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Next Steps After College

Next Steps After College

Can you hear it? The graduation march in your head. Congratulations, you did it! 2020 graduations are looking a little different this year as spring graduations were postponed to August, etc. due to COVID-19. Whether your degree was achieved online, in person or you walked across the stage or had a Zoom ceremony, you should be proud of your accomplishments. “Now what?” you may ask. When it comes to the next steps after college the list can go on and on. Below you can get the gist of what you should be focusing on post-college graduation. 

What Do I Do Now? 

Ah, freedom at last. No more late-night study sessions in the library or early morning lectures. But, “what do I do now?” Great question and we have some answers. Be active in your community. If you are in the marketing or public relations field, for example, consider joining organizations like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) or The American Marketing Association (AMA). 

Are you an engineer? Consider joining the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Searching for a group that relates to your niche is simple. Go to any search engine and search “National BLANK Groups” and fill in your niche. 

If you are in the tech or web developing field, our iR Sessions webinars cover a multitude of topics with industry experts from around the United States. Here you can network with like-minded people and brush up on some current field knowledge. Networking alongside people in your career niche is not only great for fruitful conversations but you can get a lot of connections with people that could turn into possible job leads. 

You can also go to our website and search for job roles you might be interested in. When you find something that piques your interest feel free to reach out to one of our talented Talent Acquisition Specialists so we can further discuss the role with you. 

Ask All the Questions 

Reach out to people in the area that work in your field. Ask them to go to coffee or meet in their office and ask them questions like:

  • What is your favorite part of your job? 
  • How long have you been doing X? 
  • What is something that is hard in your current role? 
  • What advice would you give to me post-college graduation? 

Come up with some probing questions. Probing questions are well, throughout questions that encourage a deeper response. These types of questions are typically open-ended questions and great ways to have a hearty conversation. Asking questions not only shows you did your own research on who you are speaking with but it also shows you are engaged in the conversation and are eager to learn more. 

Resume, Resume, Resume 

This one-page document is more important than you think. Think of your resume as an email header. What can you do to have someone read the first few sections and make them want to learn more? 

Now, creating a resume is an art in itself. Don’t worry, we have all the tips for you in one special place here on our website. More on how to build a resume here

 

Hello, My Name Is… 

Making yourself known in the professional world is important for success as you embark on your new career. Be active on social media platforms like LinkedIn using metadata tags that bring your profile up in searches that are relevant to your field. 

You can also go to the search field of any social media platform and search terms you are interested in including locations and find people in your industry that way. Connect with businesses and people who have content that you are interested in. This will give you relevant content on your timeline as well as boost your sphere. 

We have a great blog on how to stand out on LinkedIn and you can read it here

Mock Interviews 

Interviews shouldn’t be scary. Practice makes permanent and we believe mock interviews can help you build your confidence before you go out and do the real thing. 

Resources like YouTube is a great tool to utilize. Here is a great video that gives some spot-on tips you should take when approaching the interview process:

 

If you would like to have a mock interview set up with one of our professionals send us a direct message to our Facebook page and we can go over the next steps! 

Read more on what to wear to your interview and our top tips in one of our previous blogs here

How iR Can Help

Interactive Resources prides ourselves on earning your business, not just winning it.

Our current portfolio consists of a wide range of clients from Fortune 50 companies to startups. We’ve worked with many great companies over the years, but the most telling success story is one we haven’t written yet: YOURS. We’d love the opportunity to tell you more about how we deliver results.

 

Searching for a job is a fulltime job. That is where iR comes in! Let us help you find the job you love. Be sure to follow us on our social media platforms to stay in touch with new job openings, industry news, and job preparation.