Unless your major has clear path after graduation, one of the biggest stressors of your life will be deciding what to do after college. For those of us who have picked a broad major instead of those more direct, such as nursing or engineering, we have induced panic due to larger amounts of choices. For some, this is the very reason we decided to choose our respective major. For others (like myself), I get very overwhelmed when given too many options. I also have a wide interest in many things, which makes it hard for me to narrow them down. The one thing I do know, and the reason I chose the field of psychology, is that I love to help and it is what I do best.
In the field of psychology, for example, if your end goal is not a clinical psychologist or researcher you may find yourself feeling lost and confused about what the next step should be. I do not have the answer, but there are some steps that I have taken before my graduation that may help you formulate a plan.
I knew that for myself, I had to take a breather from school. For many people getting comfortable in the off-season after undergrad and losing the will to go back to school can be a concern. For me, this was a legitimate concern as well. I knew if I tried going straight to graduate school the likelihood that I would excel and complete the next few intensified years was low. Another factor I took into consideration was the intense price of grad schools, GRE tests, and application fees. This resulted in my first decision of whether or not I was going to commit to apply to graduate schools or not.
After I decided graduate school right after undergrad was a no, I weighed the option of different jobs to take up post graduation. The best solution I came up with was to find a job where I can still have a connection to my undergrad. This way, instead of selecting a job that I did not feel passionately about or one that would not help me in my decision of what I actually want my future career to be, I would gain experience. I would build my resume while working my way through finding what it is I want to spend the rest of my life doing.
I went to career fairs, talked to professors, professionals in the field and interned in the summer and first semester of my senior year. I found a program through AmeriCorps (they have tons of them!) that fit for me and decided it was a great way for me to buy time while keeping my foot in the door of psychology. Not saying that this is the route everyone should take, but for me it seemed the best option.
I also still decided to tour some graduate school even though I knew I would not be attending right away. I talked to admission counselors to get a better understanding of the qualifications they were looking for. I gained reassurance my plan would be a beneficial one. In a field like psychology, sometimes it is advised you to take a year off to gain this experience and training. They want to see that you are truly dedicated to helping and that this field is one that is a fit for you. I have been building my resume in different organizations that I am involved in on campus, but taking that extra step and gaining more hands on exposure will help my application stand out in the future.
I am okay with not going straight into a career at the age of 22. Buying a year to figure out what population I want to work with while performing service and giving back sound ideal. I get to work with students, non-profits, and underrepresented populations. These are all things I have interest and a heart for.
Before commiting to a graduate school and a career path, I think it is important first find out what it is that drives you. Exploring different options besides what is traditional can work for you. I would suggest weighing the pros and cons and if you think you can afford it, take a chance. There are many pressures for those going into guidance fields in particular and I am here to say that it’s important not to get discouraged. What we do is truly impactful and so very needed. The beautiful thing about getting to our end goal is that many of us will take those roads less traveled.