PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Are you graduating from college soon? If so, you’re almost at the finish line. You’ll soon have that wonderful accomplishment under your belt. You’re going to feel great about your accomplishment! Congratulations! Have you thought about what you’re doing after you achieve your degree? Even though it is a great accomplishment to be graduating from college, there also may be an uncertainty looming over you. You may feel happy and a little unsure at the same time. It may be because you realize that reality is about to settle in over you. You may have a lot of questions like “What direction do I go in now”? “Should I find a job?”, “Should I go back to school and obtain a graduate degree?” Decisions, decisions, decisions. Things may feel a bit overwhelming to you, but things can feel better for you if you do some preparing for life after college.
A LOOK AT YOUR OPTIONS
My article Attending A 4-Year College Isn’t An Option for Me, Now What? gives insight for options after graduating high school. However, I want to talk about soon-to-be or recent graduates from college who may still not know what they want to do. Maybe you’ve tried your best to find a job and things just didn’t work out as you had expected. Sometimes life just happens. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Well, even if it does, just know that you still have options. Let’s take a look at a few:
1. Attend graduate school
You may be thinking you don’t want to go back to school right now because you need a break and a breather from all the books, studying and hassle of school. Well, there are many students who have said that and guess what happened? They quit for a while and had all intentions of going back and then they didn’t get back to school. Life happened in some way, shape or form and they were just never able to make it back there.
I recently spoke with a young lady who said after she obtained her undergrad degree, she felt the same way and wanted to take time off from school for a little while, but now she regrets it. She never got back to school and now she wishes she would have just kept going to keep the momentum.
If you’re struggling with going back to grad school, consider these options:
> Maybe the company you currently work for has a partial tuition reimbursement benefit that pays towards your degree. If you are unsure, inquire with your company’s human resources department.
> Research fellowship programs that provide a way for you to obtain a master’s degree tuition-free. It may take a bit of effort on your part to research a program that is right for you. However, if you find a way to obtain your degree for free, it would be totally worth the effort!
2. Obtain industry-specific certifications
Do you want to boost your professional status? Consider obtaining industry recognized credentials. If you have gotten a degree in any of the following areas, among others, consider obtaining recognized credentials to add to your resume and LinkedIn accounts:
> Information Technology
> Human Resources
> Healthcare
> Construction
> Hospitality
> Energy
3. Find an internship
You may be familiar with internship opportunities during college. However, did you know there are internships after college graduation? Yes, there are. Some internships are paid and others are unpaid. Either way, the internship, could lead to a full-time opportunity if you show you are the right fit for the organization and do an awesome job. The job market can be very competitive, so having that job experience under your belt will look wonderful on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
4. Start your own business
Have you ever thought about becoming an entrepreneur? If you have ever doubted yourself, read my article Can I Become An Entrepreneur. This is a great motivational book about the author’s journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur. There is also a separate workbook to help you on your entrepreneurial journey.
As I stated in my article, Attending A 4-Year College Isn’t An Option for Me, Now What?, as long as you have a computer and internet connection, the opportunity to build your own business from the comfort of your own home has never been easier. You don’t have to have large overhead by trying to start a brick and mortar store front.
5. Find a job abroad
Have you ever wanted to work in another country? If so, now would be a great time to explore your options. Open your mind to new cultures and explore. It would look great on your resume – that’s for sure!
If you do decide to look for jobs outside the U.S., make sure you do your homework to find out what the resume and interviewing customs are in the country of your interest because hey could be very different than in the U.S.
For more information, read these very helpful articles:
1. For resumes in other countries – Tips For Writing A Great Resume.
2. For interviewing skills in other countries – 10 International Job Interview Questions and How to Crush ‘Em.
ANOTHER ASPECT TO LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
There are many aspects to think about after graduation. There is the employment aspect, but there is another aspect that someone may not have explained to you that is very important. It is building your credit. Being smart with your finances is very important at this time of your life.
