Life After Graduation

Since graduation is in six weeks, my stress meter should be rising rapidly. However, my stress has remained fairly low because of many reasons. The main reason is because of my preparation for life after graduation. As a communications major, I feel that I have been well prepared for many types of jobs that pay well. Graduates with communications degrees are usually effective in any field because good communication is key to the success of any business. Unfortunately, this sometimes makes looking for a job more difficult because of the array of options that may be available. Therefore, I have some tips that all graduates should be following in the coming weeks.

#1 - Analyze what your top skills are.
We all know that there are certain things that we are just exponentially better at than others. So why not capitalize on our strongest skills and see how that can assist with post-graduation plans. Also, you should plan to ask people who know you well, like classmates, faculty, and co-workers, what they think you would succeed at based on your skills.


#2 - Don't wait until the last minute.
Time flies by. Graduation will be here before you know it. So don't wait until the last minute to search for jobs and get your materials together. Career Services has excellent resources, and they are always willing to help in any way they can. Remember the early bird gets the worm.

#3 - Use your resources.
Make sure that you are keeping in contact with alumni from your major, friends that may already be in the field you are planning to enter, family that can assist you, the coordinator from where you interned, and anyone else that you encounter that could be a valuable resource. Also, remember to do your research online and build your brand through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogs.


#4 - Don't settle for less.
So what if the economy is struggling. You are a bright and gifted individual who deserves the best. If you keep this attitude then you will definitely get where you need to be. I'm not saying that you should turn down a job because it is paying less than $100,000, but I am encouraging you to not settle for the first offer that you get. Do you really want to work at a job that is completely unrelated to what you have been studying for the past four years? More importantly, it's not about the money, but about the happiness that comes from doing what you truly want to do.

#5 - You only live once, and life gets harder the older you get.
Don't let anyone or anything hold you back from achieving your goals. It may be hard at first to get where you want to be, but it will be worth it once you get there. So, if you have big plans, act on them while you're young. Once you get a family, numerous expenses, and various obligations, it will be much harder to follow any path that seems promising.

These are just a few tips that I hope we all can follow. Everything we are learning in the Capstone Seminar class, and everything that we have learned in our past classes have been preparing us for the big day. Who knows? You could have a future director, producer, editor, writer, social media coordinator, marketing manager, public relations specialist, or even a future small business owner sitting right next to you. 

Here are some websites that I suggest we all take a look at in preparation for graduation:
Entertainment Careers
Occupational Outlook
Life After College
Gradspot

2011 will be our year to exceed expectations, impact those who we encounter and make a name for ourselves in the world.