What Are You Going To Do Now?

 

For as long as I can remember I’ve associated the month of September with going back to school, college or university. Well for the first time in my life I’ve got nowhere to go back to now that the summer is over. Now all the hoopla surrounding graduation has died down reality is beginning to sink in; I’m in the real world. Recently most common question I get asked is “what are you going to do now?” No one understands how much I hate this question, if I had my way, my first response would be “Shut up and mind your own business!” 

As I haven’t chosen the most obvious route of joining a graduate scheme answering the question, “what are you going to do now?” can be quite awkward at times. I know exactly what I'm going to do but explaining that my goals do not lie within a graduate scheme, may come across to some that I am not making the most of my degree. This assumption is false, I just see no point in going down a career path that is financially lucrative but does not stimulate me mentally or doesn’t help me in achieving my long term goals. 

Most of us are in the same position and are really just trying to figure it all out. If your feeling alone and are still trying to figure it out, here are some things you might want to consider before deciding what your next step is. 

Make A Plan & Put It Into Action: One of the first things you should do before making your next step is to make a plan. There is no harm in writing down where you want to be in 5 to 10 years time. 10 years ago I had just started secondary school and when I look back that time really flew by. I can only imagine how quick the next 5- 10 years will come by. What we are doing now has such a big impact on where we will be in the future so START NOW! Consider the steps you need to take in order to achieve your long term goals. 

Tap Into Your Passions: I’ve never understood people who choose career paths purely based on financial gain. We all love the finer things in life but I don’t believe you should compromise your passions, talents and happiness for a salary based job earning 25k a year. WOMP. Take the time to evaluate what really motivates you and what career field you can excel in. What are your interests? What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Finding a career path is much easier when you focus on what you are passionate about. There is nothing more depressing than being that person who dreads waking up on a Monday morning because they hate the thought of going to work. 

Network With The Right People: During my time at university I used to find networking events so cringe. The awkward exchanges with people I’ve never met can make a girl like me somewhat uncomfortable, as I can be reserved at times. If you were once like me it’s time to shake off this mentality, it will only hold you back. You’ve probably heard this so many times but I can’t stress how important it is to network. Not only is it important to network but it’s even more important to network with the right people. Identifying your goals is merely the first step, you now have to connect with the people that can help you accomplish these goals. Don’t sleep on social media as a way of networking, social networking sites such as Twitter can be used for many things, other than stalking your secret crush every move. Use these sites to your advantage and connect with the right people. Networking effectively, interning and attending networking workshops can be a great step in identifying what it is you want to do.

I Want My Dream Job Right Now: How great would it be if we all landed our dream jobs straight after leaving university? Well the reality is that for the majority, landing your dream job after university may not happen as quick as you want it to. For many of us the task of acquiring our dream job may be filled with many closed doors which can be very disheartening. The road to landing your dream job can seem like a never ending struggle but you can’t let disappointments knock your hustle. I find that a lot of recent graduates get easily frustrated with their circumstances, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had one of my friends tell me how tired they are of their current situation. You can't let your current situation get you down, remain focussed and choose to see your current job or internship as a stepping stone to your long term goals.We all have to start somewhere and sometimes that means starting from the bottom so don’t be discouraged. 

Live Your Life: In the mist of looking for a job and considering your next step don’t forget to live your life. HAVE FUN! Do and try things you’ve never done before, travel, meet new people, do it all. Don’t let the next step stress you out to the point where you forget to live your life. Find the balance between work and play because you only live once.

AK

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