Graduation season is upon us, which means it is time for great outfits, fancy robes, and quarter-life crises. If you’re wondering how exactly all that time passed without leaving you prepped and ready for the real world, you aren’t alone. It is officially time for family gatherings where that one well-meaning uncle comes up to you and asks you to tell him your ‘plan’, when everyone thinks it is acceptable to interrogate your employment status, and all of it makes for some pretty interesting conversation. If you feel like you don’t even know what you don’t know, the LEAP team has rounded up some advice we feel would’ve helped after we’d thrown those hats in the air.
Don’t take the first job you’re offered
Think carefully about what you want to do before rushing to grab the first thing you see. A lot of fresh graduates are desperate to land themselves with a job, and for good reason: the market isn’t an easy or forgiving one. That being said, don’t be afraid to wait a while and reflect on where your skills and passions lie – find a job that provides you with opportunities to develop those skills and advance in your professional life.
Weekends spent indoors are not bad weekends
Once you land that dream first job and start working, the initial pressure to juggle between a social life and a professional one can be a tough one to figure out. The big secret behind doing this well is also a pretty simple one- you’re not a fun person to be around or a productive colleague during projects if you aren’t well rested, so make sure to give yourself the time and space to do that. Queue your Netflix and enjoy a cosy night in once in a while!
Rejection is healthy, and it will happen to you
The initial job hunt fresh out of college is not a fun one to undergo, especially if you’ve been hearing the word ‘no’ a lot more often than you’ve been hearing any others. The good thing is, like your grades in college, this will sort itself out eventually, and while being in the thick of several rejections may not be the most fun, it will also make you more attuned to sending strong applications and ultimately, help you find the best possible positon for yourself.
The best is yet to come
The old cliché about college being the best years of your life is tried, tested, and should now be put to bed. Make no mistake- transitioning from being a student to a working adult with bills to pay is not an easy one, but it is also an extremely rewarding process.
Expect to feel giddy when you see your first every pay check come in, or when you buy your first non-inflatable sofa. Even if you aren’t a Grammy-winning singer like you dreamed about being when you’re four, you’ll still have time to pursue your passion and find like-minded people to spend time with, so if you’re dreading the end of university, we have some good news: there’s a lot to look forward to.
