5 Things to Know After You Become a College Graduate

Becoming a College Graduate is a major milestone and can really help you boost your career. Congratulations on the achievement! So, what’s the next step and furthermore what will your future look like now that you have managed to get that piece of paper, aka, college degree?

Some people see college as a major goal, when in reality a college degree is really just a tool that can help you overcome certain entry barriers within companies, which will in the end allow you to boost your financial capabilities.

So what’s next for you after college? Here’s a list of the 5 things you need to remember as you move onward with your life in your transition from college to career.

Our 5 College Graduate tips

1) Your College Degree and First Job Won’t Always Match

If your daddy doesn’t own a big law firm or you don’t have the right connections within a major company, many college graduates find themselves in low lever jobs that might not involve your field of expertise in a major way. Don’t feel bad, as that’s only a minor problem. Always remember that you have to start somewhere and with perseverance you will always climb to the top. You have 40 years to reunite your job with your major — or to find out your achieved education may not have major bearing on what you do in life.

2) After College Comes Taxes

For some, college life is like an escape from reality. You move far from home, have fun for a few years and can forget about the real world. Why not? and apart from that, you come out with a nice degree. Don’t let this blind you! Once you finish college there are a lot of things to remember and taxes are one of them. Try to stay on top of it. Taxes, 401K enrolment, healthcare, apartment contracts… Prepare to be awash in forms that make the Apple iTunes agreement seem pleasant. Don’t ignore the paperwork. Some do and then end up in debt or with garbage credit ratings.

3) Don’t become a College dinosaur

Just because your formal education might have ended, doesn’t mean you should stop learning. If you don’t keep old skills sharp and continue learning new ones your career will become obsolete. In today’s modern world it is important to constantly keep your brain working and stay up-to-date on what’s going on. Trends are constantly shifting and you don’t want to find yourself in a position where someone younger can easily replace you in your position.

4) Your first payday check won’t be your dream one

This differs for some people, but realistically when you get an entry-level job right out of college, you won’t be making nearly as much as you would like to be. After college, that first paycheck will seem huge. You will feel like the richest person on the planet and might even go out and spend it all in one night. But you will quickly come to find that those paychecks are hard to save and way too easy to spend. Work hard and as you prove yourself to your superiors, you will progress slowly allowing your pay checks to increase.

5) The Most Important – Relax.

After dozens of exams, constant stress and an environment that is constantly testing your brain, there is no better time than after you become a college graduate, to relax. You might want to jump straight into your career and start making money, but remember that you have the rest of your life to work. Take some time to organise your thoughts, slow down the pace and make an educated decision on how you are going to move forward in life. You might even decide that it’s best to continue your studies and get your masters.

Some people even take a gap year. It might give you the opportunity to pause and discover something about yourself and the world you live in. Always remember, whatever direction you pursue, you will have to work on your appearance and look the part for your new dream job.

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