Wow, I can’t believe I graduated last weekend! It feels like just yesterday I was contemplating which grad school to go to, whether the move to the east coast would be worth it, and now, here we are! With graduation comes anxiety and stress bc hello, job search anyone?

Let’s be real. It can’t all be glitter and gold. I get asked, “what’s next?” about 5x a day, but that’s a no brainer since I work at BU and everyone is curious (with the best intentions).

However, it can be hard to answer bc I don’t exactly know what’s next. All I know is I’ve been interviewing at different organizations, and everything is just kind of up in the air right now. I’m waiting to hear back from a couple of places, but until then, I haven’t really been actively applying. I’ve just been… here enjoying serenity.

A little PSA – the job search CAN get discouraging. From attending Career Fairs, networking events, scrolling religiously on Indeed or LinkedIn, conducting multiple phone interviews, etc, it can be hard to keep going AND stay positive. There have been numerous times where I feel like giving up.

Here are some tips and tricks from yours truly:

Get organized

Organization has helped me be on top of things. With the advice from BUSPH’s Career Services, I’ve created an Excel spreadsheet logging what positions I was interested in, whom I’ve made contact with, when I turned my application in, and the status. Having this ready has kept me sane throughout the job search. Once you have a daily routine down, this process will be less stressful, I can assure you!

Network with intention

People say to network regularly, but I say network intently. As job seekers, we tend to lose ourselves in the plethora of networking events. Rather than exhausting yourself to go to every networking event in your local region, network with intention. Ask your trusted mentors if they have any contacts, and then reach out for a coffee date. ONE solid interaction is always better than 40000 mindless encounters.

Focus on yourself

I’ve set some time aside to do things I love but haven’t gotten the chance to since school got in the way (i.e. blogging!!). Now, I’ve allocated time aside for gym, reading, etc and to focus on self-development. Allowing yourself time to NOT focus on the job search is just as important as focusing on the job search itself. Once you begin to look at things from a different perspective, you’ll be able to set more concrete goals for yourself.

Don’t compare

This one’s huge, in my opinion. At graduation itself, I’ve had peers and their parents ask me what was my next step. Rather than enjoying the moment itself, I was overwhelmed with this expected trajectory I was supposed to have by then. Listening to everyone else around me talk about their job offers also began taking a toll on me. What was I doing wrong? Why does it feel like I’ve done 500 phone interviews but yielded zero outcome? Know that relative to all of your peers, their success does not mean an absence of yours. I cannot stress this enough! Everyone goes at their own pace!

Utilize your resources

One resource I’ve been using to develop my cover letter, resume and to sharpen my interview skills is Career Contessa. There are other resources out there, so find what’s best for you! I personally have been using Career Contessa for years since undergrad, and having that resource has kept me positive in terms of my career growth. For instance, they discuss salary negotiation and share interview tips. Even if you don’t hear back from the job you want, you’re still working towards being a better candidate regardless.

Alright, that’s all I have! Wherever you are in the job search process, hang in there! It can take up to MONTHS to get a job, but I promise you — the search is worth it.

Don’t discount your hard work if you don’t hear back promptly, and if you do decide to take a break (I encourage this!!), know that it’s okay to do so and you deserve it! Once you start your career, it’d be harder to take a break, so enjoy this moment while you can. Take time to enjoy this moment with your friends and family!

Congratulations to all of the 2019 graduates!

Happy searching! xx