Confessions of a grad student: Graduation day is NOT Doomsday

By Caitlin Green

As May fast approaches, I realize how drastically different my life was just one year ago. Senior year of college was a blur, jam-packed with memories, and I was stationed in the middle, trying to savor every moment and make the most of what little time was left. The month of May sat juxtaposed to the whirlwind of senior year and posed the question on everyone’s mind: what are you doing after you graduate?

It began the summer before senior year, and the question was everywhere I turned. Distant relatives, friends of the family, even strangers in the grocery store all wanted to know what I was doing after graduation. At first, my friends and I would just shrug our shoulders; many of us didn’t know what we wanted to do. Grad school maybe? Get a job?

My college roommate was one of the fortunate ones. She had known since freshman year that she wanted to teach and couldn’t wait to graduate and have a classroom of her own. Another friend planned on moving to Connecticut with her boyfriend who was attending grad school and resolved to find a job upon arrival.

For the rest of us, we were bombarded with career fairs, resume workshops, and on-campus recruitment opportunities. But many of the opportunities were unappealing, and we all feared committing to something we would end up hating. What did I do? I applied to graduate school.

Luckily, I was accepted and was guaranteed at least another year and a half of freedom. If push came to shove, would I have gotten a real job? Sure, but here was an opportunity to continue learning and get a degree. This was the right move for me, and I don’t regret staying in school. Some classmates can’t wait to leave the tests, long papers, and group projects behind. Others just want to start making money (four years of being a poor college student will do that to you). So…what did I learn from all of this?

Lesson #1: Graduation is NOT doomsday. While it may be the end of the best four years of your life, there’s no rush to find and accept full-time employment just because that’s what you’re supposed to do.

Lesson #2: Explore all your options. If you want to travel, look at getting involved in the Peace Corps or see if you can work abroad for six months. There are many programs that provide employment opportunities abroad for recent grads. Utilize all your resources to find something that’s right for YOU.

Lesson #3: If you don’t know, DON’T panic. It’s OK if you’re sitting at graduation and still don’t know what you want to do with your life. Put yourself out there and get involved in opportunities that interest you; that’s the only way you’re going to find out what you like and what you don’t like.

Lesson #4: Be careful of burn out! You didn’t spend four years of your life partying every night. You studied and worked hard for your degree. Allow time for transition, and give your mind a rest.

Lesson #5: Enjoy what precious time is left. College is one of the best times in your life where you meet lifelong friends. Enjoy the remaining weeks, don’t spend them stressing about a job.

NEXT: The Grad School Gamble

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As a marketing intern at Experience, Caitlin writes, assists with Exclusive Experiences, and picks up everyone’s dry cleaning. She is currently getting her masters at Emerson College and hopes that once she graduates, she’ll like being a grown-up.

Blame it on your parents

Before I went to college I thought that most people found a job they loved and worked there until retirement. That's what my parents are doing. My mom has been at her job for 28 years, and my dad is approaching his 27th anniversary. I quickly discovered that I cannot base my career perceptions on my parents' example.

According to a New York Times article, most of Gen Y has yet to make that discovery.

As college seniors are embarking on their first job search, which attitudes of work will they take with them? The one dealing with passion and satisfaction or the one dealing with grueling and taxing work?

Daniel Pink, author of "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" who specializes in navigating the workplace, explains how parents influence Gen Y's perceptions of a career.

"They've [Gen Y] been told it's all about them - what they want, what they are passionate about, what they find fulfilling. That's not a bad message, but it's also not a complete message."

What do you think? Were you influenced by the messages your parents gave you about their careers/work?

NEW! Your Career Questions, Answered

You told us you needed the answers to these burning questions about your career, so we looked near and far to find you the answers. Click the "answers" label under What We're Talking About (at right) to check back for updates!

Ask us a new question here.

Q: What is the basis or criteria for which an internship should be paid or unpaid? –Lance from Huntington, WV

A: Unfortunately, there is no set standard to determine whether an internship should be paid or unpaid. That determination is at the employer’s discretion. There are several options in terms of compensation when it comes to internships. An internship could be: paid and count for course credit, paid without credit, unpaid for credit, or unpaid with no credit.

