Graduation is, for many, an anxiety-inducing experience. But like most anxiety-inducing Life Moments, it’s way less scary if you break the whole thing down into manageable pieces. So we created a timeline to help you do that.
No matter where you are in the process, you have time. Seriously. You just need to make the most of it. So without further ado, here is our timeline to graduation.
Now that you’re through midterms, make the rest of February about planning. Start by asking yourself some questions.
1: How’s that book looking?
- You want a range of ideas, brands, and executions. What are you missing? Ask your professors, friends, or an alum!
- Make a short list of the type of work you’d like to add to your book, and start planning to tackle those pieces.
- Check out books from recent grads you admire, poke around on the Miami Ad School’s student work section, or take a look at moderncopywriter.com. Bookmark links you like and use them as a blueprint — layout, how they frame the problem and solution, and how their ideas and personalities are communicated. Even portfolios of other disciplines can be useful inspiration, so don’t limit yourself!
2: Research. Do a little soul (and internet) searching and set your North Star.
Is it a certain type of work that draws you, or is it a city you’re most interested in? Maybe you’re obsessed with one agency, or maybe it’s a more niche position like a creative technologist role. Whatever is most exciting to you — make that your North Star.
- If you’re all about a specific city:
Make a list of alumni who live there and agencies you’re liking. Sleuth around on LinkedIn (and the Flock’s facebook page), and ask friends and professors who they know. From Portland to Chicago, Austin to NYC, there are Ducks everywhere. - If you’re all about a certain kind of work or agency:
Do you like small, mid-size or large agencies? Startup or well established? Social, digital or full service? Map out all the work you’re drawn to and ask yourself what you like about it. Look at your book and figure out how you can elevate it with some of those themes. Show future employers you’re aligned with their thinking. - If you’re not sure where to start:
Make a list of every agency you can think of. Check out The Creative Ham or AgencyList.org for lists of agencies or see who is making the news in AdAge or Adweek to see what’s out there. Agency websites — particularly the About page — can tell you a lot about their values, the approach to the work, and the type of clients they typically work with. This is a great place to start. Notice any themes you’re gravitating to, whether it’s a city, type of work, or agency ethos that’s most appealing to you.
3: Start saving.
Dreaming of a cross-country career? Planning to travel after graduation? Really, no matter what your plans are post-grad, it’s time to start saving. Even if it’s not much, a little is a lot better than nothing.
Once March hits, you’re in the thick of it — applications are posted, there’s a lot ahead in spring term, and you still have plenty of work to do. Luckily there’s still plenty of time. Use this month to make sure everything in your toolkit is in tip-top shape so you can be confident when you hit that submit button.
1: Again, how’s that book looking?
- Check in with your professors. Reach out to alumni and ask for feedback. Keep refining your book as much as you can.
- Lean on (and help) your friends! Copywriters can check for typos, art directors can critique your font-choice, strategists can help you with storytelling structure.
- Start practicing your elevator pitch for your work. Great work poorly explained might as well be bad work, so practice talking through your thinking for each piece in your book.
2: Refine your resume.
- Read and re-read. Then have someone else read. Then ask three more people. You want this to represent you and the work you’ve done, and you don’t want there to be any errors.
- Ask the Flock group for feedback!
3: Start reaching out to people at agencies you like.
- Read Madi McCallum’s piece about how to send a cold email. She gives great tips about how to structure your message, what to include, and how to strike that smart and charming balance.
- Send brief, kind, and professional notes to a few people. Starting now will help you get used to writing these types of emails. Write to a couple to agencies that aren’t at the top of your list to get some practice (but make sure you’re still interested and eager to talk to whoever you reach out to).
4: Internship applications are probably starting.
- Even if there are things you’re still working on, don’t let that hold you back from applying.
- Besides keeping an ear open in Allen hall, check out the We Are Next job board and internship master calendar, set alerts on LinkedIn, and follow your favorite agencies on Twitter and Instagram so you don’t miss any application announcements.
- If you know someone at an agency, a friend or alumn, send them a kind note letting them know you’re applying. Ask them if they have any advice for applying to that agency (this is also a great way to follow up on any conversations you struck up with cold emails). Put yourself on the radar of people who might be inclined to speak up for you, just don’t ask them to do that outright. If people want to say something on your behalf, they will; no need to be pushy.
5: Sleep. Eat. Repeat.
Please take care of yourself. You’re breaking this thing down into pieces to prevent yourself from stripping out and breaking down. So don’t strip yourself out! It’s okay to be a student and have fun. It’s also okay to say no to a commitment you can’t quite manage right now.
Now that you’ve thought about what you want to do and gotten your work and application materials ready, here’s where you can put things into action.
1: Follow up on the applications you’ve already submitted.
Haven’t heard back from an agency you really like? Don’t just let it go without doing anything. Send a follow up email to check in, express your interest in the role, and say why you like the agency. Timing is everything. Sometimes your name at the top of the inbox at the right time can be just what you need.
2: If you’re going on the NYC trip, or making an agency visit anywhere else, reach out to alumni about getting coffee while you’re there.
- Reach out to a few alumni you admire, or who work work at agencies you want to know more about. Be sure to be courteous and ask if they have time to grab coffee while you’re there. Be respectful of their time, but don’t worry — they’re probably happy to share their knowledge.
- If they aren’t able to meet up, ask if they would take a look at your portfolio and give you some feedback. Some will write back a few sentences, others will write a paragraph about each page. Both can be incredibly helpful, and most of the time, all you have to do is ask.
3: Gather your networking tools.
- Here’s a list of great questions to ask over coffee, or at a networking event (from Spice Walker in this piece):
-What is the most challenging part of your job?