In the article, Best Credit-Building Strategies After Graduating College, recent graduates with brief credit histories are guided through the best practices for building credit after commencement.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Preparing for life after college can be a very exciting and nervous time of life. You’re excited about your accomplishment but anxious about the future and what’s going to happen. However, your worries can definitely be lessened with some forethought into your future. Take the time to write your goals and then execute. The world is at your finger tips. Don’t be afraid to reach out and grab whatever it is you want.
I like to hear from my visitors. Was this article helpful to you?
8 thoughts on “Preparing For Life After College”
This website certainly has all the info I wanted concerning this subject. I didn’t know who to aѕk.
Thank you very much for visiting my site and your kind words about the article. I’m so happy to hear you received the insight you needed on the subject matter you had questions about. Please feel free to visit again if there are any further questions you may have. I wish you all the best in your career endeavors.
Hello Yvette,
Thank you for this incredible article. This is excellent advice that comes from experience only. Those interested working online should know that the online world is always growing. This means there is room and earning potential those that are interested to being their own boss for life.
It can take a little time to get going, but once your site starts getting traction in Google, you will be pleasantly surprised how many people you can attract to your words daily.
Thanks Yvette for this article and, even after some time of being online, I still learned a lot. Much appreciated 🙂 .
Philip, thank you so much for stopping by my site and for the comment. I am so happy to hear you liked the article. Yes, building an online business does take time. But as you have stated, it can be a rewarding endeavor if you have some patience with it. There are many successful people in Wealthy Affiliate that are doing some great things! Many people like the idea of being their own boss and working online is one way of accomplishing that. Thanks, again, Philip for stopping by. I wish you well on your online endeavors.
Hello Yvette,
First of all I would like to thank you for writing such a long and informative post for people like me, who are about to finish school or is already finished and is looking for a way to earn money.
For me, going back to school was not an option. I feel it all depends on your field of interest. In some cases, it is definitely necessary to get a higher degree to make more money in your field.
I am glad you mentioned starting a business as an option. For me, that was definitely the way to go.
Kayin
Kayin, thank you very much for visiting my site and for your comments. It definitely is a personal decision in which direction you decide to go in after you’ve finished any level of school or college. There are certainly some fields that people need to pursue in an effort to make more money. In some cases, employers can help with that decision if you are already working in your field. I am glad you have found and taken the path necessary to become successful. Being an entrepreneur can be challenging but is very rewarding. I found that was a great path for me as well. I wish you all the best in your career endeavors. Once again, thank you for stopping by.
Hey Yvette,
This article is certainly helpful. I think you’re doing a wonderful job in helping students find a path after they have graduated. Oh, how I wish this advice was available after I graduated from college. It is indeed a very exciting time obtaining a degree but, a scary time once you have graduated.
The tips that you have provided will not only help current graduating ensure that many college students are guided on the right path but, they will also help future college students as well.
Might I add that you are the first, I’ve seen mention the importance of the building credit. This is a very important aspect to take control of and consider once you have graduated. It might even help to learn the importance before graduation. In today’s, society; credit is important for almost everything, from obtaining student loans to obtaining employment. I think this should be taught more often. Awesome work in bringing that up!
By the way, you mentioned affiliate marketing do I need to obtain a degree in marketing first? Or is this something I can do without a degree?
I look forward to your response. I wish you all the best. Keep up the valuable information that you are providing. Have an awesome day! 😀
Kisha, thank you for stopping by my website. I appreciate you leaving the kind words and comments. I am so glad you liked this article and found the topic of good credit helpful as well. Having good credit is a very important aspect people should learn early in life so that knowledge can be carried throughout their lifetime. As far as affiliate marketing, no, you don’t need a degree in marketing or actually a degree at all. In programs like Wealthy Affiliate, you learn all you need by going through the thorough training provided. Once again, thank you for stopping by. I hope you have an awesome day as well.