Q: MBA in Finance or MS in Finance. What’s the difference? –Rose from El Paso, TX

A: Although this varies depending on which school you attend, there are some differences between the two degrees. An MS in Finance provides a broader and deeper exposure to finance, while limiting or overlooking the general aspects of business you’d get from an MBA program. An MBA offers a more diverse approach to finance, covering general aspects of business. Keep in mind, there is a lot of overlap between the two, and they are both great programs for finance.

Q: Help! I'm trying to find a summer job on Long Island while studying abroad in London, and I feel completely overwhelmed! I want to try and do something that will be worthwhile for my future, but I also need to rebuild my savings account from this trip abroad. If someone could help me out that would be really great. –Kathryn from Mt. Sinai, NY

A: There are a number of ways to find summer employment while abroad. You can search the Experience seasonal opportunities page as well as the Experience internship guide. Both will allow you to search for beneficial opportunities in your area and provide tips for finding a job that’s right for you. Also, utilize your local Long Island network. Maybe a friend’s dad needs help at his company, or someone you know can refer you for an open position. Put the word out there, and keep your eyes open!

photo by Vlad T

Banding together at work

OK, we thought we were hot stuff when we decided to team up to write a blog about three generations in the same workplace. Now we find out -- we got nothin’.

According to HR professionals, who say they’ve never seen anything like it before, companies are now seeing FOUR (count-‘em) generations of employees working together.

They say something interesting -- that HR departments better learn to do two things well: convince Baby Boomers to postpone retirement and adapt to working with the Gen Y’ers with their very different expectations. And that’s not even talking about the older “traditionalists” and the in-between Gen X’ers.

So how will this wash? A lot of BBs that I know are anxious to retire (yup, they’re the ones who bought into the idea of 60-80 hour workweeks for white-collar workers, thought it was a good idea for career advancement).

A lot of GYs I know are anxious to get ahead quickly. Traditionally, that was done by starting with a small (but diversified) job at a small company, moving up after several years to a larger company, and so on. Not so much anymore.

GXs and GYs say they look through the red tape, see the price their parents (and grandparents) paid for playing the corporate game, and are trying to short-circuit the process.

I know I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of an HR person, trying to avoid saying “no way, but please stay” to everybody in sight.

OK, so here’s a radical solution – let the BBs go. In fact, incentivize them. Yes, they’re often the mentors and the managers – so what!

Find ways to fast-track the GX and GY stars – the managers of tomorrow. Give them the career paths that they want, knowing that they’ll be ready to challenge and be challenged.

Do we have any votes for bringing the workplace all the way down to two generations – anyone? Or is a diverse workplace -- where colleagues learn from each other -- actually still worth something?

Photo by MissK1

Update: Facebook's squirmy chapter

On the heels of yesterday's post, the Boston Globe featured an article today focusing on the fine line between social and professional networking. Their approach to the issue focused on the employer perspective. Check out what they had to say!

Facebook: would you like to confirm your boss?

In one of my first posts I suggested cleaning up your Facebook profiles before applying for jobs. In my class last week, we had an intense discussion about this very topic-- except this time, with different results.

My classmates--a relatively diverse group of 20 somethings-- were infuriated with this practice. They--yes, every single one of them-- felt no need to clean up their Facebook profiles. In fact, they thought employers had no right to look at their Facebook profiles, not to mention make judgments based on it.

Some highlights of the discussion:

-One classmate recounted an experience she had with a potential employer. The day after her phone interview for a position, the HR director of that company requested her as a friend on Facebook. She immediately cleaned up her profile-- removing her wall and her photos of a recent trip to Las Vegas. She then accepted the request, giving the HR director limited access to her profile.

-Another outraged student said that aside from the possibly inappropriate content (photos, wall posts), he wouldn't want an employer to know basic, personal information: his age, relationship status, sexual orientation, etc. Further, he thought it was wrong for an employer to make a decision based on that outside information. He saw this as a form of discrimination.

