College Graduation Advice

Well, I'm graduating in three weeks!  I'm so excited. oh wait no I'm not! I don't have a job and have officially been rejected from every PT school I applied to (even with my 3.6 GPA from a rather prestigious undergrad program)!!!!!  I'm going to miss everyone from school so much I just don't know what to do with myself  : (

after this summer I will be jobless, schooless, and if it wasn't for my loving parents I would be homeless.  I feel like my life is at a standstill but I hear a lot of ppl feel this way after college--has anyone else gone through this and want to give advice to a college graduate (barring disaster) with a physiology major that won't help much in the real world?! 

Any advice about getting through the next three weeks (until graduation) and coming to terms with having no idea what to do next in my life would be much appreciated!!! : )

Congratulations!  Just remember, 99% of college grads feel that way so you aren't alone.

I used to read this site for support sometimes:  http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/

I've been in your shoes before.  Things will get better, but you will not help things out by being stressed out and miserable.  Your situation is quite normal, because there is a lot of competition for entry level professional jobs these days.

Please enjoy these last weeks with your friends and celebrate the fact that you have accomplished something (getting a degree) that not everyone does.  Your relationships with your friends will change after this, especially if you have been living on campus and enjoying university life.

Regarding the job, start networking with your family and friends (if you haven't already).  Tell everyone you know that grad school is on hold for now and you need a job ASAP.

When I was in the position of approaching graduation with no job prospects, I quickly started applying for internships and luckily got one in my field that let me work through the summer and into the fall while I continued looking for a full-time, permanent position.  If you can't find an internship, there is no shame in taking some other of type of job.  The idea is to keep continuity on your resume either by working or going to school or both. Take the first reasonable job you can find and then continue to pursue a job you feel more passionate about.  Good Luck!

Off-topic, but I just checked out that website and the article about smurfs is hilarious.

When I first graduated from college, I had no job prospects either, even after months of looking (same thing with my hubby, then fiance). Were it not for his parents, we wouldn't have had a place to live either. 

He finally landed a job in an area completely unrelated to his degree, but after sticking with it, it turned into a nice career.  I started to settle for a job in retail at JC Penney (just to tide me over), and literally 2 weeks later I got hired for a job in my field.

And don't sell a psychology degree short.  I don't know if you had a speciality area, but you might try for an internship for a counseling office (if you haven't tried that already).

Don't give up!  You'll find your path eventually - reading some industry specific journals (if there are any for your specific field), might be a good idea on how to diversify and see where else you can apply your background.

Good luck!

she's got a degree in physio not psych. And a bachelor's in psych doesn't get you very far. I've got one. lol You don't get specialties in undergrad.

santo, that was physiology, not psych.  and physiology sounds like something that could lead into a one-year education degree (though i'm canadian - maybe not in the US).

when i graduated with my BA, i didn't have a clue what i wanted to do.  i took a couple of jobs out of necessity which ended up leading me in an unexpected direction, and i found my passion accidentally!

ilovewater, don't worry.  even if you had a plan, it wouldn't necessarily be the right path for you, so don't feel like you're behind.  explore for awhile!

Original Post by alibuch:

she's got a degree in physio not psych.  

Doh! (slaps head for reading OP too fast....)

Still, area specific journals or publications might still yield some ideas on application to a specific job.

There's also The American Physiological Society - ilovewater, are you a member?  They have several publications, and their website indicates they have a career mentoring program.  http://www.the-aps.org/careers/

Wow guys thanks for the responses!  I'll look into the American Physiological Society website--thanks santonacci!

It is so nice to hear that other people have/are struggling with the same thing and got through it!  I am such an OCD plan oriented freak that I'm having a really hard time adjusting--I've always had a plan... for everything!!

Thanks for the encouragement.  I'm starting to feel like my BS is a bunch of BS haha.  I focused in Exercise Science and chemistry, both of which I LOVE but now I'm lost!  

I feel kind of like Dori on Finding Nemo--just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.... 

For now try getting a job at a fitness center or something of that sort, it may not be your dream, but it sure beats doing nothing.

When I graduated I went straight into grad school, and now I'm going straight into a research job.  And when this contract is up, I'll probably go straight into a job (fortunately for me, jobs in my industry are currently plentiful..I'm an engineer).

Anyway I just thought I'd tell you to enjoy this time of freedom.  I kind of wish I had taken a little time off just to...relax.  You don't have kids (as far as I know) so you can kind of do whatever the hell you want, take risks, etc. 

Also, watch Reality Bites, it might make you feel a little better, like you can commiserate.  If not, it's still a good movie.

Good luck!

Graduating and just bothering to work hard to get good grades and a decent education was the single biggest mistake iv made in my life.

One year on and im just in massive debt in an utterly boring often demeaning job and wishing id never bothered and got something a bit more hands on. Sorry I know this isnt encouraging.

 

I had a major freak out during my last week of undergrad, once all my work was done. I was in the same situation as you - nothing lined up, just heading home to live with my parents. Keep in mind that people normally work until at least 65. So, even if it takes you years to figure out exactly what you want to do, go through school, find a great job, you still have plenty of time to build a career. If you don't settle until you are 40, that is still 25 years in a single career. That seems like plenty of time to me.

P.S. I am a few years out and I have a great job (but not the job I intend to work for the rest of my life) and I am much more relaxed about my time line. Just remember that you don't have to make all your decisions this instant!

I'm about to graduate grad school and all I have is a PT job lined up. I refuse to move back home and take cash from my parents. I'll work my ass off doing PT jobs until I get the FT job I want.

thanks guys!  Jillmenow and Rachelcc great points--- they actually help put things in perspective!!! Kexflake i'm sorry your experience hasn't been good :(

dm84 are you working at fitness center?

 

Original Post by ilovewater:

dm84 are you working at fitness center?

Not yet. But I applied for a job at one.

Sorry for posting that "I love water" must have been having another low day im glad you got some better responses. It can be a real freak out time but I hope you get to were you want to be.

It took my BF until he was 27 to figure exactly what he wanted to do and still hasnt figured it completely but went to study something he was passionate about and now had the option of studio work or teaching what I mean is its never too late.

This time last year for the first time in my life i didn't know exactly what i would be doing in a years time both scary and exciting after spending a lifetime studying but just have soe fun take a year out if it helps.

I can't believe 3.6 is too low!  I'm screwed..................................


*3.1 GPA Psychology major*

Leopardrayne you will be fine!  It just depends on where you apply and when....clearly I didn't get lucky on either of those!

Kezflake no worries, I needed to hear the truth : ) Taking a year off is looking better and better

leopardrayne-- If you're planning on applying to grad school for psych, I think you're fine. Bigger programs like Education Psych take more people. I was planning on applying straight to a PhD program in psych straight after graduating from undergrad. My professors I was close to were on the board to admit grad students. They said good letters of recommendation from professors and having done research were more important.