Among time spent reuniting with relatives, eating home cooked meals, and basking in much-needed free time, for us upperclassmen, the holiday season is also marked by one inevitable question: “So … what’re you going to be doing post-grad?”
From my grandmother’s innocent inquiry to an old dance teacher’s burning curiosity, I have been asked this question countless times in the last month. As I search for inner-clarity about how I want my career, relationships, lifestyle, and overall future to look, the added pressure of external evaluation can be anxiety-inducing, to say the least.
If you feel the Spring Quarter Scaries creeping up on you as graduation looms closer, I promise you are not alone. Now that December is safely behind us, let’s talk about how to navigate your next steps in life with confidence and care!
1. Dream Big!
Sometimes, starting is the hardest part.
In order to begin tackling your post-grad planning anxiety, create a vision board for how you want your life to look in the next few years. Think about location, job-style, future career aspirations, and other lifestyle factors you want to prioritize.
Are you dying to move to a big city, like New York or Chicago?
What kind of weather are you looking for?
Can you handle a cubicle-bound desk job? Or are you more of a people-person?
When planning your future life, be honest with yourself and get specific! The best way to build the future of your dreams is by identifying what you truly want.
2. Build that Resume
Once you have an idea about exactly where you want to end up, it’s time to think about how to get there.
In order to be successful at any job application, you’ll need a resume that highlights your skills and clearly demonstrates your strengths. In order to get started, brainstorm your 3-5 favorite traits about yourself. Once you have identified who you are, think of professional experiences and responsibilities that show-off those attributes to the world.
Crafting a well-written resume that captures you as an applicant will make the rest of the job-search process that much easier.
3. Create an Application Schedule
Searching for work in any field can be a tedious process. For most students fresh out of college, it’s also a process filled with rejections and self-doubt.
Set attainable, measurable goals for yourself in order to find the motivation to continue this journey. Whether it’s one job a week or one job a day, the more regularly you can put yourself out there, the better.
4. Prioritize your Mental Health
As you begin to apply to jobs, it’s important to continue to give yourself love and care. You are so much more than your anxiety, or your career success. No matter how impossible it may seem at the moment, the perfect job, the perfect apartment, and the perfect life are out there waiting for you.