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Seniors! Or should I say alumni? Now that you’ve received your diploma it’s time to step into the “real world.” Controversial topic I know, I know. But it’s time to carve out your path. Whether that means pursuing full-time work, applying to grad school or even perusing the Oregon Coast for a few months, let’s come up with a plan for success. And if you’re anything like me, having a plan eases the anxiety you may or may not be feeling right now. So, let’s get into options and resources that will help you begin your post-graduate career!
Virtual Events + Networking
We live in the digital age, which means you have the uninhibited gift of access. Recruiters, successful alumni and people you admire are one cold email or LinkedIn message away. The worst they could do is not respond to your message at all or say they’re not in a hiring cycle right now. Either way, you know that you tried and put yourself out there.
Attending virtual events is one of the most underrated means of securing full-time work. Through these virtual forums you have the ability to not only pick up truth gems but also network with people leading these events. People that often are in a position to help you! Don’t underestimate the value of a short introduction; it could open the door for opportunities down the line.
Mizzou Alumni Association
- The Mizzou Alumni Association is a great virtual resource for accessing free career development tools and attending virtual learning events. These events often cover topics like moving to a big city post-grad, personal branding and more!
Mizzou Career Tools
- The MU Career Center offers an array of free resources and webpages for alumni to browse as they embark on the job search process. Namely, alumni might find the events tab especially helpful. The event calendar features in-person and virtual events like job fairs, career development opportunities and informational sessions with employers across industries.
Handshake Collections
First, if you have not done so, add a personal email to your Handshake account. Your MU email will not work post-graduation.
Handshake has a cool feature called “collections” that allows you to further filter job postings. The University of Missouri collection has subsections like:
- Jobs great for (insert your major) – engineering, journalism, business, etc.
- Hires from Mizzou
- Kansas City Employers
- Dallas Employers
- Jobs popular with alumni
- Best companies list
Sifting through job postings can often get overwhelming very quickly. So, using these collections to further define what you are looking for will save you a lot of time and potential headaches.
Here are some other categorical filters you can apply in Handshake:
- Full-time v part-time work
- Internships, fellowships, volunteer opportunities, graduate school
- Location
- Remote, onsite, hybrid
- Major specific roles
- Degree level [bachelors, masters, doctoral]
- Industries
- Specific employers
Alternatives to full-time work
Fellowships
- “Fellowship” is a term that’s often thrown around loosely, and you’re just somehow expected to know what that entails. So, let’s go ahead and define that term. Fellowships are global and national, competitive grants and scholarships. These opportunities are often meant to propel your learning and create viable work experiences. Fellowships can fund academic studies, research or teaching in the U.S. and abroad. If you’re interested in funding opportunities, take a look at the Mizzou Office of Global and National Fellowship.
Full-time internships + residencies
- Full-time internships and residencies are a great way to get your foot in the door before coming into a full-time position. This gives you a way to learn more about what full-time work entails, provides acclamation to full-time hours and allows you the opportunity to build your portfolio and work experience. Full-time internships and residencies can often run longer than your traditional summer internship. Ranging from 3 months to even a year. The key here is to do incredible work, be willing to learn and ask questions! These opportunities can often segue into full-time offers, so put your best foot forward.
Join professional associations
- Becoming a member of a professional organization or association is a great way to build your professional network and gain career development skills. These organizations are often major/industry specific. Along with building your network attending events and conferences are a great way to meet new people if you’re in a new city or want more “work friends.” If you are looking for groups to join, try browsing LinkedIn and talking to colleagues in your field to see what groups they’re a part of.
Take a gap year
A break and taking some much-needed time off to rejuvenate may be exactly what you need. Jumping into the workforce may not be alluring right now, and that’s okay. So, we’ve compiled a list of things you can do during your prospective gap year:
- Serve in your community or look into going on a service trip abroad. Team up with organizations that mean something to you and contribute your time however you can.
- Do some soul searching and figure out who you are (however that may look)! Separating your identity from academia can be disorienting at first, so it’s okay if you need more time to process those feelings.
- Learn a trade or get into a passion project. If you’ve always wanted to learn more about the culinary arts or the chemical components of what’s in skincare, now would be the perfect time to scratch that itch.
- Work a part-time job and save money while figuring out your next move. Having some money stowed away even to just cover a few months of rent can be incredibly helpful.
- Pursue an entrepreneurial venture? Start that business! You don’t technically have anything tying you down so, if it’s been on your heart to make something of your own take a stab at it while you can.
- Shadow someone in your field. This will help in solidifying your career choice or be a signal to rethink your path.
- Travel, travel, and travel! If you are able, get out in the world and explore. Whether domestically or internationally getting out of your hometown and seeing a bit of the world can often provide perspective and alleviate any stress you’ve been feeling.
Grad school + research
I know, I know more school! Pursuing a graduate degree may give you more time to decide things like where you want to live and the kinds of companies you’re open to working for. You may also decide you want to engage in research opportunities, which is often a great way to fund your studies.
Consider things like:
- Where you want to attend grad school and when application deadlines are.
- Will your graduate degree deviate from your bachelor’s degree?
- Is there available funding for your degree? What will this look like financially?
- Will you work a full-time or part-time position while in grad school?
By Raigan Clay