Hi guys! It’s been a while, I know. I’m going to try and be as transparent and vulnerable as possible through this post because lets face it we all know life is hard. This post specifically is directed toward life post-graduation. So lets get into the numbers (I majored in business)… An article by Elizabeth Redden states “The unemployment rate for young college graduates exceeds that of the general population, and about 41 percent of recent college graduates — and 33.8 percent of all college graduates — are underemployed in that they are working in jobs that don’t require a college degree”

Not everyone who gets a degree will use that degree. Yes, you read that correctly. I graduated during a whole pandemic, therefore, I struggled finding a job after graduation for the longest. So many emotions, so many thoughts, “I have a degree, why is no one hiring me?”… Everyone asking “Do you have a job yet?” or one of my favs (not really) “You have a degree why don’t you have a job” I mean the list could go on and on. The reality is the professional world is so hard to get into pandemic or not especially when it’s about who you know and not what you know.

It seemed every “No” from different companies was a reflection of who I was as a person and made me question if I was good enough…. Until I read a quote that said, “No, is not a rejection, but a redirection from God.” My mindset changed. All those “No”s” have lead me to an amazing job offer in Jacksonville, Fl in my career field with so many amazing benefits. (Alexa, play He’s an on time God) I am in awe of how quickly things can turn around in your favor with the right mindset and dedication. I am grateful!

My advice to anyone going through this is to figure out what you want to do and where you want to be and apply. The advice I was given at UCF was to apply to at least 15-25 jobs a day to get 1 call back. (Its a lot I know, but its a strategy that works especially in bigger cities). Make sure you have a neat, one page resume. Try and tailor your resume to meet the job requirements because the machine will not pull your application if you don’t have anything in common with the job description. Get connected; use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with potential employers and make sure you’re prepared when the time comes!

“The advantage of preparation is that you can manage problems much quicker and more efficiently because you will already have the solutions at hand ready to be applied.”

xoxo,

Jayla