For those graduating this semester, it may seem like life is coming fast and hard, and, truth be told, it is. Closing out the undergraduate chapter of life is thrilling and terrifying and riveting. But it is also unequivocally freeing.
Chrissy Renfro, a counselor in the Advising, Career, and Exploratory Studies Center (ACES), shared four points of advice to students planning for their next step in life.
“The first one is to be strategic, in terms of having a good sense of ‘Where are you looking for jobs? And who do you want to work for?’” Renfro said.
“I really would discourage people to just send out résumés to every job that looks remotely a good match for you. Soul killing, honestly, and discouraging because you won’t get interviews.”
Renfro emphasized the importance of boldness and confidence in applying for jobs.
“This is a terrific job market right now. You know, thanks to the Great Resignation and all, there’s a lot of churn right now, which is to your benefit as a graduate,” Renfro said.
“A lot of entry level things are coming open that graduates two years ago didn’t have, so be confident in yourself. And be bold to see what’s out there.”
In addition to strategy, boldness, and confidence, Renfro mentioned how open-mindedness can help out those searching for jobs.
“Be open minded. I think that goes back to embracing that there’s not a linear path for you,” Renfro said. “Be willing to take some jobs that maybe don’t seem to relate to whatever your degree is in but you feel like you could do because it’s just a starting point. You’re not doing this rest of your life.”
The fourth point of advice from Renfro focused on résumés.
“Have a banging résumé. The first three are kind of known, but that fourth one is to have a tight résumé.You want to have kind of a general overall résumé but from there, yes, tailor it to each and every job,” Renfro said.
“It’s a pain in the ass, but it’s worth it, because you’re showing that employer ‘This is how I can further your company’s goals’ or ‘These are the skills I bring that are gonna make things better for you.’”
Renfro also discussed how opportunities, at times, may simply present themselves, but that it’s still important to be prepared to seize those opportunities.
“What I tell people is embrace that ‘not knowing.’ Be okay with that. None of us knew what we were gonna do,” Renfro said. “A lot of times, you just fall into things.”
“There’s a saying, you know that luck favors the prepared. And so it’s a combination of luck, but it’s also that responsibility for you to have some preparation and to position yourself in a way so that when that luck happens, you can make a good decision.”
ACES provides various services for students and alumni, including career counseling and résumé-building and polishing interview skills.
Additionally, on the ACES website, students and alumni can find a “Career Guide” that overviews various documents and stages of the job hunting experience.
Katrina Davies, who writes for The Muse, an organization dedicated to the next generation of workers researching companies and careers, offers advice for those embarking on their next journey.
Davies’ first piece of advice suggests remembering these four words “Be positive, principled, proactive, and productive.”
Davies also addresses failure, and how budding professionals should handle situations that don’t pan out as expected.
“Don’t hide from mistakes, keep moving forward, and learn from everything,” Davies said.
Networking is also a major piece of advice that Davies stresses in her article. “Being patient, making connections, utilizing co-workers, treating everyone with respect, and keeping your own counsel,” are all major points of emphasis for Davies.
