Seven things to do after graduation for life beyond college After spending several years earning your college degree, you are now beginning to experience the realities of adulthood.
In addition to finding a job, you also need to learn how to handle your finances, make contacts in the business world, and a host of other things.
University was the simple part. Real adulthood challenges lie there.
Because of this, I’ve included my top seven things to do after graduating from college so that you can feel as prepared as you can for all of these new challenges in life.
ATTEND A LOCAL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS MEETUP If you haven’t been to Meetup , stop what you’re doing and go there.
To get involved in the community and begin making relationships, this website lets you search for groups by area and interest.
There is truly something for everyone, from yoga groups to singles mixers.
If you recently moved to a new region and want to meet new people, it may be tempting to join up for numerous of these events, but be careful not to stretch yourself too thin! While having events to attend is excellent, you also need to pay attention to other things.
That’s why I advise prioritizing a gathering of young professionals.
You can locate nearby peers your own age who share your interests. It’s a fantastic chance to network, find out who is hiring, get a sense of where the greatest opportunities are, and get feedback from individuals who have been in your shoes.
GIVE YOUR RESUME A STRONG REVISION Let’s face it, your college-created résumé probably needs some assistance.
One of the biggest errors recent graduates make when writing resumes is failing to customize them to the position they are seeking for. Instead, they create a single general résumé, distribute it to potential companies, and wait for a response.
That might be appropriate for some occupations, but in fact, the job market is shifting, and employers want to know precisely why you are a good fit for the position.
Yes, personalizing your resume will take more effort, but you’ll have a higher chance of landing a job.
Consider using words that are actionable while you are updating your CV. If you include quantifiable results, bonus points! This information can come from any activity you engaged in while in college, including internships, volunteer work, part-time work, freelancing, class projects, and other activities.
Feeling lost?
Start by using some of your talents. What skills do you have that you can use? For instance, how well-versed are you in Microsoft Office? You should highlight that ability on your resume.
MAKE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE BETTER Call it social media for adults with jobs.
If you want to be seen, you must join LinkedIn. You may interact with other professionals as well as establish a profile to highlight your qualifications and expertise. Additionally, your connections may recommend you to potential employers for the abilities you’ve indicated, increasing your appeal to them!
It’s a fantastic method to gain access to a business that you might not have had before.
Even if you don’t use LinkedIn frequently, I still advise visiting it at least once a week to add more job descriptions, hunt for new contacts, or update your abilities.
Bonus Tip: Try searching for the job title in the LinkedIn search bar if you’re seeking for a particular position, and then examine the profiles of anyone who comes up as a match. This will offer you an idea of the qualifications needed for a position, the abilities that might be advantageous, and the previous employers of the candidate (this might give you an idea of where to search for work).
Post-college activities Make a compelling LinkedIn profile. Make a budget for the upcoming week, month, and year. Every recent college graduate should understand sound money management.
The bills will still come whether you want them to or not in the real world.
After graduating from college, one of the first things you should do is make a weekly, monthly, and annual budget. The weekly budget needs to be detailed. Include expenses such as food and transportation costs. Rent, power, water, garbage, cell phone, cable, and any other expenses that you pay once a month should all be included in the monthly budget. The annual budget should serve as your financial ceilings or targets for the year. For instance, set a $1,000 annual spending cap for vacations.
In an emergency, you should ideally have at least three months’ worth of salary saved (six months is even better).
If you owe money on student loans, have a plan for how you’re going to pay it off. For suggestions on how to pay off the loan more quickly, see 7 Tips for Paying Off Student Loans.
You can start by using the free budgeting printable set I have available.
OUTLINE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS. Be specific about your goals for the next six months, a year, and five years.
In six months, do you desire a job, or in a year, a promotion? Make a note of that.
By creating a strategy, you may think about how you can accomplish these short- and long-term objectives. What must you accomplish to acquire a job? Describe each step in the job search and interview preparation process.
You should consider how you can advance in your career if that is your goal. Would you like to pursue an business analysis course after graduation to broaden your skill set? Do you want to gain experience that is important, even if it is as an intern? How are you going to get these chances? List the methods you can network and create opportunities for yourself.
There are a lot of people who have objectives floating around in their heads but never put them in writing. I don’t know about you, but when I see something every day, I feel lot more driven to accomplish it.
Do not hesitate to hold yourself responsible. The objectives may alter, so be it! But keep in mind what you’re aiming for.
CAREFULLY WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS Recent college graduates typically want to accept the first job offer they are given since it means having money in the bank and avoiding unemployment.
But let’s take a moment to consider this, Are you truly sure this job is what you want? Will it enable you to meet all of your needs? Will it aid in the development of new skills?
Before accepting a job offer, it’s crucial to ask yourself each of these questions.
Yes, I understand the need of stability, but believe me when I say that the last thing you want to do is accept a job out of habit only to discover after three months that you detest it and don’t want to work there any longer.
I therefore urge you to carefully consider all of your alternatives.
If you applied for a job that you didn’t really want but were just doing it for the money, it might not be worth it unless you really need the money now.
Post-college activities Think through your alternatives thoroughly. EVERY WEEK, APPLY FOR AT LEAST 5 JOBS (IF UNEMPLOYED) When you graduated from college without a job in mind, it was time to start looking online for a job.
Keep in mind that you should send a customized resume and cover letter for each position you apply for. I advise you to aim for applying for at least one job each day of the work week because this requires more time.
I’m aware that some people think this is insufficient, but I firmly feel that sending a strong application to five jobs is preferable to sending a mediocre one to twenty-five.
If you’re looking for assistance on how to obtain a job or determine which one is the greatest fit for you, check out the amazing articles on careers in Levo and Career Contessa .
WHAT TO DO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL WHAT DID YOU THINK? How did you find it as a recent college graduate? What aspects of your future, if you’re still in school, are you most and least looking forward to?
