Senior year is often a time for celebration. You get to enjoy graduation photos, cap and gown sizing, debating buying a class ring, and an overwhelming sense of existential dread. As we’ve gotten closer to the spring semester, I’ve found myself using LinkedIn like crazy, berating my friends to see if they’ve gotten job offers yet, and awkwardly stumbling through my final year at Florida State University with a large amount of anxiety about the future.
In my search to find something to ease my post-grad anxiety and help me enjoy my year better, I found the FSU Career Center. It’s full of experts who understand exactly what all seniors are going through. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Annie Rada, the Graduate Assistant temporarily serving as the Interim Career Liaison for the College of Communication and Information (CCI) at FSU. Here are some of her recommendations if you’re getting the post-grad scaries.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Her Campus (HC): What does your role as the Interim Career Liaison for CCI entail?
Annie Rada (AR): I primarily provide students with industry-specific career advising for their academic majors. During career advising drop-in times or scheduled appointments, students can meet with me to discuss preparing and searching for an internship, doing occupational research, resume and cover letter writing, job searching, interview techniques, graduate school [preparation], and other career-related topics. I also keep students in the college up to date with career resources and news through the distribution of the CCI Career Connection e-newsletter.
HC: What are some important steps graduating seniors should take to ensure they are prepared for post-graduate life?
AR: Graduating seniors should be involved in building their networks with employers and professional contacts; they can offer support and alert them to job openings when they arise. Students can also join professional organizations within their disciplines to be alerted to conferences, training, and job openings, further allowing for networking opportunities. Doing background research on employers and creating an elevator speech is a great way to prepare to network.
LinkedIn is another great resource in your professional networking toolkit. Students can search “Florida State University” and use the “Alumni” tab to identify potential professional contacts who are in the same field, working for companies they are interested in, or have held positions they would like to know more about the career paths for.
HC: How does FSU help seniors take these steps to prepare for life after graduation?
AR: FSU’s Career Center has a variety of resources students can use to connect with recruiters, alumni, and employers! For example, ProfessioNole Mentors is a virtual networking resource that current students and alumni can access. There’s a wide range of mentors available to answer industry-specific questions and give advice. The Employer in Residence Program brings employers from different industries to the FSU campus to provide career development workshops to students. The FSUshadow Program enables students to shadow a professional, industry, or employer for a day off campus! Students can also interact with employers [who are] eager to connect with FSU students through employer events and Career Fairs, which can be viewed on NoleNetwork.
Students should also be sure to utilize drop-in advising at the Career Center or connect with their college’s Career Liaisons for help in considering graduate school and service year options, identifying specialized job boards and job search techniques, and reviewing their application materials. They can also drop by and snap a photo in our ProfessioNole Photo Booth or get professional clothes in our ProfessioNole Clothing Closet!
HC: Are there Career Center resources that students might not know about, but should?
AR: Our online career guides reduce the amount of time students would need to spend to get information on career topics with broad internet searches. Have a major but are unsure what career options are available [or] struggling to choose a major? A great starting point is our Match Major Career Blueprints. Also, Career Center workshops are great ways to get in-depth information on specific career topics and gain knowledge of resources that can assist you. NoleNetwork itself is a great resource, since employers post jobs specifically for FSU students and alumni.
HC: I know that I’ve felt some anxiety as graduation approaches. Is there any advice you would give to a student like me who is feeling nervous about life outside of college?
AR: I’d like to remind students to be proud of themselves! They have gone through and conquered [a lot] to be at the point of graduating and [can handle] this opportunity. If students are feeling unprepared for their next steps, I’d like to reassure them all FSU alumni can utilize career services through the Career Center after graduation. If they [want] to think about applying to graduate school in the future, touch up their resume, shift their career direction, or have other [goals], they have that continued resource for support.
If students feel their options for professional development will be limited or they may not have been as involved as they would’ve liked to be, there are still plenty of chances for them to work on skills valuable to employers outside of college. Joining community organizations, volunteering, leveraging FSU’s LinkedIn Learning program, completing supplemental certificate programs, and reaching out to professional contacts to find even more avenues are all ways to continue growing in your post-college life.
So, while the “post-grad scaries” may be inevitable, I find these resources incredibly helpful in preparing for a lifetime of success after graduating from FSU. Consider checking out the resources provided by the Career Center the next time you spend a little too long looking at LinkedIn and wondering where to go from there. And remember, it’s your senior year. You’ll only get one of them, so make sure to soak it all in!
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