I've Graduated, Now What Do I Do?

I remember when I finished Graduate School (a million years ago) I sat at the ceremony looking around at the 200+ other graduate students sitting in my section and a few hundred undergraduates sitting across the aisle from us. Every person was there to walk across a stage, while shaking hands and walking away with a piece of paper that is symbolic of the real one the registrar’s office at MSU holds. It was exciting being among all of those people who had worked so hard to create a new future for themselves. But the very next day, there was a feeling of, “Ok, what now?” I hear this from recent graduates all the time.

Back then, I decided to reach out to my friends, colleagues and acquaintances who had graduated from college to see what advice they may offer. I got answers all over the map, some of them contradicted what others had to say. However, so much of it still applies and is timeless, regardless of the current job market or the career one has chosen. I don’t agree with all of it, but also, I find it necessary to weigh opinions that I don’t agree with in order to come up with my own ideas. (Thank you, Graduate School Professors, for the lessons in critical thinking, they are still paying off years later!)

Without further ado, here are the things my network wanted me to pass on to you who have now turned your tassel the other direction and are asking, “What now?”

“Earn your paycheck. No task is beneath you, no matter what your role is in an organization. Volunteer for things you’ve never done before. Show people respect even when you don’t think they deserve it. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and then learn everything you can from them.”  – Jillian T.

“Take risks; you may discover you love doing something you always thought you’d hate! Surround yourself with people who are there to provide a service, not to earn a paycheck.” – Kat S.

“Never say, ‘Never!’” – Reana M.

“You have to relentlessly pursue opportunities. When you think you have enough job leads, go get 10 more. Follow up with your opportunities…never be in a position where you wait for them. Always ask, “What’s the next step…when should I follow up with you?” You have to be persistent, enthusiastic and positive!” – Sean G.

“Do what inspires you.” – Paul T.

“Nothing lasts forever. This can be a positive and a negative. A bad situation isn’t never ending but neither will be a good one. Live every moment and experience everything in front of you!” – Tammison S.

“You may not get your dream job immediately but explore all avenues to launch you towards your dream job. Be prepared, be honest and network, attend all conferences, workshops and forums that are available to you (you never know who may be there that you can network with and conferences help you gain additional knowledge and information). Finally, you must truly have a passion for your chosen career path.” – Jeannette P.

“Be tenacious, stand out from the rest and work hard.” – Lisa E.

“Don’t be afraid to move where the jobs are. It will never be easier to relocate than when you first graduate. Network with your friends and reach out to the MSU alumni organization or individual alumni in the industry or location where you want to find a job for help. Be persistent and be prepared to talk to a lot of people.” – Jeff H.

“Consider geographically hot areas for your career. Areas with growth and volume of jobs in your field will increase your odds of getting a position in your field sooner, than sticking to an area you are familiar with, but being one of hundreds of resumes in the pile. Like Jeff H. said, it will never be easier to relocate than now, before you accumulate a house, mortgage and rooms of furniture to account for. Larger companies may have room to grow and to observe how things are done, while smaller and/or startups often have fewer layers to work through and may be easier to take a more active roll and open to your contributions outside of a specific job title. Good luck!” – Joe M.

“Never lose heart. Try diversified positions, wherever luck favors you.” – Anwar M.

“Ask a lot of questions. Many new engineers think that asking a lot of questions means that you’re unknowledgeable, but the opposite is true. Asking questions shows that you care, you want to do things right, you’re interested and you want to learn more. Don’t let your ego get in the way!” – Scott E.

“Take the risks while you are young, go for it. As you get older, those risks could affect others in your life (e.g. wife, children, etc.) and you may be less inclined to take them.” – Darin M.

“Job searching in the 21st Century is like having a job. Early to bed and early to rise, get out early in the morning and begin your search. Take the free resume and interview classes held at your local Michigan Works Agencies. Do not take “No” for an answer. If you receive a “No” answer, ask what is it going to take for a “Yes” answer!” – Michael W.

“Don’t just fill out an application and wait on them. Set a timetable for you to get back with them on the potential job status. This will show real interest on your part and maybe give you an edge over others.” – Mark K.

“Keep all of your options open, be flexible and do not lose hope. Good things will come if you keep trying. I also suggest setting a deadline for getting your dream job and create plans B, C, D and E as your backup plans. These backups are alternative paths that will eventually lead you to your dream job. If you haven’t gotten your dream job after six months, start plan B. Even if the job market is an employer’s market and jobs are scarce. Look at other countries if your U.S. search is not bringing solid opportunities. Good luck and GO GREEN.” – Shelley J.

“Network! Use social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook to network with friends in the field you are interested in as well as employers. Contact your local One-Stop Center (i.e. Michigan Works). Research the employer(s) and state(s) in which you are interested. Keep in touch with MSU alumni organizations especially if relocating out of Michigan. Make sure you contact the local alumni club (i.e. MSU Tampa Bay Alumni in Tampa area, FL). There are clubs all over the world. Most of all, best of luck to you as you enter the ‘real world.’” – Julie H.

