Whether you’ve just graduated or it’s close on the horizon, it’s no secret that graduation is intimidating. Whether you’re considering job hunting or doing your grad school applications, getting to work may seem more difficult when you are working with your own schedule, and it can be easy to get lost in the pile of stuff that needs to get done. I myself am just figuring this out, but I have come up with 4 tips that help me keep my focus on things that matter and be productive at the same time! Hope you find this helpful too, and good luck out there:
1) Keep calm and make a start (today)!
When it comes to starting out on your job or grad school hunt, its easy feeling discouraged and as if you’ve already fallen behind when everyone else seems to have it all figured out. Now is the time to focus on yourself and how you can improve resume. At a time when you are working at your own speed without school deadlines, comparing yourself to others can be the greatest set back. You can take things slow, but make sure you’re starting from somewhere. If you don’t know what you want to do with your degree, it’s a great time to start thinking about your options and maybe even make a pros and cons list to figure out the best way for the moment. Remember that everyone is walking on their own path, and just make a start on yours.
2) Get yourself a hobby.
As you start thinking about what sets you apart from other graduates, waste no time in carving out space for the things that make you happy. If you love cooking, consider starting a blog where you document your experiments and experience with food. If you are into music, volunteer to teach a course at a local after-school program. This is how you will get the experience all employers seem to look for, meet people who are interested in the same stuff as you and network! And don’t worry too much about how these activities will add up in the long run. The important thing is finding ways to do the things you like, and one thing will lead to another before you know it.
3) Be productive.
Being a recent grad requires a different kind of productivity. As you start tackling online applications and emailing larger documents, you will start looking for tools available online (and even offline) that can help you save time and stress. Smallpdf is a wonderful website that I use to convert, compress and even eSign my documents – it’s efficient, simple and free! I myself have recently discovered Smallpdf, but I can assure you it’s already one of my favourites. Just today it helped me compress a document that I’d had trouble emailing before. It’s a lifesaver!
4) Don’t take it personally.
Despite all your efforts, a certain amount of rejection is inevitable. It’s competitive out there, and the more time you spend trying to sell yourself, the more you understand it. Try to stay confident and remember that it’s nothing personal – it’s just about perseverance. Try taking the positives and negatives from each application (both grad school and job applications) to improve yourself.
Images obtained from:
https://www.workzone.com/blog/best-productivity-apps/
http://bronlea.com/2013/07/17/the-pros-and-cons-of-having-kids/
http://www.ilovefreesoftware.com/02/windows/file/smallpdf.html