Things to Remember During Your First Year as a Graduate

By November 1, 2017For Talent

You’ve finished the assignments, handed in your thesis, and even enjoyed the graduation celebrations. College has come and gone but now you’re left with the toughest question of all, what’s next?

Life after graduation can be a little bit daunting. Mostly because no one has the faintest idea what they are going to do next.

Here are just a few things that you need to remember over the next few months.

 

1. There’s no set path to success

You don’t have to get a first class honours degree to be successful, in fact, you don’t even need to go to college. It doesn’t matter where you grew up and no one really cares what your parents do for a living.

Sucess comes in all shapes and sizes. Richard Branson left school at 16, Steve Jobs started out selling illegal telephone hacking equipment. There’s no five-step plan for success after graduation, you need to figure that out on your own.

2. Be humble

Nobody likes a big shot. It doesn’t matter if you were top of your class at college or if you landed a spot on a prestigious graduate programme, you need to be humble. When you’re a graduate you’re going to be a little fish in a very big pond so mind your manners. Cockiness is a career killer.

3. Treat people the way you want to be treated

Always treat people with respect. That guy in sales might not know how to send out a tweet but he has been working in this sector for over 20 years. He could probably teach you a thing or two.

Don’t just use people to achieve a goal and then drop them. Likewise, you should never step on someone just to get a little bit further up the career ladder. The people you meet on your way up will be the people you meet on your way back down.

4. There’s no rush

So what if half your friends have already found their perfect job while the other half are heading back to grad school? It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting at home on a Wednesday afternoon watching Gilmore Girls reruns in your pyjamas. Finding your perfect job isn’t a race.

If it’s only been a few months since your graduation then relax. Everyone has a bit of a lull between graduation and full-time employment. Our advice? Enjoy it and use the time to figure out what you would like to do.

5. There are jobs out there

Newspapers, TV shows, and older relatives will love to tell you that there are no jobs out there. People will relish the opportunity to let you know that your degree was a complete dead end. Don’t believe them!

There are always jobs out there for dedicated and ambitious individuals. If the career you want doesn’t already exist, create it. The opportunities are endless.

Author Alice Murray

Alice Murray is a Content Creator at Jobbio with a passion for Employer Branding and Graduate Culture. She's a keen traveller and a self-proclaimed lazy runner.

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