-Other students felt their personal lives had no impact on their ability to work and do a good job. One student went as far to say that "just because I drink on the weekend doesn't mean I am not a hard worker."

-One student shared a story of a previous job, where the company had a Facebook group and encouraged all the employees to join without changing their profiles. She said the CEO sent an email urging the employees to join, telling them that he realized everyone had personal lives and assuring them that no judgments would be made based on their profiles.

-The majority of the class felt that their resumes should carry more weight and be a better gauge of their future work potential.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you side with my classmates, or do you have other opinions? Do employers have a right to check your Facebook profiles?

Photo by Joey DeVilla

Rejected, unselected, dejected

Maybe you’re an applicant (jobs, grad school – you pick!).

For many, it’s the middle of prime job-hunting season. You’ve made it through the winter, you’re ready for change, so it’s time to start looking, and applying, for jobs.

Many grad schools want to see a deposit by May 1, which means that by now you know – one way or the other. No check required to be written for “the other”.

What do these have in common (along a basketball player driving to the hoop, but that’s another metaphor)? Rejection. Fear of being rejected, fear of failure.

So give me the benefit of the doubt here – let’s say it’s neither the first nor the last time in your life you’ll know rejection. How do you handle it?

You can do the statistical thing -- decide that
1. you're unlikely to hear anything at all from 60 percent of the places you apply to,
2. you’ll get an auto-generated form letter from 30 percent, and
3. you’ll actually hear something positive from the other 10 percent.

If you increase the number of applications, hoping that the 10 percent “positive” responses then translate to significant real numbers, then that’s a legitimate strategy. If you focus on a smaller pool of more desirable places, that’s another approach that works well for some, not for others.

My recommendation? Forget the numbers, concentrate on attitude. Try to adopt a “professional” rather than a personal outlook to what you're doing. It’s not your whole life, flashing before your eyes. Think of it as a sales opportunity – sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don’t. Even the former Attorney General of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, can’t find a job these days.

And you can never tell how things turn out. A couple of weeks ago, I just heard something back from a company I applied to – last May. With that kind of a response time, I’m kind of glad I never heard anything – they have problems that I don’t want to be associated with.

Anybody else have tips on dealing with rejection?

Photo by Sim Sandwich

We need green bloggers: do you fit the bill?

We are looking for green bloggers to write about vital environmental issues!

Specifically, we're looking for college students and alumni to write about their own experiences with living green lifestyles and launching green careers. You'll write for an audience of other students and young professionals who are exploring opportunities and getting ready to launch careers of their own.

We want students and alumni who aspire to work toward environmentalism in some capacity, or at least have a desire to make a difference, to share their perspective and their passion for the benefit of other students and alumni around the country.

Your responsibilities will include posting at least once a week on topics and events relevant to readers interested in or aspiring to work on environmental issues. In addition, we'll ask you to take photos to illustrate your blog posts. To do that, you'll receive a new digital camera to record your discoveries and travels, a stipend per 12-week session, as well as valuable hands-on experience to add to your resume.

To apply, please submit a brief cover letter, a resume, and a sample blog post (250 words or less) on a green topic to contribute@experience.com

On Leaving Gracefully

Leaving a job—whether because you’ve resigned or been fired—is a tricky business. When you think about it, you’ve spent most of your waking hours with your colleagues (certainly more with them than with your family), and your office space probably feels as familiar as your own living room (if not as cozy).

As I prepare to transition to a new role at a new company, I’ve been thinking a lot about leaving and trying hard to do it well. Here are my top five tips for making a graceful exit.

Resist the urge to air your grievances. Unless you can do so in a productive way, venting will only make you look bad. In other words, don’t mouth off to your office nemesis about what a jerk he’s been, but if you’re asked for feedback about why you’re leaving from a higher up, be candid and polite. An exit interview with an HR professional is the best time to discuss in a non-accusatory way what went wrong for you and make any suggestions that might help other employees and the company as a whole.