“Make new friends and keep the old! You’ve met a wide array of interesting people during your time at MSU — keep in touch with them. Network! You will make interesting new contacts as will your friends!” – Ann K.

“If you’re not able to find a job in your field, keep your time (and your resume) filled. Look into doing volunteer work in a field that interests you. Potential employers will be much more impressed with this than they will be with moving back home and playing video games for six months while you were “looking” for a job.” – Michael K.

“I recently gave a, “Careers in Chemistry,” talk to college students and one piece of advice I gave them was to spend their summers interning. An internship or two will have two big benefits. They will get to see how “the real world” looks for somebody working professionally in their field and that bit of experience makes them way more valuable to prospective employers. As a bonus, they get a chance to distinguish themselves and grow their network as a prospective employer in what is often a summer-long interview. I also warned them to apply for internships very early. Many students go looking in the spring, when most companies have made their decisions in September or October.” – Paul P.

“When you interview, ask questions. You should be assessing the company and job for how they fit with what you want as much as they are assessing you. If you have no questions, you will appear uninterested, unprepared or just plain desperate for any job.” – Elizabeth B.

“Keep working towards a job in your field. This might mean you need to work at something else for a while to pay the bills, but just keep networking. Volunteer for any organization where you can get job skills and network. Use the alumni network and go to any trade associations in the field you want to be in. Call the president of the organization and let them know who you are and what your are looking for. (My nephew did this with the PSU Alumni Association and the president of the association stood up, introduces Jeff, and said, “Here is a bright PSU graduate who needs a job. Someone in this room should be able to use their networks to help him!” Jeff got a job in two weeks!) Print up business cards that have your contact info, skills and what you are looking for and pass these out at all events you go to. (This is easier than handing out a resume.) Offer to volunteer with organizations where you could meet prospective employers — chambers of commerce, trade associations, etc. Learn job skills by volunteering as well. Remember that 80% of ALL jobs are never advertised….people hiring often go to contacts in their networks or file drawer where, they keep resumes that get mailed to them, first. Research companies you want to work for and use alumni and Linked in to make connections. After you meet someone, send them a hand written (so it stands out) thank you card with your resume. Good luck!” – Janet C.

“Target companies you want to work for and learn all you can about them and the leadership in them through research, meet people who work there through LinkedIn and volunteer work and see what community causes they support. Make yourself visible and find connections that will get you into the conversation when an opening does occur. Take the work you have to but do not lose sight of the goal and associate with people in your daily life who are equally goal oriented.” – Kathleen V.

“Clean up your cyberspace, Spartans! Seems like yesterday I walked the stage at the old auditorium in May 1994… And it’s a much different world 19 years later, especially with social media. Companies are smart and will fully take advantage of the fact that social media is free domain. They will Google you and look at your Facebook page. They will read your tweets.  If you think it necessary, erase your accounts, and create brand new ones, this will eliminate tags you can’t control administratively. Maximize your privacy settings, and most importantly, use discretion in your postings. It’s a new world, where information isn’t as private as it once was. You can stay in cyberspace, but you have to be smart… Cheers! The world is yours for the taking! Go Green!” – Robert C.

“Don’t give up. With each application and interview comes a new opportunity for learning and growth. Take advantage of connections through social media, friends, family and network opportunities through the college or university you attended.” – Amber E.

“My advice is to start volunteering while you’re still in school. Find a company or organization that you love and start volunteering. It’s a great way to build connections, learn and gain experience. If you don’t find your dream job right out of school, don’t give up. Keep volunteering, even if you’re working another full-time job. Those connections are invaluable for learning about new job openings quickly and gaining the experience that many jobs require.” – Courtney R.

“Stay positive and keep at it. Half the battle in finding a job is believing you will find one. You will!” – Amanda E.

“Don’t try to plan your entire future in day one. Keep your options open and never lose sight of what you really love doing.” – Chip M.

“Find a company/position that will enable you to learn from someone with experience.” – Gerard W.

So there you have it, a lot of advice from professionals who have been out in the “real world,” some for a few years, and others for decades. I’m hoping you can take away a few new ideas from this.

In summary, in case you are curious to know what my thoughts are, Louis Pasteur said it better than I ever could, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” I love that advice and have found it to be so true. However, my favorite bit of advice that I’ve ever received comes from my grandfather, who was a simple man that made an honest living despite finishing his GED after he had already retired from work. I’m paraphrasing, but the gist of what he told me is that you may gather fans and critics when performing in front of an audience, but you can only win friends one person at a time by being yourself. Let that one sink in, it may be the most important thing I’ll ever be able to tell you!

To each of you who have just graduated, I say to wear your green and white proudly.

Dave Isbell is the assistant director of Alumni Professional Enrichment in the MSU Alumni Office. In this role he facilitates opportunities for alumni to engage in career content. Dave proudly graduated from MSU with a Master’s in Social Work in 2013. He is a licensed master social worker, global career development facilitator, certified online instructor and certified human resources specialist. In addition to his part-time employment with MSU, Dave owns a private mental health and couples therapy practice and is the founding president of Mid-Michigan Emotionally Focused Therapy, a Not-For-Profit training and development organization.