How to Thrive in the Post-College Real World
Learning Outside of Classroom, Co-Curricular Activities, are Key
Aug 17, 2009
As college students prepare to head back to school, heeding the following tips and strategies will prove beneficial to them over the long run, especially in the current economic climate.
Choose a Major and Stick With It
Many students fear that by choosing one major over another, they have instantly closed the doors on other opportunities and subjected their lives and careers to working in fields only related to the major they have settled on. Out of this fear, many students change majors numerous times. This is a great way to waste precious time and money.
Anyone can do anything they wish, within reason, of course.
A graduate who majored in Political Science cannot, say, become a medical doctor or engineer, at least not without returning to school and obtaining the proper education and credentials. But a Political Science major can go on to become an author, journalist, and president of a largely Web and graphic design and Internet marketing firm, such as the author of this article, without having majored in Writing, English, Journalism, Business, Marketing, Computer Science, or Graphic Design.
Don't Worry About Grades
That's right, don't fret grades, again, within reason. Don't skip class all the time and refuse to do assignments, but know that receiving a B or even a C is not the end of the world, and will not destroy a career. Most employers don't ask to see transcripts. They are far more concerned with simply verifying the degree(s) listed on one's resume and the positive attributes that cause one to stand out from all the other applicants.
The only way grades may come back to haunt a graduate down the road would be when applying for graduate or law school, but many grad and law schools nowadays place a big emphasis on overall life and leadership experiences when reviewing applications.
Learn Outside of the Classroom
Semesters, school years, and class hours are only so long. With that said, there are many things that are not, and cannot, be taught in the classroom simply because of time constraints. So supplement the in-class experience by taking advantage of opportunities to learn and grow outside of the formal classroom setting.
Check out books from the library on personal and professional development topics. Sign up for workshops or fun non-credit courses that are interesting. Attend the occasional conference.
Simply relying on the formal classroom education alone to set one up properly for the post-college "real world" will lead to surprises, and not necessarily good ones.
Develop Leadership Skills Early On by Getting Involved on Campus
Tying into the previous point as a great way to learn outside of the classroom, get involved in the student government, student newspaper, or in other campus clubs or organizations that are appealing.
Doing so will strengthen a wide variety of skills needed in the professional world, including, among others: writing, speaking, goal planning, decision making, budgeting, working in a team environment, and dealing with an array of personalities.
Build a Network of Professional Contacts
Perhaps the biggest mistakes that campus career offices routinely make are that they encourage students to network, but they only really emphasize the importance of networking to college seniors, and even then, it's only with corporate executives and mid-level management with some of the largest companies around.
According to the Small Biz Stats & Trends page on the SCORE website, small business accounts for nearly half of all private sector employment and the overwhelming majority of economic activity and innovation in the United States.
That being said, one is never too young to begin networking and developing solid relationships that can prove beneficial for years to come, and the ones sporting suits and ties all the time, along with having long and fancy-sounding corporate titles, are not necessarily the best choices to focus significant amounts of time and energy on.
Network with small business owners back home; utilize family members and family friends to get introduced to any and all connections they may have; get involved with local networking groups; establish a profile on networking websites like LinkedIn; and even network with fellow students!
 |
