Just Get Started (Helpful Advice for College Seniors)

I have been engaging with a lot of college seniors over the last several years.?I thoroughly enjoy these conversations where I can hopefully share helpful insights and knowledge to accelerate their success, but also for the opportunity to learn from them and understand the world as they see it.?As I was reflecting this morning on these various discussions it struck me that I typically encounter students who either have a clear vision for what they want to do in life and have prepared themselves through their education, internships and other experiences to follow their dream or I meet students who feel anxious and somewhat overwhelmed about the direction of their professional journey after college and all the options they can pursue. They often believe everyone but them have mastered the complex mysteries of finding a job after college. Sometimes, they just feel stuck.?This post is written for the college seniors in the second category and those who care about them.

We live in a world where we are often surrounded by false and unrealistic images of success, fascinating careers and perfect lives that is often fueled by social media where we only see the “best” version of people.?It is human to compare ourselves to others, especially people we place on a pedestal, and avoiding this trap can feel difficult.?If we were to peer more deeply into the lives of those we think have it all figured out, we would likely discover they have their own insecurities, carry their own unique burdens and share many of our struggles.

Another challenge today’s college seniors experience is the overwhelming number of post-college career options.?You are consistently told by society that you can be anything you want to be, do anything you want to do, create your own career path or start your own business if you choose.?All of this is indeed true, but the process of filtering through this multitude of opportunities can be exhausting and discouraging if you are not careful and well-prepared.

So, what can you do??How do you get “unstuck”??How do you overcome the anxiety and overwhelmed feeling and make traction in your professional career??

I would like to give you clear and actionable advice that I truly believe will help.?This advice will feel a bit contrarian and push against what you may have assumed or heard from others for years.?If you are stuck and not sure about what you want to do after college, I want to encourage you to embrace these six actions:

1. Think beyond the first job out of college.?Go through the mental exercise of looking beyond the stress of the first job after school and ponder bigger goals that may take years to realize.?Do you want to get married someday, own a home, have children, travel, or serve a noble cause???What are the big-ticket things you want to achieve in life? ?Get some clarity around longer-term goals like these and give yourself a realistic time frame to achieve them.?Understanding what you are working for is much more important than the work itself.?
2. Know your number.?With the help of your family and other trusted resources, make a realistic budget for yourself on what it will take for you to live independently after college.?Before thinking about the perfect job, understand what it will take financially for you to begin the journey towards financial independence.?This will help you eliminate some jobs from consideration and help you narrow your focus.?
3. Embrace the idea of learning jobs.?I wrote about this concept in a previous post , but consider that the first job out of college can and often should be a job to help you gain experience, training and new skills.?It is likely not your forever dream job, but it is a necessary step in the right direction and a building block in a long career.?What jobs have great training programs in areas that might be valuable to you??Where will you receive excellent mentorship and development?
4. Be patient.?It is vitally important to realize that learning what you want to do and doing work you love can take years to figure out…and that is OK!?As hard as it may be, strive for patience.?Experiment.?Be willing to stumble and fail, knowing that each of these experiences is an invaluable and helpful teaching moment.
5. Go off script.?It may be necessary (and helpful) for you to take a job that is not necessarily connected to your degree.?Your degree is often a ticket to entry that will make you attractive for a number of entry-level opportunities in most companies...and these opportunities may not be exact matches for your educational experience.?Evaluate opportunities based on culture, what you will learn and income opportunity to help you meet your budget.?Your first job is just that…a first job.?Within a few years you will likely feel the need to grow and desire to advance which may take you to other companies…which is all part of the journey to figure out what you really want to do in your career.
6. Tap the network.?Blindly applying for jobs online can feel like your resume is going into the abyss, and although it feels like you are doing something useful, this approach usually just creates frustration.?After you consider the five other action items in this post, talk to your parents, professors, family friends and other helpful connections about potential introductions they can make on your behalf to people they know.?Seems obvious, doesn't it??But I am often surprised at how infrequently students tap into these incredibly helpful relationships.?All you may need is a chance…an opportunity…to get in the front door of a company and prove yourself.?This approach can open those doors.

This post is not about you being asked to underachieve and fall short of your potential, but about initiating and committing to consistent and sensible progress on a career journey that will likely last for decades.?If what you are doing is working for you, stay the course.?If you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed, perhaps these ideas can help you move forward.?Believe in yourself, try different approaches and realize that you have a long career in front of you...you are only making the first step.?Countless people who care about you, including me, are rooting for you.

Just get started.

Good luck!

Check out Randy Hain's latest leadership books, Upon Reflection: Helpful Insights and Timeless Lessons for the Busy Professional and Essential Wisdom for Leaders of Every Generation. Learn more and order the books from Amazon here .

Randy Hain is the president of Serviam Partners , the award-winning author of nine books, an executive coach, leadership consultant and thought leader on candor, time management and business relationships. He is also the co-founder of The Leadership Foundry