Five things to do after graduating

Graduating from college is a huge milestone and accomplishment. Most are excited to toss their cap up in the air as they close a major chapter in their life. As joyous as that moment is, the transition into the world after graduating is not as glamorous. Here are five tips to help make that transition a little smoother.

Update your LinkedIn

LinkedIn is considered to be one of the best professional social media platforms. This is where potential employers are going to recruit and hire. Even if you decide not to be very active on LinkedIn, it’s still a great idea to create a profile and keep it updated. Try posting at least once a month about what you enjoy about transitioning into your career. Use this platform to showcase your skills and growing expertise. It’s also a great platform to stay connected to peers and colleagues.

Don’t compare your path to others

You’re not going where everyone is going so try not to compare your career path with others. It can be difficult to remain positive when you may feel that everyone else is accelerating immediately after graduating and you feel stagnant. Stay focused on defining success for yourself. While you are figuring out your next steps, use this time to enhance your skills or take on new experiences. There are various options to do these at little to no cost with minimal effort.

Create a professional email address

If you haven’t already, create a professional email address with an appropriate display name. While job hunting or applying to graduate school, you shouldn’t use your university-given address. An appropriate email address can position you as trustworthy and established to potential employers. For example, using your first name, last name or a combination of the two as your username (the first part of theemail address) would be most appropriate. Make sure your display name (name shown before your email address) is your full name and not a nickname. An email address with abbreviations, random numbers or misspelled words may keep you from ever reaching a potential employer’s inbox.For more information about email etiquette, read this article.

Remember, your first job is not your last job

Everyone’s first job offer is not going to be “Instagram-worthy.” It’s okay to accept a job offer that may not be exactly what you intended to do directly after graduating. This gives you the opportunity to bloom where you are planted. Use your first job to acquire the skills and experiences you need to be a great contender for your next job opportunity. Being open-minded and resourceful during this time will make you very competitive later on.

Utilize Augusta University’s Career Services

Recent graduates have access to Career Services for up to six months after they graduate. This is the perfect resource for those who are job hunting or still researching careers. Career Services provides assistance with building resumes, mock job interviews, preparation for graduate school and so much more. Contact Career Services here to schedule an appointment with a consultant and get your head start. Graduating college is not a smooth transition for everyone.

To hear more about transitioning from college to adulthood, check out In the Wild’s “I graduated college, now what?” episode.