Advice to New Graduates
Things I Wish I Knew: Practical Advice for New Graduates
By Doug Chatterton
First of all, congratulations! You’ve accomplished something really significant. Whether you’re eagerly or nervously looking forward to what comes next, don’t forget to appreciate and celebrate all that you have achieved so far. Relish it. The next part of your journey starts here.
As someone a decade into their professional career, let me share some thoughts and advice I wish someone had told me when I graduated. These center mostly around avoiding pitfalls because things don’t always work out exactly how we plan. I hope these lessons can be useful whether you’re entering the workforce, starting your dream job, transitioning to grad school, or beginning another venture.
Success is not universally measured
You often hear sayings like “life is a journey and everyone is on a different path,” and while it may sound sappy, that sentiment has truth to it. Success is deeply subjective and personal, not based on a societal standard. If you’re starting an entry-level role and your best friend landed their “dream job,” that doesn’t mean that they’ve won and you’ve lost. Life just doesn’t work that way. It can be hard to not compare yourself to other people as a means of measuring your success, but this is neither productive nor healthy. Try to remember that there’s much more to life than one job or even your entire career. I’ve found I’m much more satisfied and happy when I stay focused on my own goals and aspirations.
Life is not a fairy tale
On the topic of dream jobs, I want to address the idea that your first job out of college needs to be perfect. You should be prepared for the reality that it often doesn’t turn out that way. If you’re lucky enough to know exactly what job or career is the best fit for you already, that’s wonderful. Most of us spend the first several years of our careers sampling and figuring out what our likes and dislikes are. This is a normal process and you shouldn’t get frustrated if it takes you a while to find a good fit.
Make lemonade
Any activity you’re engaged in—job, grad school, entrepreneurship—whether it goes well or not, can be instructive and beneficial. In fact, negative experiences are much better teachers than positive ones. Right out of college I worked in retail, and it was not my dream situation. I found the job could be soul-sucking at times, and I had many bad managers, but I’m still not sorry I did it. I spent some time lamenting my circumstances, but eventually, I realized I could still benefit from my experience there. I took all those bad management examples and crafted my own style focused on not making the same mistakes. The job became a crucible where I forged my professional identity. Any experience can be instructive; it’s up to you to make the most of it.
Avoid feeling stuck
Say you aren’t living your dream right out of college. This is the case for a lot of us, and while it’s normal, it can be easy to get stuck in a role that’s a poor fit.
I’ve learned three things you can do to keep growing and advancing your goals.
First—push your comfort zone. A little eustress (literally “good stress”) can do wonders. Try to take on new, challenging, or uncomfortable tasks to stretch yourself and avoid getting complacent. If you don’t push your comfort zone and focus on personal and professional growth, you may become stuck, convinced that your experience leaves you unqualified for an “adult job.” In fact, the same reasons you may think employers won’t see your job as legitimate experience make it the perfect opportunity to mess up. The stakes are relatively low and, as long as you learn from your experience, you’re making the best of your time there.
Second—keep it positive. Negative self-talk can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, sapping the motivation and confidence you need to advance. Even if you have a negative perception of your experience, remember that it’s up to another person to decide if you’re qualified for what you’re pursuing. A colleague once told me, “don’t cut yourself off at the knees,” to which I glibly replied, “right, wait for them to do it for me!” Sarcasm aside, I’ve found this to be an important lesson in seeking new opportunities. Ultimately it is the hiring manager who will judge if you are qualified for a position, so shoot your shot and go for it. That little voice in the back of your mind will tell you that working as a barista doesn’t qualify you for a marketing position. Don’t listen to it and apply anyway.
Third—remember that life’s a marathon, not a sprint. At times in my career I’ve been frustrated at not achieving what I’d hoped and I’ve been impatient. Maintaining a long-term perspective can be helpful. Keep your focus on gaining skills and experience, articulating your qualifications, and advocating for yourself. If you’re lucky, you may have a mentor or boss who can help you with this, too. To find the fit that’s right for you, connect with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to learn about whatever aspects of their work interest you.
By exploring what’s out there and building your network, you’ll slowly but surely piece together the puzzle.
Doug Chatterton is the Department Executive Assistant at the Hiatt Career Center and a recent graduate of Brandeis' Master's program in Project and Program Management.