What to Do After Graduation.

[Rail Tracer]

Ok, I am seriously not asking that question. Looking for a job related to my major is freaking me out. I have networked as well as gotten interviews ahead of time, stating that I can do both part and full time once I graduate (which is soon.) That I am willing to do internships/volunteer work campaigning (it's campaign season.) I've been told by people that they are willing to help me out with certain organizations just because they know me (and they have connections with her sister and such in an organization.... they are also willing to write LoR for me since they know me through the campus organization that we created.) So I've been making contingency plans so that I won't just be a statistic looking for a job for a year or more, even so.... I've been more nervous for each day my graduation date approaches (yay, I'll be having fun during those days.... but once it is over.. it is back to worrying.) In some ways you can even say that I am hired...but that that job might be a little iffy.

Other than that, the long term choices...again.... freaking me out because I don't know. There are things I want to do within 5 years after graduation, that includes:
1: Possibly teaching abroad for a while (that will take a year to finalize)
2: Finding a government job related to my major (ermmm.... will take until after I graduate... not sure if there will be openings for my skill level or lower.)
3: If my volunteer as a fellow (not related to the government job) becomes a good experience, work with said organization while being paid.
4: If the campaign team likes my work, try to get a part-time paid job with them (or more.)
5: Learning a programming language and foreign language during off-time (possibly for a year,) continue making flyers and ads as experiences with Photoshop and the like, reading books that continue to sharpen my mind.
6: If 1-4 fails, look for a job doing IT because I've had the experience on my own time with programming languages and making programs work (probably switching my OS so that I can contribute to Linux Mint programming in C [For Wine] and C++.)
7: Cry

What else is there? I had 2 interviews and 1 possible fellowship because of networking. 1 is willing to have me on board (but the job doesn't seem fun.) 1 I have to call back when I've graduated to check back with them.

 

[Haven]

Which do you think will make you happiest?

 

[EJCC]

As I understand it, off time and volunteer time both look best right after graduation -- re: your resume and how future employers will see you.

But re: your offers, definitely check the more fun one first, if you can. People usually don't like their first job, but better to maximize your fun/fulfillment as much as is reasonable.

 

[Coriolis]

Ok, I am seriously not asking that question. Looking for a job related to my major is freaking me out. I have networked as well as gotten interviews ahead of time, stating that I can do both part and full time once I graduate (which is soon.) That I am willing to do internships/volunteer work campaigning (it's campaign season.) I've been told by people that they are willing to help me out with certain organizations just because they know me (and they have connections with her sister and such in an organization.... they are also willing to write LoR for me since they know me through the campus organization that we created.) So I've been making contingency plans so that I won't just be a statistic looking for a job for a year or more, even so.... I've been more nervous for each day my graduation date approaches (yay, I'll be having fun during those days.... but once it is over.. it is back to worrying.) In some ways you can even say that I am hired...but that that job might be a little iffy.

What is your major? Is your job search in the U.S.?

 

[Rail Tracer]

Which do you think will make you happiest?

1-4, lol I've been more open towards my options, but all of them seem to take some time.

As I understand it, off time and volunteer time both look best right after graduation -- re: your resume and how future employers will see you.

But re: your offers, definitely check the more fun one first, if you can. People usually don't like their first job, but better to maximize your fun/fulfillment as much as is reasonable.

First job might be a canvassing job for a non-profit. Talk with people, meet quotas, knock on doors (It doesn't sound fun, so I don't see why others would like having their doors knocked on.) Not exactly the type of work that I am interested in, but apparently I get paid a certain amount. People tend to hate the job. It might be good experience as part of my advertising portfolio. This year, I've created flyers and such advertising an online campus community, because of it, that site has increased two times the original amount.

Another possible job is that I'll be interned as a fellow for an organization for three months, mainly doing the less intensive jobs. From what I am told, if they like me, they will hire me within a month. I don't know about canvassing though. It seems the sister of the person doing the hiring does some canvassing work.....

So yes, I'll see where it goes with the volunteering and off time, but that part just makes me nervous.

