The majority of recent college graduates are not only unemployed, but are also sitting on
a pile of debt. If you’re in this situation, in this current economy, it is tougher now more
than ever to find a well-paying job, let alone a well-paying job in your degree field. As
much as college prepared you academically, here are four lessons it didn’t teach you:
1. Debt Is a Reality
Going into college, if you took out student loans, you understood you would have to pay
them back eventually. But, eventually came up mighty quick, and now you have a stack
of bills due and little to no savings to pay them off with.
One of the best tools to paying down debt is to consolidate your loans. If you have loans
from various lenders, see if they would be willing to consolidate under one lender. Not
only are you only making one payment, but you are accruing less interest.
Likewise, if you are under any credit card debt, look to credit card consolidation by
using a balance transfer credit card. Jeffrey Weber of SmartBalanceTransfers.com states,
“Balance transfer credit cards benefit those in a substantial amount of debt because these
types of credit cards offer consumers the chance to pay down their debt with as little
hassle as possible.” Be proactive about your debt; you will thank yourself later.
2. Finding a Job Is Hard
When in school, you were probably not too concerned with employment. Eventually,
college graduation would come, you would graduate, and you would find a job. However,
what you didn’t expect was how hard it would be to find employment. While there is
no magic technique to getting a job, your best bet is to be persistent. Follow up on your
applications, show your interest, and be confident in your abilities to perform the duties
of the job.
3. Interviewing Is Terrifying
Although it’s exciting to finally have a company get back to you, interviewing is not an
easy process—especially if it’s a phone interview. While a face-to-face interview is also
nerve-wracking, at least your potential employer can see your facial expressions and
verbal cues. On the other hand, a phone interview can be extremely difficult to gauge
your interest and passion for the position, leaving you at a disadvantage. Regardless of
what type of interview it is, do your best to be enthusiastic, engaged, and passionate
about the position.
4. Employment Is Team Work
While professors taught you how to work and think independently, and how to
passionately verbalize your opinions, in the workplace, teamwork is key. There is a fine
line between pitching an innovative idea at work and being overbearing and opinionated.
While you do want your creative voice to be heard, remember that at the heart of it, you
will be evaluated by how your contributions—whether verbally or in teamwork—best
benefit the interests of the company.
While these four lessons are tough to learn, as you go through each one, you grow
immensely and are prepared for the future.