Maintain your contacts. For many people (myself included), leaving a job is not just about leaving behind the daily responsibilities, but also about leaving a group of people who’ve become dear friends. You should consider them part of your personal and professional network, and be ready to give as well as take references, job leads, advice, etc. If you haven’t done so yet, set up an account on LinkedIn to stay in touch.

Tie up your loose ends. The minute you turn in your resignation is not the minute you stop working. That won’t come until 4:59pm on your last day. In the meantime, make sure your projects are ready to be assumed by someone else, your files are located where people can find them, you’ve alerted all your contacts to your departure, and you’ve taken care of the technical aspects like closing out your email account. These final tasks are part of your professional obligation, and handling them well will make you feel good about how you’re leaving.

Finally, Let go. Accept that you’re not going to be around to do the job anymore, and that someone else, who will do things differently, is going to step in. This has been one of the hardest parts for me, as I invest a lot of myself in the work that I do, and I have trouble relinquishing control of projects I care about. I’ve had to step back and realize that I can’t possibly organize everything before I go, and that I shouldn’t let my type-A tendencies get the better of me. It’s smart to remember that everyone is replaceable, and the company you’ve worked for will continue on just fine without you (and me).

And last but not least, say thank you. Whatever your experience has been, you've no doubt learned something from it--and that's something to be grateful for.

Photo courtesy of idg.

Turnover Made Easy

It's no secret... Andrea is leaving Experience.  We hate to see her go, but we are extremely happy about her career move. It's really bittersweet. The transitioning period can be overwhelming-- and not just for the person leaving. 

Here are some steps to make that transition easier if you are the one staying:

• Be sure to get contact information from the person leaving. You could use this person for future reference letters, networking, etc.

• Volunteer to take on part of that person's responsibilities until a replacement is found. If you worked closely with this person, you probably know a thing or two about their day-to-day tasks.  

• Use your own network to look for a replacement. Think of people you know who might be a good fit for the position. 

• Help ensure that this coworker enjoys his/her last few days with the company. Organize a party to celebrate all the work he/she has done. Make sure this person leaves on a good note!

• Make the replacement feel welcome. It's certainly not easy coming into a new position when everyone is still hung up on your predecessor. Show this person the ropes and help out wherever necessary. 
  

Opening Day: A Reason to Skip Work?

Our Experience street team headed to Fenway Park for Opening Day to find out how Red Sox fans got the day off to celebrate their favorite team.

Yeah, Hi. It's Bill Lumbergh again!

There’s death and taxes (don’t forget to file by April 15!), but nothing is as certain as change. Not just the kind politicians talk about, but also the kind every office and every workplace experiences.

Sometimes, new people are hired. Other times, people leave. And still other times, there are reorganizations and people just move.

If you’re relatively new in the working world, you may not have had change happen yet. You will. If you’ve been out there for a few years, you’ve seen it, and you’ll see more of it.



In our office, we have two changes – moves, actually -- happening simultaneously, and we’re all doing our best to cope. First, our office space is changing, and we’re moving – just across the hall, but moving is moving. Second, one of our colleagues that you'll know -- a co-author of this blog -- is moving on to a new job.

The office move will take some time to adjust to – with different combinations of people in different places, trying to figure out what works. The colleague move is a permanent change, as we all try to figure out how things will work without Andrea, and how to find a new Andrea to replace her.

The reality is that there won’t be a new Andrea – there’ll be a new someone else. Parts of “old” Andrea will continue on as the rest of us must find ways to keep going without her.

The larger change will be figuring out how the new workplace and the new person will mesh -- and change. More and more, we see the effects of change. First, there was the mobile office. Telecommuting is replacing flextime, which is replacing 9 to 5 as the standard. Everything keeps changing.

Is this happening in your office? How are you and your colleagues coping? Leave a comment and let us know.

40 years later – is diversity alive at your job?

Forty years ago (April 4, 1968) the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put the country on notice. What became clear, in the grief and confusion at the time, was that many more changes were needed to develop a more diverse society and a more diversified workplace.

Diversity became a hot button for a very long time. College students in 1968 were profoundly affected by Dr. King’s death, and took that motivation into the workplace with them. Federal, and then state, laws governing diversity at work, diversity in schools and other organizations – all contributed to the progress.

