Dear Recent Graduate,
Congratulations, you made is through your undergraduate degree! All those late nights, memorable group projects, and hefty Starbucks bills paid off. Once the celebrations have concluded and posting graduation pictures is no longer exciting, it will hit you. “So this is adulthood?”. The transition can be difficult, and everybody faces it- so don’t feel alone! The key to getting over this “awkward turtle phase” is quite simple. Treat life like a 300 level course, and treat this article like a dependable Rate My Professor review.
Continue Setting Goals
If there is anything I have learned in my first four months in the workplace, it is the importance of setting goals! If you don’t set both long and short term goals for yourself, you will never grow professionally. Luckily at Markitors, we implement a level system that supports growth professionally and academically. We receive promotions and raises based on completing certain certifications, audits, and deliverables. Not only does this keep me and my coworkers motivated, but it keeps us working towards something!
If your workplace doesn’t have a system like this- make one! No one handed you a formula to succeeding in your capstone, so why do you need one now? Figure out what your long term goal is and what are the steps you need to take to get there. Most importantly, put it into action! Sketch yourself out an action plan and continue to update it- think of it as the blackboard to your life. By doing so, you will ensure that you are never plateauing. Your 20’s are for hustling, so get to it!
Continue Learning
On that note, just because you finished college doesn’t mean you are done learning. Yes, you have mastered theory. But now we are talking practice, and that’s a whole different ball game! When I started my first job I had to master various systems and softwares like: WordPress, Gain, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and more. Unlike college, this learning curve doesn’t follow the memorize and regurgitate method. Once you master these skills, you practice them throughout your career! They are valuable skills that make your resume sparkle when you find yourself interviewing again.
Aside from work, learning outside the office is equally important. Work on skills that you didn’t have the time to work on in the hustle bustle of college. Whether it be a new language or prepping for a postgraduate program, there are countless options! It is important to do so to support a healthy work life balance. Without a passion outside of work, your life will start to revolve around your 9-5. That my friends, is not healthy even if you are a workaholic like me!
With that being said, enjoy being a recent graduate! Bask in the glory of shaking your dean’s hand and turning your tassel. When May rolls around and you watch the next crop of graduates emerge, I promise you’ll reflect on your accomplishments since graduation and feel much like I do. All in all, I give post grad life a 5.0 and a spicy chili emoji
