I'm a graduate... now what?
I’m a graduate... now what?
July 27, 2011
So you decided to get a post-secondary education. You’ve put in a lot of hard work, probably had a few sleepless nights and perhaps wrote some really long papers you thought you’d never get through. All of this pays off when graduation day finally rolls around… but then what? Some of you may be currently experiencing or starting to think about this situation.
I just graduated this past spring and found myself asking questions like “How do I find a job?”, “Where do I begin to look?” and “What do I even want to do?”. Well here is something I can share with you: for most graduates, a job isn’t just going to land in your lap when you finish school.
My best advice for anyone who is coming to the end of their degree is to be proactive! Don’t wait around for the perfect job posting to appear on a website or for someone to call you with an amazing offer.
Sometimes it’s a lot simpler than you’d think. Maybe you’ve been working part time at a local grocery store to put yourself through school. You may find that you are no longer interested in pushing carts around after you’ve graduated with an accounting degree, but grocery store chains have head offices and head offices have finance departments. Ask around at work! Maybe your supervisor has a contact at the head office or, at the very least, you could get a really sweet reference letter. You’d be surprised at how often companies hire from within without even posting positions.
Something else you can consider is an employment pool. The Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) program seeks post-secondary graduates who have the qualifications needed to fill entry-level positions in federal organizations. Applications are accepted mid-September, so go check out what you will need to apply and then you’ll be ready for the fall when the next campaign starts. Opportunities vary every year, but fields such as business and public administration, sociology, economics, accounting and mathematics are some of the areas of study that are most commonly sought after during the campaign.
If you’re a former graduate, leave a comment and share one piece of advice you’d give to any recent or future grad. For anyone currently looking, why not share what hasn’t been working for you. Sometimes that’s just as helpful!
Happy Hunting!
Comments
Mary Lynn says,
August 3, 2011
"This was a great post and reminder to be proactive about your future. By following the link supplied, you can proceed to find information on networking. Networking is definitely important. With regards to networking and being proactive, I have found it useful to have "informational interviews" with people in professsions that I am interested in. An informational interview involves sitting down with someone and asking them various questions about their profession. It provides you with real insight into "a day in the life of a specific profession". You could choose to try and meet with someone you know well, vaguely know, or don't no at all. Ideally, you would find some sort of connection. For example, if you are interested in Human Resources, perhaps you Aunt is friends with someone that works in that field. In my experience, people generally enjoy talking about their profession. Ultimately, it's a great way of expanding your connections, getting insight into a profession you are interested in, and being proactive about your future!"
Jimmy Williams says,
November 11, 2011
"Hi Derek, Great post, I just wanted to add that many soon to be or recent grads should think about becoming an entrepreneur and to start laying down the foundation and formulating a business plan even before graduating if possible. Entrepreneurship is what makes our country great and will only stand to strengthen us as a whole. The technology knowledge alone gives recent grads a huge leg up and can be transitioned into a business onto itself by providing this know-how to the traditionally built business within their industry of study. I saw a great bio about the late Steve Jobs yesterday where he stated that "life completely opens up when you realize that virtually everything around you was built by someone no smarter than you," the premise being that every one of us has the ability to change the world and create our own future. Just food for thought for anyone struggling to find a job to look inside them selves and to harness their own ability to create great opportunities."
Aaron says,
February 13, 2012
"I couldn't agree with this article more. Your need to be proactive. However you need to be flexible and open to all opportunities. I for example have a Marketing degree and would like most people love a high end marketing or advertising job! however the market at this time isn't willing to financially support me in that role. There for I had to switch up gears and am Landscaping. Starting my own landscape company so at least the degree is still getting put to some use. You can view my work here Winnipeg Landscaping. If any of you have a complimenting industry lets work together and make this transition easier!"