Meet Job Seekers

With less than 6 weeks until G-day (that’s graduation, not Aussie slang), it’s starting to get into crunch time for me and my fellow seniors. There are the lucky few who already have job offers (congrats!), but the majority of people I know are freaking out. Believe me, I’m definitely one of them.

My dad and I are pretty much best friends. Normally, I’m not really one to take advice from my parents (I like to figure things out for myself — I won’t even let my dad touch my financial aid or taxes or anything important like that), but he and I had a nice little heart-to-heart that really put things in perspective. Here are a few bits of advice or at least things to consider during this crazy time:

1. It’s okay to move back in with your parents. No, really! 

For some of us, this is the hardest pill to swallow. College brought that sense of freedom, independence and responsibility, and then suddenly we’re expected to give it up to save a few pennies. Granted, I could definitely stand to make some bank and not have to worry about rent for awhile, but is it really worth the sacrifice of all that personal freedom I’ve come to enjoy? I’m a huge proponent of pro/con lists, and I think this is a situation that could certainly be determined by such an analysis. Pro – save money, con – oooh, parents. Can someone say curfew? I hope not.

2. The first choice isn’t necessarily the best choice.

It is extremely tempting to take the very first offer placed in front of you. But always keep in mind all the costs and benefits at hand. Think strategically about how this fits into your career path. Do you have a specific area of focus? Where do you see yourself in 3, 5, 10 years? Are you compromising personal values for the sake of a job? You probably won’t be able to answer all these questions now, but it’s important to keep them in the back of your head. 

Also, think about where you really see yourself living. I’ve already run into a dilemma in which most of the opportunities for my field are in a great city, but I just don’t see myself having fun there. If the location doesn’t fit into your idea of the perfect work/life balance, don’t go there. Remember to factor in cost of living as well. Salary.com provides a cost-of-living tool that helps determine the change between your current location and where you hope to live/work, as well as an average salary to live comfortably.

3. Think practically

Right now, the possibilities are (for the most part) endless. Yes, there are financial constraints and so forth, but ideally, we can go anywhere and do anything we want. It’s difficult to stay on track with what you want to do and what you can afford to do. I’m all about having a dream and following it, but if the risks are too high for your taste, take a step back. This seems pretty obvious, but for any people out there who are stubborn and goal-driven like me, you understand how hard this can be!

4. Take a breath. Take your time. Have fun.

Again, pretty basic. But getting caught up in all the leads, phone calls, interviews and everything in between, you can really lose sight of enjoying these last few weeks. Just remember: eventually everything will fall into place. It will, I promise (or at least so I’ve been told by some of my school’s recent alumni!). 

So now that you’ve gotten a sense of what’s getting me through this whole ordeal, what are some other words of wisdom that have proven helpful as you near graduation? Or, if you’re on the hiring side of things, what would you like to tell those of us applying to your companies?