Life after College: Finding Your Way in a Post-Graduation World - Geneva College
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Life after College: Finding Your Way in a Post-Graduation World

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Career

After countless lectures, papers, and late nights studying for exams, you've achieved your dream and graduated from college. Now, it's time to move forward into an exciting and terrifying world of resumes, job interviews, and never-ending bills. It might not seem like it now, but your college experiences have thoroughly prepared you for this new journey. Keep the following in mind as you make your mark as a college graduate:

Find a Greater Purpose

College supplies a valuable sense of structure; even when you're stressed, you can take solace in the knowledge that you are aiming towards a greater goal. After college, however, you may quickly lose that guidance, especially if you don't find a job right away. Regardless of your current job situation, find an activity that provides a sense of purpose. Volunteer for a cause you find compelling or take a continuing education class. This is an ideal time of your life to reignite or strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Freshen Up Your Job Hunting Skills

Finding a job, like anything, takes practice. If you struggle to draft a resume or conduct a serious interview, take a job hunting class or work closely with a mentor. Stage mock interviews with your friends and video them to determine where you can improve.

Go Beyond Your Major

Whether you felt boxed into your major or absolutely loved it, you now have the opportunity to expand your reach to new areas. Highlight your transferable skills in your resume; employers value applicants who bring unique attributes to the table.

Take Advantage of Your Expanded Network

As a college student, you gained a huge network by attending classes and participating in extracurricular activities. Now that you've graduated, it's up to you to harness that network to find the job of your dreams. Let others know you're on the hunt for a rewarding job. Connect on social media; if you haven't already created a professional LinkedIn account, it's time to get started. Continue to build your network even after you've scored your first full-time job — you never know when a better opportunity might come along.

Live Within Your Means

As a recent college graduate, you're likely a pro at living on a limited budget. Now, however, you'll need to take your budgeting prowess to the next level. You may face expenses you never anticipated, such as rent, student loan payments, health insurance, perhaps even a mortgage. The first time you score a job with a promising income, you may be tempted to splurge on luxuries you couldn't afford in college, but buyer beware: a significant portion of that income will be designated towards bills, and if you're smart, the rest towards savings. Create a detailed monthly budget and allow occasional room for small splurges.

Don't Lose Hope

College is challenging, but the struggles don't end after you graduate. From finding a job to managing your budget, you'll learn all kinds of valuable lessons after you've bid lecture halls and textbooks adieu. Use this as an opportunity to apply the many lessons you learned during your college days to life in the real world, from your new knowledge and skills to the integration of Christian values into all that you do. Remember, if you can make it through the rigors of college, you are more than capable of navigating life after graduation, especially when you put your faith and your future in the hands of the one who created the universe and created you.

For more information on how Geneva College can help you pursue your career goals, contact us at 855-979-5563 or web@geneva.edu.

 

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

May 10, 2017

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