Congratulations! You just completed college and earned your well-deserved degree. Now, what next? What to do after college? The thought of joining the ‘real’ world is beyond us, but it’s inevitable once you complete college.
The answer to these questions lies in figuring out what you want to do after graduation. On the bright side, there are several options to choose from, including going after your first ‘dream’ job. The problem isn’t finding what to do but rather understanding how to go about achieving it, say your dream job.
Thinking about what to do after college can be downright nerve-wracking, especially if you hadn’t considered it before. And who would with all the fun in college? It’s completely okay, there’s no need to worry. Just take this time to consider all the options at your disposal. Do your research about the options available and match them to your interests and you’ll be okay.
As scary as finding out what to do after college may seem, you can use this period to your advantage, with the myriad of options available, before diving into a full-time job or career. Although starting a new career is a good idea, you should consider the fact that there are limited job opportunities and overwhelming competition, therefore, polishing or learning new skills may help you stand out. Look at it from this perspective, getting a career immediately after graduating satisfies a short-term goal, in the sense that, it may not be worth it in the long run. On the other hand, developing your skill set is a long-term goal.
However, deciding the path to choose or the post-grad activities to undertake, coupled up with overwhelming societal pressure on students to choose a career path, may not be as simple as it seems but the good news is that it’s possible.
Here’s a list of the possible things to do after college which you can delve into, but it’s important to think about your decision. Remember, the key is not to pass the time but rather gain relevant skills that make you stand out in the job market. Knowing you have gained the right skills gives you the confidence to delve into a full-time job with ease.
Internships provide excellent opportunities to enhance your skills and gain some work experience. They provide first-hand opportunities to apply whatever you learned in school in a job set-up. Also, an internship or job shadowing offers valuable insight that will assist you to choose a career path, that you can thrive in based on your interests and personality. Alternatively, you can kill two birds with one stone, that is to travel and get an internship abroad. This way you’ll be able to interact with people from different cultures and gain extensive insight into the industry you are interested in.
Most internship opportunities determine the eligibility of a candidate based on whether they are enrolled in college or not, but there are others that cater to post-grad individuals and instead of college credit offer monetary compensation. The period after college is your time to learn and grow. If possible, take up an internship even if it’s unpaid.
There’s never a better time to travel than after college when you are entirely free from any responsibilities. If the opportunity to go presents itself during this period, embrace it with open hands as this will assist in broadening your perspectives about life in general, and give you an opportunity to interact with different people from different cultures. Understand that there is a whole different world out there that’s yet to be explored, which provides you with exposure to new ideas and people who share different values from the ones you know.
Go somewhere that takes you out of your comfort zone. Traveling should expose you to new perspectives, it should be a learning experience. Therefore, don’t stick to what’s familiar. Imagine all the friends you’ll make, perhaps find your purpose and the chance to interact with a diverse community.
Post-grad life can be daunting, so who better to learn from than somebody who’s already been there and done it? Everyone has somebody who they admire, a role model that they look up to. This is the perfect time to reach out and ask for guidance. However, If you don’t have one, it’s not too late to get one. Alternatively, you can liaise with your college professors or career guidance department in your school to point you in the right direction
Getting yourself a mentor after college may be one of the most critical choices you make. A mentor can help you get started on the path to success and help you build confidence throughout the journey. Make sure the person you choose to mentor you has your interest at heart and will push you to achieve your goals.
It never hurts to enroll in a continuing education class. Who knows, you might stumble upon a new passion, something that you’ve never thought about before. There are many options to choose from, including languages or programming.
Better yet, taking these classes provides a foundation for entry-level positions in that field. For instance, if you like languages you can become a part-time tutor and learn as you teach as well.
Consider this as an opportunity to build a personal brand. How do you do it, though, if you don’t know what you’re good at? By figuring out your strengths, weaknesses, and how to turn them into opportunities.
We all want to explore things we feel we are best suited to, right? The truth is, most of us do not necessarily consider the fact that our present standards may as well be misconstrued. Simply put, just because you were interested in a boy band while in high school doesn’t necessarily mean that a career in singing suits you! Understand the difference between your hobbies and something that you’ll want to pursue as a career, by evaluating your general growth.
Therefore, taking the time after college to reassess your interests, passion, weaknesses, and strengths, and being brutally honest with yourself, can help you understand yourself better. Also, noting your interests, passion, and strengths enables you to establish a guideline of the opportunities that suit you.
Although most volunteering opportunities do not provide compensation, they provide an excellent opportunity to network, be part of making positive changes in society, and learning a thing or two. In most cases, volunteer programs create a point of contact between the volunteers and industry-specific employment. As you look for a volunteer program, consider your interests and the industry you want to work in, then look for something along those lines.
Gap year programs, such as the Peace Corps, with non-profit organizations, or even day-to-day opportunities near your home are great places to begin. It’s important to know what you want to achieve from a gap year. Do your research about the available options and consider the details of the program before making a decision.
Choosing to dive right into a nine-to-five career takes much courage especially if you’ve just graduated. However, you can take up a part-time job to ease the transition on yourself. Part-time jobs are flexible, meaning that you have time to pursue other things that you’re passionate about, while still improving your skills and experience.
There are hundreds of options to choose from, starting from translating jobs, freelance writing gigs, tutoring, to tour guides, and call center agents. If you already have an idea of the career path you would like to follow, look for a part-time job that aligns with it.
All the options available are at your disposal. You have to make up your mind and go for the one that best suits your interests, passions, and most importantly, adds essential skills that will make you stand out when you’re ready to start building a career. Companies pay for your skills and your skills get you hired. Yes, you may have the education but your ability or skill to get the job done matters the most.
Not only does getting a part-time job after college add to your skill set, and decorate the experience section of your resume, but it may also develop into something more down the road. Consider the process of developing your skills as the building blocks that will help you to achieve your goal, which is to land your dream job.
What is the one thing that you’ll willingly do, something you look forward to? Is it painting, writing, helping people, or even farming? Whatever it is, find a way to tap into that hidden potential and if possible turn it into a part-time job. If farming is your thing, start by doing simple DIY projects, such as planting potatoes in water cans or flowers in the backyard, better yet, get a part-time job as a florist. Alternatively, apply for organic farming programs.
You’ll never have another time in your life to do this, therefore go for what you feel passionate about and do it!
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