By Kyle Taylor, Contributing Writer
On May 9th, many WLU seniors are going to graduate. They have plenty of work to do before hand, like attending commencement, graduation fee, attending the graduation fair, paying off any financial obligations, and of course, being sure that they’ve met all the requirements for their major. All this is necessary in order to graduate, but there’s just as much work after graduation for students. After that is when one must try to get a job using what they’ve learned at college, which can be just as daunting to those who are unprepared.
One thing that many employers will immediately look at is whether you’re an undergraduate or a graduate student. For those who don’t know, undergraduate programs lead to getting an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in their field. Graduate students are the ones trying to earn a master’s degree or doctorate. These different degrees will help sway people looking to hire for students, both for what they will have them do as well as if they should hire them on at all.
One suggestion by Communications Professor Michael King is that students should keep in mind internships they may take during their senior year.
“Many organizations use them as a way to recruit graduates for entry level positions,” said King. “There are plenty of students who have been hired straight out of graduation by the people they previously interned for, having both a background with the organization as well as all the necessary training.”
Just as graduation shouldn’t be something to stress out over, the same can be said for attempting to start a career immediately after graduation. “When you graduate, don’t worry about starting a career, worry about getting a job,” said King.
Getting a job so that they are at least able to make a living and care for themselves is more important than doing what they’ve always dreamed. A career may be more stressful, as well as harder to maintain and keep if a student is hired.
“The truth is, you’ll have your whole life to plan a career,” said King. Regardless of what level they’re graduating at, being able to support yourself takes priority over doing what you’ve always wanted.
