Graduating college is the beginning of a daunting journey for those looking to join the workforce. While some have a clear path from the start, many graduates stumble in the beginning as they look for guidance in an unknown frontier.
To those who may need a guiding hand, it is always a good idea to look to peers for counseling and proper decision-making to shape the future.
At the University of North Georgia, Career Services are there to help both graduates and those aiming to graduate.
“Starting your career can cause doubt and anxiety. All that is normal. There will be new demands, new skills to gain, new relationships to build and every environment will be different. Have faith in yourself and the skills developed in college.” – Diane Farrell, Director of Career Services
Diane Farrell, the Director of Career Services, lent her advice on how graduates can succeed in the future. Alongside her, several graduates of UNG have also lent their knowledge to cultivate the future of their juniors in a list of the top five pieces of advice for future graduates.
- Career Services at UNG offer a three-part Graduation Boot camp video series for students to attend that guides them through questions they may have right before graduation. According to Farrell, the number one thing that most students request guidance on is resume building but other questions such as making friends in a multi-generational workplace and the proper way to go about getting promoted also get addressed in the workshop that can be found on their YouTube channel.
- Uriel Leon, a UNG Graduate, spoke on not missing out on potential opportunities, no matter how small. Farrell supported his words with advice on not “ghosting” potential job offers. As she explained: “be responsive,” and if a company sends out any form of communication, try to respond even if the answer is no. With that she pushed forward the importance of positive communication in the workplace to prevent any negative experiences from forming and impacting future relationships.
- Farrell recommended joining a professional association related to desired fields of work. This can help to grow skills in that field by learning from people in different stages of their careers. She also mentioned that these types of associations often hold annual conferences and local meetings for networking.
- UNG Graduate students Alejandro Canela and Denmark Thepvongsa both stressed not procrastinating. Canela said, “It’s always good to do something like work or study but don’t be idle.” Thepvongsa elaborated further on the importance of not “freeballing” everything as although “it may work in some aspects, it will start to affect the rest of your life to the point you may have procrastinated on something that would’ve been more beneficial if done earlier.”
- One thing that every source agreed upon was keeping connections with friends and maintaining a personal network of connections. Enjoying the field one chooses to go into while also staying in touch with past friends, professors or even coworkers will help to keep a strong basis with a good mentality for those taking the next step in life.
