Things I wish someone told me AFTER University

If you’re reading this, you’ve either completed and graduated your degree (congratulations) or you’re close to doing so. Again congratulations because you stuck to it and persevered far enough to think about it. You’ve also (most likely) been in an education facility since you were 4 - 5 years old so this is pure and blissful FREEDOM!!! 

Like I mentioned previously, few things are a bigger ‘rite of passage’ moments than going to University. For me the only thing that can beat this is COMPLETING a University degree.

Chances are it’s been a series of ebbs and flows, but the sense of accomplishment can’t be understated. I also want to acknowledge that I’m writing this in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, an unprecedented moment of history (taken both positivity and negatively) that we get to be apart of. For thousands of graduates (myself and friends included) the ‘cherry on top’ to completing the degree cake, was attending the official graduation ceremony. Celebrating this accomplishment with your closest friends and cohort, dressing up, throwing that stupid hat in the air, taking photos you’ll frame on your bookshelf and shaking hands with your mentors; was a moment I dreamed about for years. Sadly the pandemic meant these gatherings were cancelled until further notice, which of course was the right decision.

Despite receiving my offical papers online through an email link, I made the most of it by ordering my favourite takeaway, having a glass of champagne with my parents, congratulating my fellow graduates and reminiscing - it was still a lovely celebration. 

I can’t deny the anti-climatic weight I felt. 

All of this (sleepless nights, stress, time, energy, money, sacrifices, compromises- I could go on) … for this…(not EVEN a physical bit of paper, a hug or a handshake from the people that mattered) and I don’t even know when I’ll be able to properly celebrate. 

ANYWAY rant over - just know if you’re in the same boat, your hard work will pay off and you should be SO PROUD! 

For all of us, life after university is not as glorious as it sounded - for many it’s when the real hard work begins…

Now to get onto the points that I wish I knew about life AFTER university. 

I cannot stress how glad and thankful I was to my past self for starting a portfolio after first year. 

By starting it early you have all your projects freshly in your mind and (hopefully) on your computer still. Even if it’s basic, just collate the images / text / photographs or whatever it may be - that you want to include and highlight. You’ll get an idea for a smooth, sophisticated layout in no time and just run with it. Pinterest is also a great place to start looking for publication inspiration. 

As you complete each semester, add the fresh work into the document you’ve made. This will save you SO MUCH TIME and frustration. Not being able to find this image or that file, contacting someone who has a copy of it, or just having no motivation by the end of your degree to do it; is a complete nightmare. You’ll also be able to send it to people (tutors, parents, friends) to review over time and get some great feedback to adjust as you go. 

Before the end of the degree, I also suggest asking your tutor / course coordinator / lecturer - that you’ve had a strong and positive relationship with, to write you a reference. They will detail your skills and character and talk you up BIG TIME. This is an invaluable addition to your resume that you can send out - almost all the job listings I came across wanted a reference. You’ll also stand out and look very professional. While you’re at it - ask them to be a character reference for you. All recruitment agencies will ask you during an interview for a person to contact. They want someone who knows you well and has done, for a long time.  

I have complete faith you’ll love yourself for doing all of the above. 

You’re a fully fledged adult and everything but you’re at the bottom of the pyramid when it comes to the workplace. You’re starting fresh AGAIN with little to no experience. How annoying with all this new freedom, I know. The world is a shit show (now more than ever) and you’re just trying to do one simple thing - get your first job in industry. Accept this and be realistic and humble about it, also remember that there’s thousands of people applying for the same jobs, so try to stand out.

Personally, I found there’s 3 main categories that graduates fall into:

A: You’re a fresh graduate with just your sheer determination, talent and passion to launch yourself into the field with. You’ve worked hard so you deserve some time to relax and take a break. However as I’ve mentioned, you’re competing for jobs with everyone else so commit to applying for jobs like its a part time job in itself. Don’t sit back and wait for it to come to you. Check job listings (Indeed, Seek, GradSpace etc.) and subscribe to weekly or daily customised emails to narrow your search.

B: You’re a fresh graduate that has 0 desire to work in industry for however long - it may be a few months to a year, that’s completely fine. You’ve slogged it out and you want a break, don’t we all! Take that time for yourself and relax. I do think it’s important to note that if you take a year to travel or relax, that’s a year without industry experience, income or adding new skills to your repertoire. Subsequently, you’ll be behind by a year and competing with new shiny graduates the following year - not ideal. You’ll also be a bit out of practise with your skills technologies. Also not desirable for an employer. 

C: You’re a fresh graduate and have some connections within your industry (through contacts, networking, family friends etc.) and you’ve got a job secured, the rarest situation in my experience and also envied by EVERYONE else. Congratulations, you’ve secured something and you’ve worked hard for it. But don’t take it for granted. 

Before I got my first interview I’d been job searching for a year, yes a year. From the end of second year to third year. Not bad right? Well, that job lasted about a week (flakey, unstable small business) and I was back on the job hunting grind. This was a blow to my confidence for sure but at least I knew what to expect and that I was at the very least, hire-able. 

