A lot of student are concerned about what to do after they graduate. In college, you are told what to study and how to spend your day, but it is not as prescriptive when you enter the real world after graduating. Do you immediately look for a job or do you take some time off to find yourself? These might be just two out of a host of questions. To make life a little easier for you, I have put together a list of what your first steps really should be. It is not always the same for everyone and one show never fits all, but with some guidance, you will apply what works for you.
Study further
Your journey as a student does not have to come to an abrupt end after you graduate. You might decide to go to graduate school. Going to graduate school is also a step to work on your future career and gives you a bigger advantage. This is not time wasted, but rather, time invested. Start working on your statement of purpose graduate school as soon as you can. This will give you some kind of guidance as to where you are going.
Decide on employment
Even if you want to take a gap year, you would obviously want to be employed at some stage. Think about what you want to do to earn an income. Which company do you want to work at, or would you start your own business after graduation? There needs to be a plan and you have to time to do so. In fact, you can start working on this before you graduate. Your first job will probably not be as a CEO of a big organisation, but you have to think about the bigger picture. Even if you start at the bottom, you still have an opportunity to work your way up the ladder. Check which positions are available and start preparing your resume accordingly.
Resume
Continuing from the above point, a strong resume will take you a long way. There are many websites that can teach you about creating a resume and the standards to adhere to. This is as important as doing a statement of purpose mba. The job market is saturated at the moment and before you can impress a panel in an interview, your resume will have to speak for you. You could also employ the services of a professional resume creator. Always keep in mind that a human being will be reading your resume, but many companies have software to help the selection process. This is why it is important to use the correct keywords, without it being written purely for bots.
References
How strong is your list of references? This could be used for further studies or job applications. While you have the time, I suggest you compile a list of strong and credible referees. You do not want to run around at the last minute asking anyone and everyone to give you a reference. Think about who would have the greatest impact as a referee. Tell them ahead of time that you will be adding them and give enough time to prepare a great letter of reference.
Embrace risks
Life does not always go according to plan and that is perfectly fine. You do not want to have a plan that is so tight, that you cannot take a few steps to the left or the right. When an opportunity presents itself, you want to embrace it, even if it is not in the plan. Taking risks will pay off if you take the time beforehand to do your research. This does not mean that you have to say yes to every suggestion, but the ones that scare you just a little, might change your life for the better. If studying further scares you, figure out how to improve statement of purpose. Nothing is impossible, but you are going to have to put in the hard work that is required.
Improve your skills
While you are waiting to be employed, you do not want to sit around and do nothing. Use this time to evaluate your weaknesses and work on it. If you are looking at jobs you wish you had, take a look at the requirements needed. Take one at a time and make sure you master it. This is going to make it so much easier to gain access to the job you really want.
Conclusion
You do not have to figure it all out on your first day after graduation. In fact, if you still feel lost a month after graduating, it really is not that big of a deal. Give yourself some time and some grace. Once you start your career, you won’t have much time on your hands, so embrace the first few moments. Having a plan will help guide you to the career you always dreamt of. It takes time, but the process is totally worth it.
This infographic was created by statementofpurposegraduateschool.com
