Haphazard Advice for Soon-to-Be Recent Graduates.

Now generally, I write instructional posts about topics that I feel that I've mastered resume tips), that I feel that I'm warranted to talk about (cover letter writing). But this one is a little bit different. It's a bit raw. Let's imagine it's like I'm teaching you how to cook something that I've never-ever cooked before -- live! Tune in now and you'll learn along with me. My mom will always chastise me for taking a chance and trying out new recipes when cooking for parties. Not to sound full of myself, but really, every time I do this, it turns out amazing. So let's get cooking.

Tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of graduating into grown-up life and honestly, I'm still figuring it out. I'm right there with ya, kid.

"I'm a new soul, I came to this new world hoping to learn a bit 'bout how to give and take. But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear, finding myself making every possible mistake. See I'm a young soul in this very strange world, hoping I could learn a bit 'bout what is true and fake. But why all this hate? Try to communicate. Finding trust and love is not always easy to make."

From the nomadic lyrics to the lighthearted sound, this song pretty much sums it up, so let's break it down. (Press 'play' now for full effect).

Hoping to Learn a Bit 'Bout How to Give and Take
[Give] If you're anything like me, you spent your college career not only trying to do relatively well in your classes, but also to gain lots and lots of experience in pursuit of exciting job opportunities post-graduation. I have a very pretty resume, if I do say so myself. Not only is it a formatting masterpiece, it lists my accomplishments both locally and even around the world. I used to have a very impressive gmail signature and was pretty darn smug about it, joking that "I pretty much ran the community service scene at my university." All my fellow students and staff mentors would give me many a pat on the back and word of affirmation. I rocked college and I'm proud of it.

But when you leave that stadium of fans and change out of your cap & gown, you're really just another person, another employee, another contact. You suck. Just kidding.

But really, outside of your bubble, simply telling stories about your accomplishments will never portray their actually worth. Know that your past experience gets you the job, but your work performance is what determines the level of respect you earn. Focus on doing your best and creating new accomplishments -- dwelling on your past ones will get you nowhere. 

[Take] Now out of habit, I joined quite a few organizations outside of my day job. I'm really happy that I did -- I've met a lot great, like-minded people and have cultivated my skills in a more professional setting. It took some time, but I had to (re)learn that I have my limits and reassess my commitments. Taking a step back, I realized something quite simple -- some commitments will help me, and some will not. Always take a moment to assess yourself, ensuring that you choose activities that are in line with your priorities, both current and future. 

Finding Myself Making Every Possible Mistake
[Mistake 1] Sleeping through a college lecture is okay. You can always borrow notes from your friends, and your professor may even offer recordings. In the workplace, there is no catching up for missed time and you won't get paid for it. You can't even slip into the room late and go unnoticed. If you're not a morning person yet, learn to be. I'm happy to say that on any given morning before 10AM, I am now much more alert than my friends that are still in college. But really, it's something I'm working on that I wish I had started earlier.