A few tips I’ve learnt:

x Don’t turn your nose up at an opportunity just because it’s not what you hoped to be doing. As long as it’s in industry it’s all valuable experience. Apply for the job even if it’s not 100% up your alley or what you want - sadly (especially in these trying COVID 19 times) you cannot afford to be picky. There’s no harm in trying. At least you’ve made contact with the company and they might keep your details and contact you when something suitable comes up. You’ll more than likely learn some new skills and meet new people. 

x You will spend hours searching and applying - with little or no success.This is beyond frustrating. You feel like you’re wasting time and worked hard for nothing. Don’t worry - good things come to those who wait. The ratio of application to call back (in my experience) was abysmally low… you will apply for over 100 jobs and hear about 10 if you’re lucky. But all you need is 1 person to give you a go. So keep trying.

x University teaches you NOTHING about how to apply for jobs or the workforce. What's more they also provide NO SUPPORT for you to do so. If you’re lucky, there was a lecture or seminar about how to prepare a portfolio or CV. This is pretty basic and easily searchable info. So kinda a waste of time in my opinion. My university (UTS) holds an annual graduate exhibition in which just about everyone's work gets displayed. This is a fantastic opportunity for professionals in industry to come and view the work and speak to the students. Sadly in my case it was just parents, friends, partners and tutors that attended - abysmal effort and a huge missed opportunity. 

x In terms of timing - I would advise sending out your CV / resume BEFORE the end of November. This is because December is the most hectic month of the year for most companies - they’re trying to finish tasks, trying to get prepared for the new year. They also aren’t looking to hire new people and just want to go on holidays and eat their body weight in Christmas food like the rest of us. 

x When it comes to getting / looking for a job, patience and persistence will trump grades and perfection. People couldn’t care less what your WPA is (in the design industry at least, unless you want to be an actuary or something) what matters is your attitude, skills and the value you bring to the company. You need to be a good and reliable ‘fit’ for them, not the other way around. You need a mentor, someone to teach you how the real world works. 

x If you get offered an interview, GO! It’s the best thing you can do to get insight into what business want and also develop your interpersonal skills. I’ll admit that I am a huge introvert, so talking to people I don’t know, let alone talking about myself - isn’t my thing. But you have to learn to sell yourself. You’re ultimately a brand new, shiny and malleable product they can buy. Also taking notes through the interview can really help - you’re often so nervous and stressed you walk out with 0% memory of what happened. Take some notes to reflect one and also review afterwards. You can see how you responded and what questions they’re asking. I also found that you need to reassure the employer that you’re ready to start ASAP and looking to stay there for a year MINIMUM - they’re putting a lot of trust in you and don’t want to invest in you for 3-6 months for you to jump to new job.

x People are hard to deal with. People are annoying and unreliable. End of story.  

x Have support and people to vent too. Because you’re going to be feeling angry, frustrated and even a bit lonely post uni for a long time. Talk to your friends, people you know who are already working in the industry and family members. Their advice could prove useful. Don’t take anything personally and view their comments as constructive criticism, they care and want to see you succeed as much as you do. 

It’s hard to accept, I’m personally someone who hates not knowing what’s coming next and thus felt like I was underachieving and not being productive. Sadly, now more than ever with COVID 19, you just CAN’T put that level of pressure on yourself or even employers to know what the future holds. No one has a crystal ball to see into the future. 

Most peoples desired time frames are unrealistic, I feel however that generation Z (born between 1995 - 2015) are acutely aware of the state of the world. The economy for example makes it near impossible for us to break out of the renting market and buy a house. The cost of living is so high and we don’t compromise on our lifestyles, meaning we depend on 2-4 part time jobs. This is just our reality (shout out to the boomers) and not to mention climate change and the feeling of the impending apocalypse. There's enough to keep us busy and stressed for a year let alone 5. 

That’s not to say you shouldn’t have a list of life goals and aspire to have a house, get married and have babies- that’s fine but you’ll have to work DAMN HARD to achieve all that by 25 or later. It’s great motivation but just make the goals sensible and attainable and give yourself credit when it’s due. 

I can confirm - life after uni isn’t as great as everyone made it out to be. 2020 is one curve ball of a year alone, so in order to keep on track and stay sane; find some things that make you happy and stay healthy. Finding happiness in the simple things and developing new skills / hobbies can be so rewarding. 

Personally I’m a huge introvert and have always enjoyed (more so now) the following things:

x Reading 1-2 books a month 

x Staying fit - yoga and walking my dog etc.

x Being a plant mumma - absolutely obsessed with succulents and cacti  

x Baking and cooking 

x Drawing / sketching 

x Helping around the house with renovations 

x Talking to friends regularly - checking in how they’re going 

x Spending time with my boyfriend 

x Applying for jobs - still but not being so tough on myself 

x Learning new software programs and doing little challenges weekly to keep it fresh 

x Planning things to do post isolation madness - whenever that may be

Anything you enjoy either by yourself, or in the company of others, is something to take comfort in. 

There’s always that token student that seems to have it all and keeps it together. The truth is, life after university can be really rough and confusing. You’ll feel lonely, anxious and unsure of what’s coming. You’ll be missing your friends, the coffee catch-ups and all the routines you had for years. The grades won’t matter but your health and well being will. 

Our interconnected lives make it so easy to stay connected (which is amazing) but also easy to see what we’re all doing. You’ll see people on Facebook or LinkedIn with new jobs left right and centre, doing completely different things, making it hard to measure how successful anyone actually is. As we’ve known for a long time, social media instigates this bad habit of making us think that we’re not as good as everyone else. Because if you’re not at the same stage as them, then you must be slacking. You have to keep this comparison devil in check. People are only sharing the good things, everyone's feed is a highlight reel. So just make sure you’re staying happy and healthy (with the good habits I listed above) and stick to it. It might feel like everyone around you is sorted, however they’re more than likely in a similar position to you.

I hope that this (not so) little piece provided some insight into life post university, the last thing I want to do is beat down anyone's mojo or confidence. However I know how naive and bushy tailed I felt upon finishing, yet the rapid decline of said mojo and confidence came very unexpectedly. Luckily we’re all in the together and we’ll make it out together. Also a big thank you to my fabulous friends, family and boyfriend for keeping my positive and grateful through this time. Literally can’t do it without you. 

Z xx