The final months leading up to my college graduation were dreadful. Sleepless nights in the library studying for tests and working on final papers had me feeling like one of the “biters” from The Walking Dead series.
As soon as I walked across the stage at my graduation ceremony, wearing my cap and gown, diploma in hand, I thought I would feel completely accomplished and fulfilled in life. Instead, I felt the complete opposite. Don’t get me wrong. I was extremely proud of myself for all that I accomplished in the past four years. But, I had one question that lingered like a stench smell in my mind− now what?
We spend about the first 15 years of our lives as students in school and when that all comes to an end, we tend to panic and run around like chickens with our heads cut off. I’ll be the first to admit, I was scared to leave my comfort zone and venture out into the real world with real responsibility. As undergrads, all of our focus goes to passing that final calculus test our professor refuses to curve instead of preparing ourselves for the huge life change sneaking up on us.
I thought about the advice I would give my past undergraduate self and the things I would do differently to prepare for the real world. Lucky for you, my advice can help you stay focused and not panic once you graduate. With that said, here are 5 tips and lessons learned from a newbie in the workforce that will help you – a soon to be college graduate – prepare for your future.
1. Stay focused in your transition
After you are done cramming for your last round of finals after four years of college, of course you want to take a break to celebrate. You deserve it! But, you need to remain focused on your transition. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I have seen a new college graduate lose track of time to the point where 6 months has passed after graduation and they still don’t know what they want to be “when they grow up”. Many lose confidence in applying for jobs and move home or “plan” to go to grad school. Situations like these frustrate me because there are plenty of jobs available with companies that need the talent of a young, new business professional.
If there is one thing I wish I knew before I graduated, is that a company needs you just as much as you need them. New technologies and strategies are always emerging and wisdom or experience in the workforce is not the only aspect that makes a business successful. For example, my skills in social media and creative software made my co-workers who were double my age look at me like I was a genius. You learn from them just as much as they learn from you.
I explained to one of my bosses in a previous job why using analytics for social is so important and she explained to me why it was important to give our VP’s in marketing a due date on a project in an email, otherwise the project would never go out on time. I was hesitant on giving someone 5 corporate levels above me a due date. Me actually telling them what to do?! Well, guess what? Not only did the project I was in charge of meet the deadline, one VP emailed me and complemented my assertiveness. My point is, a lack of experience in the business world does not mean you have nothing to contribute. It means you have the same opportunity to make your company successful as the co-worker next to you.
Lesson learned: Don’t underestimate yourself just because you recently graduated from college.
2. LinkedIn and job alerts
Always establish connections on LinkedIn and search for job openings. Before I graduated, I thought LinkedIn was a wannabe Facebook that was for…dare I say it, adults! But, guess what? You are an adult. Create an appealing profile for yourself and connect with any professors, classmates, family members, or previous coworkers.
When I first began using LinkedIn, I realized what a small world it was. Connections are very important when applying for jobs and if your friend, cousin, or uncle happens to work for a company or knows someone who works for a company– leverage that connection. It can help you get an interview or even the job.
Establishing a LinkedIn profile will promote your skills, help you connect with people in the business world, and even alert you about job openings. Also, sign up for job alerts on websites such as Glassdoor and Indeed. When my first internship was coming to an end, I didn’t know where to begin looking for jobs other than LinkedIn. My boss at the time suggested this tactic. I thought it was a waste of time with jobs that were less than appealing, but boy, was I wrong! I had two interviews with two great companies here in Austin through these websites.
Lesson learned: LinkedIn is the best way to market yourself professionally and don’t rule out job alert websites.
3. How to market yourself
You don’t have to be a marketing major to learn the right way to market yourself. The way you carry yourself immediately after you graduate in every interview, at job fairs, or even an internship sets you apart from the other thousands of new grads applying for the same job you are. Your smile, eye contact, firm handshake, and motivation to learn and succeed will take you further than you could ever imagine. Your resume and cover letter are 2 pieces of paper out of hundreds that attempt to explain why or how you are the perfect fit for a specific role. No matter the experience or connections you have when meeting the hiring persons, if you impress them with your witty, focused, and hungry-to-learn personality, they will not only want to hire you but, they will like you.
Lesson Learned: Your smile and personality is your logo.
4. Be prepared in your interview
Do your homework and always be prepared. Are you dying to work for a certain company that seems almost impossible to get an interview with? Or, are you just interviewing with the first company who responded to your application? No matter the case, you need to know exactly what you are walking into. From writing your cover letter to writing your follow up thank you email, know the company inside and out.
The 5 W’s and 1 H I learned back in kindergarten came in handy (who, what, when, where, why, and how). Know what year the company started up and if they are a public company, know their stock price. Read their press releases, blog posts, social media posts and any news coverage. Definitely know the CEO’s first and last name. Basically, know everything. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be. The more confident you are, the more knowledge you will share about yourself and their company in your interview. This shows you are driven and responsible.
Lesson learned: Be prepared. Know everything that you can about a company and its executives as well as the person that is interviewing you.
5. Your first job is temporary
Think realistically. The job you are applying for right now is probably not the job you envision yourself doing for the rest of your life. The good news is, it wont be. Everyone has to start somewhere and although what you’re doing now may not be your dream job, it is the beginning of your business career and it is an important chapter for you to learn and grow from. You will become better at what you do and you will move up the corporate ladder. All of this will lead you on the path to your dream job. It is a process.
Lesson learned: Building up your career takes time.
So there you have it, 5 tips to prepare for your future. If you have any other tips you would like to add, feel free to share in the comments section. If you are an undergrad and want to ask a personal question about the “real world”, feel free to email me!