College and career paths aren’t always straightforward, but good guidance makes all the difference. In this Q&A session, Professor Susan Conklin, a professor of management, organizational development, and cultural studies, offers guidance on life after graduation.
From managing career choices to dealing with burnout and imposter syndrome, Professor Conklin offers thoughtful, practical advice drawn from years of experience in and beyond the classroom.
How can I leverage my new degree to change careers or move up?
First, recognize and acknowledge the valuable skills that you’ve accumulated getting to this point. Focus on the combination of your work experience and new credentials. Create a tailored résumé highlighting transferable skills, accomplishments, and how your education adds value. Consider your technical skills as well as your durable, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Network and use platforms like LinkedIn to tell your story – why you pursued your degree and what your goals are.
What are some strategies for staying motivated and productive after graduation, especially when the next steps aren’t clear?
Big life changes can leave us feeling unbalanced or disoriented. Keep your ultimate goals in mind. Set small milestones each day to consistently keep yourself moving forward. Completing your degree took motivation, courage, and hard work, so you know you can do it. Use those same skills to create momentum and remember to celebrate wins along the way!
How can I continue to learn and grow after graduation, even if I don’t go to grad school?
Many students are life-long learners and continue their education simply because they love to learn. Grad school is one option, but there are many other opportunities to continue to learn and grow. Microcredentials and certificate programs are great options to continue your development; they focus on specific skills that earn credentials and are often stackable, serving as an intermediate path to a degree. You can choose options based on personal or professional interests, and they take less time to complete than a degree program. Employers are increasingly seeing value in these types of credentials.
How do I deal with imposter syndrome?
We are often our own worst critics. Acknowledge your achievements and what you’ve already accomplished. Balancing school, work, family and community obligations is no small feat. Seek out support from peers, mentors, support groups, professional organizations, or formal mentorship programs to remind yourself you’re not alone. Ask for feedback from trusted individuals to see yourself more objectively and be open to constructive criticism – see it as a gift and an opportunity to improve and grow.
What should I focus on in my first year after graduation to set myself up for long-term career success?
Focus on setting goals and identifying the small steps you need to take to create the life you’ve imagined. Establish new productive habits that you may not have had time for as a student. Stay open and take advantage of opportunities, even unexpected ones, that may lead you in a new direction. Keep the momentum going!
Is it okay not to know exactly what you want to do after graduation?
Certainly! Many of us have taken the proverbial “long and winding road” to find our true calling or our ultimate career. You can learn and take something of value from every experience you have (good and bad). Learn all you can from those experiences and let them guide you to the next step on your path forward.
How important is networking after college?
Building and maintaining relationships is important, both personally and professionally. You likely spent extensive time and built friendships with some of your classmates, and you’ve shared many of the same challenges and experiences. Take opportunities to stay connected with the friends (and even faculty) you’ve met during your academic experience. You may serve as a resource and provide opportunities for each other, and you may ultimately become colleagues and coworkers.
What’s one piece of advice you wish every student could take with them after graduating?
Student life can be complex. Many of you are non-traditional students who returned to the classroom while raising children, working full-time jobs, caring for aging parents, or navigating chapters of life that others never see. You have already demonstrated more resilience and self-discipline than many give you credit for. That’s not just impressive, it’s transformational.
Trust that the same strength that brought you through college will serve you in everything you do next. Whether you’re stepping into a new career, seeking a promotion, launching a business, or simply embracing the satisfaction of having finished what you started, know that your capacity to learn, adapt, and grow is now a permanent part of you. The world may not always recognize the invisible mountains you’ve climbed, but don’t let that make you small; let it make you fierce. Let it remind you that you can always begin again, even when the path looks uncertain.
Congratulations on your accomplishments. You didn’t just earn a degree; you redefined what it means to show up for your future. Best wishes for your continued success!