Things You Should Know After College As a Post-Graduate

Fret less and keep your eyes peeled for the greatest life lessons to come post-grad.

I wish someone had told me what to expect post graduation, because I learn best from people's stories about their experiences. Perhaps you feel anxious and nervous about leaving a structured academic life. That is a valid feeling. Read on for encouragement and practical tips to get you started on this new beautiful journey post-grad.

Take care of your mental health:

1. You must take each day one step at a time, because if you don't, you're going to be overwhelmed by the job search. Days will become a routine and you'll get antsy. That antsy feeling is my biggest struggle because I know my potential, but I'm so far from my destination. You'll want to get to where you want to go as fast as possible, but that's not the reality and that's also okay. Everything good and worthy will take time. We should be patient for it and enjoy the journey anyway, right? 
2. How do you take each day one step at a time? Set a daily schedule for the work that you need to do, and stick to your intentions. If you're going to be true to one person, you owe it to yourself to stay true to yourself and the plans you set for you. Once you stick to your mind, the rhythm's likely to keep you on track. A big part of finding success in your every day is keeping a positive and focused mindset and having intentions that you strongly follow. You won't waste any time when you are intentional with your actions and with your mind.
3. What should you do when you're stuck in a slump? Do something that makes you happy and break that mood. What's the thing that gets you excited for life? Do that. I'm the happiest and motivated after a work out, so I do that, usually in the mornings before I begin my day. It's beneficial to frame your day with feelings of happiness and achievement. More often than not when you do one thing right, your mind shifts and you believe you can do more, so you do. That's how you break a persisting slump mood. 
4. What's going to happen when you have nothing but time on your hands? You'll want to do nothing at all. But don't do nothing. Time moves so quickly in a day that you will have days when you haven't accomplished much. That's okay, but don't let it be a consistent habit, because comfortable habits like such are hard to break. And you can't advance with doing nothing. Make the most of your time in a day. Do what you can. You have time to better yourself, to pick up new skills and to be more competitive! Don't take your time for granted or you'll lose opportunities to grow.
5. Check in with yourself. Take care of yourself. Don't neglect your thoughts and feelings. These thoughts and feelings will lead you the right way.
6. Each job is a stepping stone to your ultimate job. A counselor once told me that your first job will probably not be your last, so if you don't have the greatest first job, learn all that you can from it and view it as a stepping stone to a greater job. Gaining new skills will allow you the opportunity to get closer to your dream job, so remember to make the most out of every experience. 
7. Don't beat yourself up. This is the most important understanding. You might feel like you're not doing enough at times. You're not getting anywhere. You're stuck. But these thoughts aren't helping you advance, so don't let them have that power. When you fill your mind with motivation and positive affirmations, you're the best version of yourself and you believe the truth in you, that you are capable, worthy and strong. Let go of thoughts that are holding you back. They aren't the truth, they are your fears.

Be strategic in your job search:

1. Take the time to create a job-focused / industry-centered template for your resume and cover letter. This is a great way to save time. You only need to alter them with relevant keywords of a job posting instead of starting fresh every time. More time = more applications submitted = more chances. 
2. Don't be afraid to experiment with your resume and cover letter approach. You learn to write an excellent resume and cover letter after creating many variations. You become an expert at what gets the attention of employers. Be sure to show your personal brand and values. 
3. Get into a routine of applying to jobs often and the process becomes less intimidating and more comfortable. Consistency helps you overcome any hesitance with starting the job search process. 
4. Absolutely go to interviews because you gain skills that prepare you for the next one. Even if you aren't sure about a job, it's beneficial to go learn about the position because it may surprise you, and practice the skill of interviewing! You learn how to better respond to questions and build your confidence. You gain a better understanding of who you are and what you offer by continuously thinking about what you offer.
5. Interviews don't have to be a scary thing. In doing it often, you'll be more comfortable with meeting different kinds of people. Being able to adapt to communicating with different people is going to help you land a job today, tomorrow and forever after. Reframe your view of interviews as a casual meeting with another human being. Thinking of the interviewer as a fellow human really takes everything down 100 notches! At the heart of it, interviews are a conversation where you share and they share. That dissolves some of my nerves because a conversation has a low stress value. 
6. Get to interviews early. I like to park extra early, like 20-30 minutes beforehand, so I can prepare myself mentally. Being early simply ensures that there will be no issues in the way between me and this interview. Traffic happens. Parking can be difficult. You could get lost. Do yourself a favor and be early. 

Book Recommendation: God's Promises for Graduates by Jack Countryman

This delightful book has been in my possession since graduating and has guided me through every feeling imaginable. It has been a glowing light to reference back to when I feel worry, discouragement, fear or doubt, and when I need comfort and guidance. This book makes me feel super loved with its words of encouragement in the form of scripture quotes (one of my top love languages is words of affirmation, so of course its impact reverberates and echoes with every read).

Somehow this book encapsulates every encouragement and every word I could ever need, with topics starting with the phrase: "What to do when you need...," "What to do when you feel...," and "What to do when you are..." to name a few. Truly an all-encompassing thoughtfully-organized book with helpful words of encouragement that you may want to hear in the next chapter of your life. 

I have a list of wonderful self-development books that I'm reading myself, in a post called Inspirational Books for Twenty-Somethings.

Final words: 

Take each day one step at a time because you need time to achieve your goals. The slow build is part of the long-haul process, and in turn you will find growth and hindsight. 

Create a daily schedule and abide by your intentions. Take time to do activities that make you happy, so you will have motivation and a positive mindset to work hard on your other priorities. Be wise and aware of your time. Give each day your best.

Kick out the negative self talk that will naturally come. Who's the landlord here and who's not paying rent? If the blues come, acknowledge their arrival but let them pass and refocus your thoughts on what you've been accomplishing. 

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow, will be our doubts of today." - Franklin Roosevelt

Create various industry-focused / job-focused resume and cover letter templates to save time when you reword your documents for the specific job and company. Be consistent in applying to jobs, and it will become a habit. Interviews will teach you how to better position yourself so go to many. 

Books are a smart way to learn a decade of knowledge in a short while. They are a great guiding friend for post-grad life. Growth is coming your way.