What is your major? Is your job search in the U.S.?

Political Science, I am hearing a lot of people usually end up not doing much that is related to the field of study after trying to look for work related in the field for so long, even with higher GPA and such. Some had to volunteer for a while before they've got anywhere remotely comfortable. Some, after almost a year of looking for a job related to the field end up doing something like IT because they've had some experience with it while out of a job. Which I am hoping that if I am unable to find a decent one, I'll probably end up looking for a job with some IT experience. (Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, Illustrator, Fireworks, Maya, some programming in C++ and Java, experience with Windows, a little bit with Linux Mint and Debian, Windows programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, networking, switching and debugging computers and computer parts.)

I don't mind working anywhere in the U.S., but I wouldn't mind other places in the world too, provided the place has a decent living.

I don't mind going to a different state to work... also provided that the company/organization doesn't mind that I'll be moving there first.

I've looked at some suggestions like USAjobs... I can probably get by with something that is between G-5 through G-7, that is if I can find something related.

 

[cascadeco]

Wow, you are very prepared. (/further definitive proof I am definitely not an INxJ, hahaha)

I don't really have anything to add; seems you're covering your bases. I echo [MENTION=4945]EJCC[/MENTION] though in saying that the time for volunteering, in field of interest, is optimal right after graduation. Volunteering in one or more places, and/or unpaid internship... valuable experience gained, looks excellent on a resume, especially since many unpaid gigs these days require a lot of work.

It can be harder to justify volunteering, and logistically manage, once older, so I think whether or not you have a paid job right out of or soon after graduation, the volunteering route is excellent.

Congrats... think you have a good head on your shoulders / good plans/ideas in place.

 

[Firebird 8118]

[MENTION=10431]Rail Tracer[/MENTION] Wow - you seem to have a better idea than I do about where you're headed after graduation. [My brother and I just attended our graduation ceremony yesterday. My brother has graduated now, while I will officially get my diploma once I complete my summer courses this year.]

Anyhow, I agree with cascadeco on this matter. And congrats for making it this far!

 

[chickpea]

 

[xisnotx]

Personally, I'm just enjoying my time off. I have 40 years of work ahead of me...there is no rush in my mind.

Over the last 9 months I've been out, I've done the following.

-Nothing.
-Brushed up on the other language I know.
-Continued building my "start up business".
-Scheduled interviews for jobs I knew I wasn't going to take, just to practice.
-Contacted professors asking for letters of recommendation in the future.
-Looked into different grad/law school programs.
-Worked a part time job. Quit. Worked another part time job that I technically still have.
-Built up my Linkdn profile.
-Spent time with my friends and family and my now ex girlfriend.
-Enrolled, and still seeking funding, for a business certificate.
-Studied for graduate school entrance exams.
-Slept a lot.
-Extracurricular college related, but nothing too academic, activities...if you get my drift..

As soon as I get over that, though. It'll be back to work. Which I think means finishing the business certificate, getting into a grad school program by the end of this year, then travelling until I matriculate into the program the Fall after next.

Then I'll be a student again. I'm excited. (Actually, not really...I just want to be done with it...and I haven't even started yet. Still, it's for a good cause. So I'll grit my teeth and put in the work.)

But, like I said, no rush.

 

[xisnotx]

Also, don't cry...though I understand...I did much worse than cry after it.

9 months out, I feel it getting better. Everyday I wake up and realize it's better than I thought.

 

[Rail Tracer]

Wow - you seem to have a better idea than I do about where you're headed after graduation. [My brother and I just attended our graduation ceremony yesterday. My brother has graduated now, while I will officially get my diploma once I complete my summer courses this year.]

Anyhow, I agree with cascadeco on this matter. And congrats for making it this far!

Thing is, I don't feel as prepared as I probably am

All the things I listed are options, but I really don't know which one will I end up following through on, or whether I am able to start them once I graduate.

I'm generally a bad...bad... worrywart.

And thanks I'm just glad I am done with college for the time being (well... not yet but soon!)

