by Kristen Shlakman
It’s hard to believe that it’s already February and that in just three short months we’ll be walking across that stage for graduation.
To say that time has flown is more than an understatement. The time is finally here where we, as seniors, have to take everything we have learned over the last four years and figure out what is the next step.
For those of you who have everything figured out, congratulations. I’m not only impressed but extremely jealous.
For the rest of us, myself included, time is slowly running out.
And I don’t know about you, but I’m heading more towards a nervous breakdown than anything.
Like many, I’ve decided that I just cannot take any more school at the moment. After 16 years of schooling, I need a break.
Grad school really is not an option right now if I want to regain what little sanity I have left. So I’ve started on the never ending process of applying for jobs.
I wish the process was as easy as it sounded. You apply for a job, they interview you, and then you start working after graduation. Except no one told me how hard it was to gain a clear understanding of what I should be doing versus what everyone is telling me to do.
I am extremely grateful for the advice I’ve received, but in this crazy process, I need to figure out what I want to do. After all, this is my life. Not anyone else’s.
In the last few months, I’ve figured out a few things that have helped make these next couple months a little less stressful.
For example, the old saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is still 100 percent true. I’ve gained much more ground in my job search working and communicating with the connections I have already made.
My supervisors in my internships, family friends, all those people who actually have a foot in the door provide way more results than just submitting your resume to some website.
Starting early has helped a lot too. I know we still have three months, but most places you’ll apply to will understand that you still have to finish school.
You’re also putting your name out there before the masses. So what’s the worst they can do? Say they’ll call you when it gets closer to graduation? Plus, this way you have their attention.
I also found out that pyramid schemes still exist. I got a call from a company in Nashville that told me they wanted me for a “marketing management training” position.
They sold this job to me within about five minutes. Not only were they understanding about me finishing school, but they didn’t even need me to come down there to do the interview because they knew I was so busy. They said they’d do it right over the phone.
That should have been my first red flag. Who interviews someone for a management position only over the phone?
I looked up the company and stories of the whole operation being a scam were all over the internet.
They hook you with this management line, when really you’d be selling AT&T phone service door to door. I’m pretty sure I went to college so I wouldn’t have to sell anything door to door.
I wish I could provide miracle advice to help everyone find a job. Heck, then I would have one lined up for May.
Truth is we just have to keep at it and go with our gut. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Being seniors, I know we’ve all got the procrastination thing down; but in this case, it really won’t help anyone.
Most importantly, I have found having a great support system helps more than anything. Reaching out to my friends who have graduated, and who understand the stress I’m under, has been more than a saving grace.
I was always told I wouldn’t understand what a second semester senior goes through until I got there. Now that I’m here I just want to be a freshman again.
Ok, maybe not. Just know we’re all in the same place and there are still plenty of days to figure it all out. We can do it.
kshlakman@capital.edu
