Many students that graduate college don’t know what to expect after they spent the
last 18 years of their life in school. As students, we are trained to go to classes every day and
have endless amounts of homework. Thinking about life after college is terrifying, but also a
relief to know that there are endless job opportunities out there for a college graduate to find.
You need to be prepared for it when you graduate, because once you move the tassel to the
left during graduation, it is time to figure out what you are doing with your life after
school. Here are 5 tips to get ready for life after graduation:

1. Take time to consider your options: There are many different career paths available to
anyone who graduates college. You could start off as freelance, start a business, find a
job you love or even go back to college to further your education. There are endless
possibilities, it just depends on what path you want to take after graduation and what will be the best fit for you.

2. Demonstrate a professional work ethic: While you are in school with a job or at an
internship, make sure to be professional. The supervisors you have now
might be a reference for you in the future and they will be able to talk highly of you if you
show it during your time with them. If it is an internship, your supervisors might be looking to
hire you after graduation. They will watch everything you do from a distance to see how
your work ethic would be in the future. You might think that you are doing an internship
for the work experience and no one is paying attention to the tasks you do, but in reality,
everyone in the company is watching you. They want to see where you can take their
company in the future and figure out if you are a perfect fit for what they need in an
employee. The way you work in an internship could make or break a possible job
opportunity.

3. Gain work experience: Not all graduates have a job right out of college. If you are one of
these students, take a job for the experience. It might not be your dream job right away,
but many have to start at the bottom and work up to that. It might take some time, but
with hard work and determination, you will achieve your dreams.

4. Remember your network: A solid network is a great way to get into an organization that
you would like to work for. In some cases, getting a career in something you want to do
involves someone you know putting in a good word for you. Keeping those connections
after college will help you tremendously when you are trying to apply for a job. Create a
killer LinkedIn profile and reach out to representatives that you would potentially like to
work for. They might also reach out to you based on your profile, so make sure the
bio under your name is something that will catch their eye.

5. This is just the beginning: Remember that graduating college is just the beginning to
your long journey in a career. You have a long life ahead before retirement and there
will be many jobs that you will go through during this time. Your dream job might not be
your dream job anymore once you work there for a couple of years and realize it isn’t the
right fit for you. It’s okay to try new things and discover what you really want in life.

Take it day by day and do whatever makes you happy. Don’t listen to the people that
judge where you’re working. If you enjoy what you are doing, don’t let them stop you.
After college graduation, your life in the so called “real world” is just beginning.