Also, don't cry...though I understand...I did much worse than cry after it.

9 months out, I feel it getting better. Everyday I wake up and realize it's better than I thought.

It was a joke. It is like, a lot of people who become unemployed for long periods of time tend to get reallllllllly depressed. I don't want to get that far, but I couldn't help but entertain that thought. I'll probably be overwhelmingly anxious before I end up crying XD

 

[EJCC]

The canvassing job doesn't sound like a good idea to me, mostly because, from what you've said about it, it isn't fun OR useful. The fellowship sounds like the best idea if you want to launch right into work -- otherwise, now is the time for off time, if you really really want it.

What sort of volunteering were you thinking of doing?

 

[EJCC]

Re: job searching, USAJobs is fine -- last year when I job searched after graduation, I mostly frequented that site and Idealist. Ended up finding my current (salaried) position on Craigslist, believe it or not!

 

[Rail Tracer]

The canvassing job doesn't sound like a good idea to me, mostly because, from what you've said about it, it isn't fun OR useful. The fellowship sounds like the best idea if you want to launch right into work -- otherwise, now is the time for off time, if you really really want it.

What sort of volunteering were you thinking of doing?

There are two of them that might be able to advance me into a paid job that I want to be able to do one of them. So those two are the ones I plan to be doing:
Since elections and campaign season doesn't officially end until December, that is the sort of volunteer experience that I want until I can get a paid job.

The other is the fellowship program where I work under the organization/advocacy group for ~3 months and then might be hired 1 month after.

Both can hold me long enough so that I can start applying to teach abroad in November-December and everything gets finalized in April (this is something I want to get out of the way.)

But those are really just considering the best possible outcomes.

And yeah, I was looking at USAjobs and was sort of perplexed job searching-wise. I had to look for certain numbers and hope they appeared for my skill level or slightly lower, and most of the time, they aren't.

 

[Haven]

aGupieWare: Online Learning: A Bachelor's Level Computer Science Program Curriculum (Updated)

If you want to brush up on your computer skills

 

[Rail Tracer]

aGupieWare: Online Learning: A Bachelor's Level Computer Science Program Curriculum (Updated)

If you want to brush up on your computer skills

I actually have a few programming books that I have during my Computer Science days. And to my knowledge this site has been my go-to site when it comes to C++.

I plan to learn C while I am using linux as an OS, because a lot of programming that is done on Linux uses a lot of C programming.

But that is good list because I actually wanted to get into computer graphics while I was majoring in Computer Science. So I'll be looking at that site sometime in the distant future.

 

[Rail Tracer]

It's ok to not know everything about where are you going or doing in life. I think that is one of the lessons I seem to have learned while in college, or at least recently while asking around.

It seems, most of the people I've met, even the very bright ones, have some idea of where they are heading. But in the gist of things, they don't know exactly where they were going to go to or where they will be heading towards in the future.

A professor of mine asked a few of my classmates and I what were our plans after graduating (we were turning in papers at her office.) Although I gave her the goals I've listed on TypoC, I basically told her that those were best case scenarios, and I really didn't know where I was going after that. I didn't know if I'll be getting a job with the campaign or advocacy group or if I'll be teaching abroad (she talked about how a lot of people she knew that taught abroad never came back .)

One classmate, even though he is graduating with Cum Laude, said that he really didn't know...and that any job will do until he finds any job related to his major (Criminal Justice.) Other than that...he kind of doesn't know. I'll be having lunch with him and a few others tomorrow to see what's up and what we'll be doing after graduation.

An acquaintance I haven't seen for three years (next school year will be his last) had a conversation with him, he said he doesn't know either, but most likely something related to his field (Computer Science.) I had a conversation with him about me learning programming while I figured things out and that maybe in a few years.... I might go back to college to get another degree. Said that I became part of a group on campus and that I might seem him

On my way up the elevator, a school administrator congratulated me in graduating. She said that a lot of people were like that..... happy to graduate and leave but end up like..... "I wanna be back to college... real life is horrible" I kind of laughed with that message.