The Best Advice For Graduates Who Are Feeling Lost

It is now the time of year when many students are finishing college or university and are preparing to graduate whilst job searching and adjusting to life outside of education. Although some graduates may know exactly what they want to do, they may have even know what their career plan was when they were five years old but some people change their mind after three or four years in university, they may have found subjects they love and disregard other subjects which they used to love but now hate, and therefore their career plan has changed. But if you are one of the many people that are graduating and feeling lost don’t panic as we have sought out the best advice for graduates who are feeling lost:

1. Lack of direction can be a good thing.

Lack of direction can make graduates worry and feel lost but you shouldn’t worry because now is the time to explore your options and discover what you want to do whether that takes just one job or ten jobs, everybody will find their passion eventually. You should find this sense of feeling lost liberating in comparison to people who know exactly what they want to do who will go straight in to job and maybe they are set for life, is that really what you want to do when you graduate? Settle? or do you want to travel and explore different jobs which will of course enhance your CV and make you stand out from the crowd.

2. Stop Overthinking

Instead of overthinking about being lost you should accept it as a process of growth, and in a sense you will become more of an adult through your career journey. You may go through numerous jobs but this is not a bad thing as it will allow you to increase your skills and broaden your network, and statistics state that job-hopping in your 20s creates a foundation for long-term careers later on in life.

3. Don’t compare

Some of your friends who are graduating the same year as you may know exactly what they want to do as their subject may be more job specific, for example a nurse, who have limited career options and therefore can go straight in to a job after university. Where other students who may study English as an example have various options when considering a career and therefore do not have to rush into any concrete career plans. Remember everybody is on their own path and can go at any pace they wish, everyone is at different levels in life. This is definitely some of the best advice for graduates who are feeling lost!

4. Embrace rejection

It may sound slightly crazy to embrace rejection but it is far better to embrace it than dwell on rejection when it comes to getting a job after graduation. Unless you have been searching for jobs for months whilst studying do not expect to walk in to a job as soon as you come out of college, but do expect some sort of rejection. You may have been the smartest in your class at uni but that doesn’t mean you will automatically get the job, as experience is usually top priority when getting a job. Also it is important to remember that rejection does not define you and should not stop you from applying to to other companies who would love to have you.

5. Believe in yourself

If you don’t believe in yourself noone else will, and a potential employer will notice this in an interview. As confidence is key when going for an interview, and as much as everyone hates it you must talk about yourself and why you would be perfect for the role, so work on making a strengths and weaknesses list, making sure your strengths are longer than your weaknesses. This is really important best advice for graduates who are feeling lost!