Congratulations Graduate! Now What? (2016 Edition)

Welcome to graduation season.

As students don their graduation caps and head into ceremonies to celebrate their achievements, they’ll hear a lot of messages, as they usually do. Esteemed speakers will tell students to follow their dreams, change the world, and live with passion. Thankfully, the recent uptick in the economy makes all of this much more possible.

I’ve been a graduate myself now for 5 years. When I look back at the last 6, I realize that time has passed very quickly. It only seemed like yesterday that I was walking across the stage at Santa Clara University receiving my diploma. In the same time, I’ve also learned many lessons about the job market, what it means to be a millennial, and the concept of a “career”.

Here they are:

Loving what you do and doing what you love is a privilege

One thing common with my peers is championing the above statement. Graduating during the recession meant work was hard to find, so following what you loved was an easy second choice. For some of you, finding what you love and loving what you do is going to be easy. For some of you, it will be difficult.

My advice: stop using the above phrase.

Your life is just beginning. What you’ve just experienced is an 18 year journey of education and while the rest is now yours to play with, finding what you love isn’t something most of you will wake up with tomorrow. It will require failure, exploration, conversation, frustration, sadness, and self-realization — which is what most of the people who make the above statement never tell you.

Your purpose is out there, and it will require a lot of time. Be patient, and keep journeying towards it. Remember that Michael Jordan was once cut from his basketball team, Oprah told that TV wasn’t for her, and Thomas Edison failed a thousand times with his light bulb. You will make it too.

Get to know the definition of value

Many of you will graduate and trade money for time. The time you trade for your paycheck is the value you create in that role. Remember, just because your company is giving you free food, a bus for your commute, and a discounted gym membership does not mean they love you — In fact, you’re more replaceable than anything. It only means they see enough value in you so that you can stay at work longer and get more work done.

You really aren’t that special.

The value you create at work will define who you are. Your salary may or may not be a reflection of that, but the effort you put in matters way more. You are ultimately there not to just make yourself look good, but to make your boss look exceptionally good as well. Ask how you can do that.

Learn how to network

If you’re lucky, your university has taught you how to do some of this, and most likely through a flier the career center gave you. The rest of you probably have no idea what this word means.

Networking is how you’ll find your next job, meet your next client, or discover something you never thought you would be into. I started networking the Monday after graduation — I hope you started earlier.

Your future is all about relationships.

If you’re fortunate enough to have graduated from a good school, there’s already an alumni network waiting for you, and an association willing to invest in its graduates to hold events frequently. If not, then check out sites like Meetup, Eventbrite, or even the occasionally very engaging Facebook Group. I encourage you to also get some business cards as well and follow-up with every person you meet. Have a phone call, grab coffee, and ask questions with other people — and remember to get off your technology and make eye contact as well.

You never know who you will run into or who other people know as well.

Changing the world starts from inside

Your commencement speaker probably told you that the world is your oyster and that the world needs you more than ever. They’re right — the state of the world is in much disarray, but change in the world begins with yourself. Becoming self aware and conscious of what’s around us is the best gift we can give ourselves and the world because we present our true authentic selves. Pop culture, structured education, and messages from our peers have distorted what it means to be an individual.

Grab a notebook, a pen, and a cup of coffee and start writing. Do it weekly or daily if you have the time, and see how your world around you changes.

Writing by the way, is the most important skill you’ll ever learn. Your ability to communicate will supersede any other technical skill you possess.

You’re not a pilgrim, don’t settle

You may be done with school, but you still have your body and mind with you for the next 60–70 years. What you do with it will matter a great deal for your success. Keep investing in yourself.

Or as a good friend of mine says: You’re not a pilgrim, don’t settle.

It’s imperative that you take classes, take on a passion project, continue to read/listen to books, have deep conversations, and challenge your mode of thinking. Though none of this may happen within the confines of a lecture hall, the whole world is a lesson to be learned. Travel is often one of the most important things you can do as well.

Remember, school was a place where you learned a lesson and took a test. Life is a place where you are tested, and lessons are presented — and repeated until you finally understand why.

Congratulations graduate!

Enjoy your celebration. Life begins now.

This was originally posted on Albert’s List. Read more posts like this atwww.albertslist.org/blog.