In college and even before, I’d always heard that finding a job after graduation was the hardest and most important part of graduating college. I knew several people who had spent thousands of dollars on a degree they weren’t using or that they couldn’t put to use because they couldn’t get a job in their field. When approaching my own college graduation, I made sure to be ahead of the curve.
I asked for help to tune my resume, I practiced interviewing, I sought to acquire as many relevant skills as I could, I networked my rear off, and I applied everywhere. And then to my immense joy, one of the first post-grad internships I applied for worked out. When the internship was over, I found a job within a week’s time. I had succeeded! However, as time went on, I realized the adjustment to be a “real” working adult was not what I expected.
For all my soon-to-be-graduate peers, below are three important lessons I’ve learned since leaving college and entering the workforce.
You will mess up, and that’s ok.
As a senior in college, we’ve mastered how to be a student. We understand what teachers in our program look for when they grade, and we have a better sense of what to focus on when we study. We also know the ins and outs of our respective campus, where to find the best deals on textbooks (or if we even need them) and how long we can procrastinate a paper before we absolutely have to start writing.
Entering the workforce can feel like starting from square one. Deciding how to prioritize deadlines and gauging what a supervisor values are not spelled out on a rubric. However, you are not expected to know everything. When you make a mistake, own it and come up with a plan to avoid making it again in the future. More importantly, don’t get hung up on the mistakes you make – take them in stride. Treat them as a learning experience and glean as much from each mistake as possible. Reach out to your teammates, mentors and friends to reassure you that the learning curve is normal. Remember: Everyone above you was once in your position. Mastering your craft takes time and mistakes come with the territory.
Make time for yourself.
Working a 9-5 essentially requires that we give our day to someone else. By the time we commute home it’s after 6 p.m. and we’ll have done nothing for ourselves, five days a week! To feel like I still have a personal life, I’ve learned it’s crucial to maximize my mornings. I recommend going to the gym or for walks in the morning, listening to podcasts during your commute, or catching up on the latest episode of the show you’re watching while you eat breakfast.
Now that college is over and there aren’t as many accessible clubs to join, I recommend investing in a new hobby. Whether it’s cycling, rock climbing, knitting or playing the piano, finding something you enjoy doing outside of work other than watching Netflix helps your life feel full and well rounded. Lastly, it’s vital to protect breaks. It may be tempting to follow the example of coworkers who work through lunch every day, but taking the time to disconnect can hit your refresh button and help you remain productive and tuned in for the rest of the afternoon. It can also help us avoid burnout.
It’s OK if you don’t know everything.
In a similar vein to my first important lesson, it’s OK if you don’t know everything. I remember in my post-grad internship I was introduced to the world of B2B tech. There were so many acronyms I had never heard before! SEO, DDoS, PPA, ISO, CCA, EOW, GW – there was an entirely new language I had to learn! Since everyone around me spoke the language fluently, it was intimidating (and even embarrassing) to ask someone to explain these seemingly simple words to me. But in doing so, I was able to keep a running note of all the terms and eventually I was a fluent speaker, too.
Successfully adjusting to the workforce means being willing to ask questions and being willing to ask for help. If we jump into our field eager to learn, we’re so much better equipped to add value than if we pretend to know what’s going on around us.
Graduating college is an enormous feat and a huge life milestone. Equally momentous is entering the workforce. Both thrilling and a little intimidating, beginning a career brings changes to our lives that we may not see coming (i.e., feeling like we have less time now than we did with a job, an internship, clubs and 15 credits). Recent college graduates should be patient with themselves as they learn the tricks of their trade and protect their personal time as they adjust to life after college.