If you’re freaking out about finding a job after graduation, don’t worry. I know, I know, that’s way easier said than done, so here’s something concrete you actually can do RIGHT NOW to stop freaking out and start making progress in your search.
Okay, grab a piece of paper…
- List your goals for what you want to get out of a future job: skillsets you want to develop, people you want to work with, networks you want to build, etc.
- Rank order your goals.
- Now, bucket how you spend your time on a daily basis (or how you plan to spend it next quarter) and map it back to these priorities. Ideally, the most time should be spent on your most important goal.
- Finally, optimize your time utilization:
- Can you minimize the time spent on low priority activities? (Except hygiene – please don’t deprioritize hygiene….literally everyone will thank you.)
- What activities seem to drag and/or you find yourself watching the clock? Minimize these, if possible.
- What activities fly by because you are so engaged? Can you spend more time on these? (Drinking does not count!)
- Do you need to spend more time on your #1 goal?
- Do you need to re-evaluate your goals?
According to Socrates, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Hopefully an examined life will help you with your career search… or at least make you feel better about how to tackle it. You’ve got this!