We’ve been stuck studying for years on end but we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel as graduation ceremony rolls around. It’s almost time to collect our degree, throw our grad caps into the sky, take off our gowns, and stride into the real world bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!
Alas, life after graduation is no walk in the park and the real world is almost ready to give us that very real wake up call. It’s a whole new dance out there after college and if you don’t know the steps then you may find yourself stumbling instead of moving. So, we’ve outlined a few things that no one will tell you when you graduate to give you a leg up on the rat race that is life after graduation.
Employers won’t come knocking
We’re done with college and ready for a job, yet, jobs aren’t going to find us. The onus is on us to actively seek out positions that align with our skillset and do as much research as possible into the potential avenues our degrees can support. Few employers are eager to sign on fresh graduates so it is in our best interest to apply to as many places as possible and ensure that we are adequately prepared should we land an interview.
You may start at the bottom
The harsh truth is that the job market is saturated. Millions of graduates embrace the market place after college with CVs spanning a range of skills and proficiencies common across the board all vying for a single position. There is a lot of competition and in very rare circumstances will we have acquired the experience to walk into what we believe to be an ideal job. At the start, we may find ourselves running errands that no one else in the office wants to with few opportunities to make a real difference presenting themselves. The best thing we can do is do whatever job we land up with well and add as much value as we can, slowly growing our CV for when new positions begin to open up.
Friends are hard to come by
So, we’ve landed the job but still need to acclimatize to the company culture. Out there in the real world, people from all walks of life are pooled together in companies that have hopefully created a like-minded culture. However, this is not always the case and even when so it can be difficult to break barriers and make friends with people whose lives are on their own course. If you struggle to make friends in the office then use your free time wisely and join communities of people like yourself, whether that be signing up to a runners club or joining a social group.
Budgeting will be your best friend
There’s no doubt you’ll come to make friends the longer you spend in the working world, but few people will be as trusted as your savings account. Between juggling rent, food, transport, and activities, proper budgeting is essential to make the most of your adult life and there are several apps/advisors to engage with should you need aid in this area of your life.
Sure, most of what people won’t tell you doesn’t sound very positive but proactively putting in measures to support these areas of your adult life may help you achieve happiness and fulfillment during your early working career.
