Graduating college is a funny thing. For 4 years you’re working hard to get an education, while at the same time, drinking enough to kill a small horse. Then it’s all supposed to change (but it really doesn’t). Lucky enough for me, I started working full-time not one month after graduation with the job title that I expected. I’ve learned a few things since graduating 6 months ago, both about life, and of course my industry.
First, while I was in college I had never imagined wanting to go back to school. I thought it was ludicrous, even ask my parents. Fast forward 6 months from graduation and I’m registering for a GMAT Boot camp class hosted by Manhattan GMAT and am also registered for the 2014 New York Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies program hosted by the 4A’s. There’s even a Business Foundations class hosted by General Assembly I’ve had my eye on, but I don’t think that’s in my budget (which I’ll post about at a later date). Am I worried about taking these courses while working full time? Not in the slightest, I’m actually eager for them to begin so that I can progress as quickly as possible. The takeaway here would be that just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean you won’t stop learning. If you want to progress your career, you need to want to learn more and more.
Now, since we’re on the subject of learning, your first job out of college will teach you a lot about yourself, the perceived notions about your choice of job industry and ultimately what you want in a job. I got one of the two positions I was going for, but after 6 months I can safely say my desires have changed. Maybe it’s just the agency I’m at, sure, as I have loved interning at other agencies, but I’m not so sure. You need to figure out if what you are having issues with is a constant across similar companies. You need to evaluate what you like and don’t like about what you’re doing, so that after a while when you decide to start the search again you can truly know what you’re looking for. For those of you graduating soon, don’t be afraid about the job market. You won’t always get that dream job right away. Just make sure you set goals for yourself. Always move forward, and keep learning.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments section.
-Tom