-How do you think the field of (strategy, creative, etc) is changing? What’s driving that?
-What is an insight that you’re really proud of? How did you arrive at it?
-Beyond just your agency, what are your accounts like?
-Do you work on multiple accounts at a time, or are you focused on one?
-What do you like about the brand/clients?
-If I was to be an intern at your agency, how would I take some stress off your shoulders? What’s a skill, or trait that would bring the most value to your team?
-I’m really proud of this project I did in school, and I would love to continue building it out in the next few weeks. If you have time, would you mind giving some feedback?
-What do you do outside of work? What are you passionate about?
-If they’re a Duck: Do you think the work you did in school is applicable to the work you do now? - Keep track of the people you speak to, their contact information, and the things you talked about. You can use this later when you write thank you notes or follow up with an email.
- Download the Gmail add-on Boomerang so you can schedule emails. Write them ahead of time and then schedule to send when you know its a better time. Consider time zones; an Oregon 3pm email is an NYC 6pm email and no one wants that. Schedule emails to arrive mid-morning.
4: Keep saving and start researching life after graduation.
Especially if you’re making the #UONYC trip, or dreaming of living in a new city after graduation: set aside money when you can, and start a little research on the cities you’re looking at. Cost of living can vary widely. Luckily, we’ve got some resources to get you started.
Your story will be different from others, and that’s great. Keep going and don’t be afraid to revise your plans, your portfolio, and your goals.
1: Gearing up for the NYC Trip?
- Read Kate Rohrich’s piece about things to keep in mind during the trip, and The Flock’s listicle of advice too.
- Take it one day at a time! It will fly by, so focus on what’s in front of you. Take a deep breath and practice a power pose before each agency visit, informational coffee, or interview.
- Remember: Don’t compare yourself to others too much. Sure, some people will lock internships and job offers during the trip — that’s great! But everyone’s path is different.
- Explore the city when you can, especially if you’re trying to end up there! Your Flock crew can give plenty of recommendations.
- Make sure you’re in the Flock Facebook group and reach out if you have any questions or want to meet up!
2: Follow up with anyone you’ve reached out to.
- Send personal thank you notes to people who made time for you. Make sure to mention something specific they spoke about and show you were listening. Let them see that you appreciate and respect their time.
- Connect on LinkedIn with a short, kind message reminding people where you met and what you spoke about.
- Follow the people you meet on Twitter. It’s a good way to keep up with folks and get a real idea of what working or living somewhere is like.
3: Reevaluate what you want and how to get there.
Did you apply to a position you really wanted and then not hear back? Did things change after the NYC trip? It happens. You can revise your goals as you go. It’s all part of the process. Don’t be afraid to reassess and make a new plan.
- If you’re still in the search, reach out to professors and alumni letting them know you’re looking for opportunities. You’re not out of time. Just keep plugging away.
- Did you get any helpful feedback? Maybe you could use one more project, or a portfolio redesign. Take the time to address any feedback you got, and consider following up with whoever gave you that advice to show them you took their words into consideration.
- Consider broadening your search if you’re starting to feel stumped by one city or type of agency!
- Remember that every job is a stepping stone. You can start anywhere at all, so don’t be afraid to take a step and see what happens.
- If you’re not feeling ready, what could you do after graduation to prepare for those next steps? Whether that’s a summer job that lets you save money or work on your book, exciting travel plans, or just a bit of down time. If you need more time after graduation to get that next step figured out, that’s O.K.
4: Have fun.
You’re well on your way to the next chapter. Enjoy this one while you’re still in it. Especially now that there’s (hopefully) some sunshine in Eugene.
You made it! Graduation is right around the corner. Take a look at what you’ve accomplished, where you’re headed, and remember to enjoy.
1: Did you land something?
- Congratulations! Take some time to look back at everything you’ve done and pat yourself on the back — well done :)
- Of course logistics are probably crowding your to-do list, especially if you’re moving to a new city. Do your due diligence and ask if your agency will pay for your flight (even some internship programs will do this), or offer any relocation money (more common for full-time).
- Network around to see who you know in the city or agency, and don’t be afraid to reach out for housing recommendations. Flock is a great resource for this, too, so check out out practical guides.
2: Still looking?
That’s okay! Lots of people continue to search after graduation, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Make time to celebrate everything you’ve accomplished, and consider taking a break from social media — a lot of people will be posting about their new gigs and the comparison can feel unhealthy—and look forward to enjoying the summer. You won’t have the same freedom in the professional world. Here are a few things you can do to keep a little momentum:
- Keep working on your portfolio. Be critical. Add to projects you thought were done.
- Before you jump tracks with a different full-time job, consider getting a part-time gig to buy you some more flexibility.
- With fewer commitments, you can actually reach out to get coffee with professionals or alumni in the area. No excuses anymore.
- Keep up on LinkedIn and the We Are Next job board. You never know when something will open up.
- Everything you’ve done so far is just preparing you for the next opportunity, so try not to be too hard on yourself. You’re getting there.
3: Enjoy.
While it’s been a whirlwind getting to the final stretch, don’t forget to enjoy it. This is your time to breathe, enjoy, and trust that you’ve set yourself up for success. Here are a few last things to do:
- Write thank you notes to people who influenced you. Friends, professors, bosses. You’ll think of this support system a lot when you’re building a new one. Tell them how you feel while you’re still there. :)
- Follow up with any professionals you’ve connected with over the last several months. Let them know if you’re still on the hunt, or if you got an internship or job, tell them when or where you’ll be and thank them for their time again. Ask to keep in touch and follow through with that.
- Go to parties! Have fun! Do all the grad stuff.
- Take care of yourself! It’s been a long road, and this is just the beginning.
