Dear Graduate - Take these How, What & When Written From a Real Life Experience

Many Congratulations to all the hardworking and dedicated graduates (with less work experience) who have just finished college. You worked really hard to get where you are now, so you should be proud of yourself. Well done.?

I am a cheerleader of college education and this is why I am championing?#educationisaskill . Don't let anyone tell you different because more than the certificate or diploma or degree, you have acquired also - tenacity, dedication, commitment, ability to start and finish something or taking ownership, presentation skill, writing skill, managing stress, team work, time management and much more. Please include those skills to your CV/Resume if you have not done so already, because you have gained it by starting and finishing college.

Despite the uncertainty in our world, there is HOPE for all of us, so we, especially you must remain hopeful that your future too would be bright and all your dreams would come true.?

Here are a few things to consider:

1. Celebrate this milestone - you did it. You deserve to celebrate. So, celebrate.?

2. WHAT? It is a good time to step back to ask yourself - WHAT DO I WANT? - this is a good foundation to doing anything right.?It is okay if you are not 100% sure too. Many experienced professionals do not have all the answers either. So, relax.

3. From 2 above, go on and write all your thoughts down, even if you are not sure about them, at least you have something to work with or run with. This also helps you to clear your head and mind.?

4. HOW can I begin to achieve my WANT is a good step to follow.

5. WORK - start working on what you want following the HOW.

6. ASK - it is okay not to be sure of how to do everything, so reach out to people who can help you. Find the right HELPER (mentor, coach, cheerleader) for you.?

7. Keep working on what you want....

Here is a good one before we go on...….a lot of times, when we are fresh out of school, we have so many ideas on WHO we want to be and this is not unusual, however, it is important to take one step at a time to get to know yourself. What do you want, what do you like, why do you like those things, what kind of future do you hope to have and on and on. Like I said before, get yourself a pen and writing pad and begin to write down your thoughts, even if you are not sure, at least you have something to work with. I have discovered that from what you do not like, you can set aside what you do like...….

Other things to consider:

Graduate Programs: Graduate programs have been proven to be one of the best ways to get into full time employment after graduation. With a lot of graduate programs, you get the chance / opportunity to explore different areas of business. Since you get exposed to so many work place tasks and responsibilities, you find out the things you like and ones you do not enjoy as much. This way, you can begin to "set a tone" for the kind of jobs or career you want to be in for the near future. Graduate programs have now opened for many organizations. Do your research and apply if interested.

On the other side: Not everyone would land a graduate opportunity. This does not mean you are not good enough. You are, so believe in yourself. You can seek ENTRY LEVEL opportunities within organizations / industries that you like. Beyond entry level roles, you can also seek INTENSHIPS - many organizations offer paid internships. If you can, an unpaid internship may be a good option to gain some work experience and new skills. I know some people would say, but I already did internship on my program, yes you did. Internships are a great way to get exposure into an area of business and if you like, a great way to get your feet in the door of an organization.

A lot of times, when you are in a role - whether internships or entry level roles, within the organization, opportunities come up or organizations come up with opportunities for hardworking, committed and dedicated graduates, interns or people holding entry level roles. If you are within the organization already, you are most likely to be interviewed and most possibly, land the role, because you are part of the work family already.

Flexibility: I know many of us always have our minds set on what we want or what we do not want. In this time and age in the work world, flexibility is one of the best ways to embrace life. If what you want does not come to you, embrace what is available to you and maximize it to the fullest. From there, you will discover new things, learn new things which can lead you back to what you have always wanted. Please be careful and seek advice when making moves. The best people to ask are always the ones who have done what we want to do - we learn better from other people's experiences.

Patience: Patience they say is a virtue. This is one quality to embrace. With the way our world is now and with the way the work world is right now, the things we want may not happen when we want them BUT with patience, eventually, the things we want would come to us. For example, when I finished my post grad. at the age of 38, I didn't get any opportunity until 8 months later - this is almost how long it takes to have a baby. Despite my previous work experience, when I eventually did get an opportunity, I got a junior role. However, in the end, I have since got a job in the area of business I have always wanted, helping people. You see, patience is a virtue, be patient.

Kindness: While you wait to get that job you have always wanted, be kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself down. Don't be discouraged because other people are now in their dream jobs. Instead, be kind to yourself, celebrate your little wins, take a break, exercise, connect with friends and family, go for a meal if you can afford it, watch Netflix and chill. Being kind to yourself makes you see yourself in the kindest way. It is tough enough out there, so be kind to yourself and to one another.

What Does Success Mean to you?: For starters, anyone who would go to college, work really hard, follow through and graduate from their program should consider themselves a success. You know that, that journey was not a ride in the park, it came with its own challenges, so you should consider yourself a success because you did it. We all know that we live in a world where success is measured by what we have - our job titles, our big houses, our big cars, in some cases, the amount of likes or followers we have on social media. I would tell you before I round up, define your own success and what it means to you and stop worrying about what you don't have now. Someone who is in a junior position today may eventually become the boss of the boss in a couple of years, so define your own success and embrace your journey to the fullest...…

Be courageous to embrace your journey to find or create your own opportunities, be flexible to embrace new things, be humble to ask for and receive help, be patient to get what you want and while you wait, be kind to yourself.

I wanted to write to you to encourage you as I see so many of you reaching out to me for help and it is always my pleasure to help where I can. One of the things that have helped me on my own journey is EMBRACING asking for help - there you have it.

Thanks for reading. I hope that you found this helpful. Please share with your friends and tell them to share with their own friends too :)

MJ enjoys writing Career & Motivational Content to inspire her Followers and Network of Career Professionals. She makes out time to share YouTube videos when she is not working on her day job. You can Subscribe to her YouTube here: https://bit.ly/37ptKkr for Career & Motivation.