. Her hobbies include cooking and drawing.

Recommended Reading: Harrison College Terre Haute Indiana

Do Not Sit On Your A**

I cant stress this enough. It is important for you to not get too comfortable with just sitting around because not only are you not staying active, but youre probably getting on your parents nerves as well. No one wants to come home with a grown man/woman chilling on the sofa doing absolutely nothing after a long days work. Remind yourself to be more considerate. Help out around the house and stay out the way. By all means, enjoy your life, party, sleep, slump on the floor next to the dog while eating a bowl of Cheetos, but, do not get lazy.

Build Your Personal Brand

I was 30 years old before I made my first piece of content dont be like me. Start early aka right NOW! No matter where you want to go with your life and career, you should be documenting everything you possibly can. Make shit write, draw, paint, sing, film, edit and then POST it. Put yourself out there, provide value, and build a community around just being you.

You May Like: What Size Are Dorm Room Mattresses

Learn From The Experts And Find A Mentor To Lean On For Advice

Learning from the experts simply is identifying someone in your field whom you can learn from, someone you can look up to, and someone you can go to for advice. Similar to adopting a mentor when you have someone you can go to for advice, it is rewarding. As you go into the workforce, even as you go into adulthood entirely, it is essential to have someone you can rely on.

If you dont have a specific mentor or shoulder to lean on, consider using social media sites like LinkedIn or Twitter to network with such individuals. Its amazing what simple connections you can make to highly respected individuals, so take advantage of these opportunities by doing some research online and reaching out.

Try Working For Yourself

So far, Ive focused mostly on advice that applies if you want to work a traditional office job. While theres nothing wrong with that, its worth it to look at other employment options. One such option is self-employment.

The popular image of working for yourself involves getting investors and growing a startup. While that can be an exciting, fulfilling path for the right people, working for yourself can also mean freelancing or starting a small online business that you can run remotely.

While your parents may balk at the idea of you stepping away from the safety net of a big, stable company, working for yourself also offers a level of freedom and mobility that can be difficult to find at a corporate job. At the very least, its a way to make some money while you hunt for other jobs.

You May Like: Do College Credits Expire After 10 Years