Among the most difficult concepts – recognizing that diversity had to spread beyond affirmative action mandates. It needed to encompass the various perspectives, the similarities that people can contribute to the organizational identity. That’s where some organizations try harder than others, some are more successful than others.

So here's the question -- a question for each of you. What can be done to continue, to actually broaden the impact of diversity in the workplace when most workplaces discourage or disallow discussions of diverse beliefs? How do you start?

photo by Pan-African News Wire

April Fools' Day: Fun or Inappropriate?

April 1! It's the start of a new month and one of the warmest days New England has had in what seems like, and could possibly be, six months. I woke up early this morning to play tennis with my roommates, and as I was about to brush my teeth I came across a sign that read: "April Fools... guess where your toothbrushes are chillin' out!"

It took me no longer than five seconds to march into the kitchen and open the freezer to find all of our toothbrushes wrapped in aluminum foil with another sign: "Happy April Fools' Day!"

I guess you would have to know that the roommate who put the toothbrushes in the freezer puts almost everything in the freezer (bread, fruit, chocolate, you name it), and we pick on her for it almost every day. So this was her way to get back at us for giving her so much grief. We all had a good laugh about it and got on with our day.

To me, that joke was harmless and funny. To others, it could have been inappropriate and annoying. Where do you draw the line between April Fools' Day "fun" and April Fools' Day inappropriateness? And in the workplace, is it ever appropriate?


A recent survey from the Creative Group, a specialized staffing services firm, found that 71% of marketing executives consider April Fools' Day jokes unsuitable for the office.

However, an article in the New York Times reports that practical jokes can be a good thing. In fact, the article says practical jokes are good for helping to bring a person into a particular group. Being a victim to a prank can also stir self-reflection in a way few other experiences can.

Abbie Hoffman, 1960s activist and prankster, divided practical jokes into three categories:

• The bad ones: the vindictive skewering, fraternity-hazing kind


• The neutral ones: the in-between ones more akin to physical punch lines


• The good ones: humorous satires of human fears or failings

What do you think? Are April Fools' Day jokes ever fun and appropriate? Where do you draw the line? And are there separate rules for in and out of work?

Photo by InPhonic Customer Service (of a coworkers Jaguar covered in post-it notes)

Ways to Gain Experience: Win, Lose, Volunteer

We've received a number of questions lately asking us how to "get experience" when you don't have any. If I've never worked before, you ask, what the heck am I supposed to put on a resume? So we decided to brainstorm some unique ways to beef up a beginner resume that are guaranteed to make you stand out from the crowd.

Way to Gain Experience #1: Enter a contest.

Winning something--whether it's an essay competition, a road race, or a spelling bee--is a great way to gain a bullet point on your resume, and a good story to tell in interviews. So put yourself out there--even losing can be used to your advantage as a "time when I confronted an obstacle/challenge that was greater than myself."

Here's a unique contest to get you started: National Cleaners Association Video Contest. If you're an aspiring marketer or filmmaker, this could be just the opportunity to get your ideas recognized, and win $2500!

Way to Gain Experience #2: Volunteer your time & expertise.

Volunteering is good for the people you help, yes--but it's also good for you and your resume. Volunteer your professional services by creating a website for a small business, helping out an organization with some free PR work, or lending a hand at a local elementary school (if you're interested in education) or nursing home (if you're interested in healthcare).

Another idea is to take your service abroad, combining volunteer experience with a horizon-broadening adventure. Check out some opportunities to Globe Trot with a Goal.

Way to Gain Experience #3: Apply for an Exclusive Experience.

Exclusive Experiences are unique, resume-building opportunities that provide college students and grads with an up-close look at specific careers and industries. This summer, we're looking for two creative, outgoing, and dedicated (to work...and to having a good time!) students to be our "roving reporters"...explore the different departments here at Experience, learn from other interns how their summer work is, get the facts on what it's really like in the working world—and show your peers how much fun an internship can be. Apply to join us in Boston! (deadline April 4)