I Graduated, Now What??

This will be a short read but motivating enough to help you keep moving forward

OK, So you graduated from college and now you’re trying to find what you’re going to do with yourself now that you have your degree. You already have your decision on what you’re going to with that degree; or you’ve been graduated for a WHILE and STILL haven’t found your dream job in your desired field. Main point being, I’m going to touch on where your mind should be in these 2 question so follow with me…

• What should I Do Now?
• I have my degree, but no job

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people perish

(Disclaimer: I know everyone doesn’t believe in the bible, however, if im allowed and indulged for a moment, I would like to pull from this very true and profound statement written in the book of Proverbs by Solomon)

Now briefly I wanted to start with this because this is such a profound statement that many of graduates tend to loose sight of. Without proper vision or forethought about what your next step will be, you will (eventually) fall shy of achieving your goal. This said, LETS BEGIN:

1. WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW???

Well, you graduated, THAT’S GOOD NEW! You are, however, presented with the obstacle of finding a job in your field of major. It’s been weeks for some, months for others & years for most; how should i combat this slump I’ve fallen in? The short answer is “Discipline & Consistency.”

Regardless of how long it’s been, you still have to do your best to put your BEST foot forward. It’s important for you to make connections in this world (This is how many get jobs in these days). Create a Linkedin acct & FB acct and MARKET YOURSELF. You have a positive on your side (your degree), REMEMBER THAT! You may have not involved yourself actively while in college to make sure that you land a job once you graduate; though it has hurt you in the long run, you can recover from this. There are many was you can do so: from an always updated resume, to a testimonial on YouTube about your experience going through college in the field you studied (You’ll be surprised how many people actually want to hear these)

2. I have my degree, but no job

• Don’t stop studying AFTER YOU GRADUATE.
• Many students stop having that drive that got them that far in the 1st place. Imagine for a second: You finally get a hit on your social media account or indeed.com for example. They reach you for an interview and once you get there, and you do well on the interview and get the job, GREAT; but there is an issue. Once on the 1st day of the job you have to apply things on the job that you learned in college and are not able to perform b/c you did not rehearse what you learned. ←- This can get you fired and hold a bad name against you, as well, deflate your confidence in searching for the same kind of job in your field of study.
• Make calls & search for internships.
• Call who? Research where? Start by having the following accounts: ZIPrecruiter, Indeed, Monster & Glassdoor. These are excellent to find internships to start out (If you no longer have connections on campus after becoming an alumni. If you do have connections on your campus OR your school offers services specially made for graduates who need a job fresh out of college, go there for a start.)
• Make calls to former classmates you may be in good standing with to see if they can refer you to where they are to get a foot in the door. This is forgotten about also, but it can definitely get you going EVEN IF its not the company you desired.
• Continue to have a working relationship with your professor.
• This person can be a counselor in times of hardship on the job as well as be a backbone for guidance on where to next. Even if you didn’t have one before you graduated, most professors like to know they made an impact on their students life; they would love to have a helping hand in your journey to success.

Final note: What I gave you above is just a ground level basis as to how you can change the tide in your life. Some of these will work for those of you that just graduated (example, the professor or classmates you still remember), and other for those who haven’t gave it a shot in years (Example: Linkedin/FB & YouTube) Either way this should provide some sense of hope and guidance in your journey. Continue to seek counsel and direction; no one man is the answer all, so make sure your phone is ready to reach out and your mind is open to correction. YOU CAN DO THIS, JUST FOCUS!