7 Questions to Ask Yourself to Choose a Post-Graduate Career

Need help with choosing a Post-Graduate Career? No one knows you better than you know yourself, so it’s time to look inward.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when choose a Post-Graduate Career

1)   What do you want your day and week to look like?

When you graduate, you’ll no longer have school to define the timing of your day, week, month, or even year – that structure will now come from your job. Without the routine of classes of seasonal breaks, you’ll absolutely notice the change.

If you want as much structure as possible, an office job will satisfy you. If you want to keep things open and flexible, you might need to go in a different direction. Either way, your decision now will impact the basic structure of your schedule.

2)   Which personality traits define you to Choose a Post-Graduate Career?

Now is the time to embrace who you are. There are so many options before you, there’s no need to attempt to be someone you aren’t. You’ll go far and feel confident if you tap into your most natural version of yourself.

3)   Are you a team player or prefer to work solo?

If you hate group projects, you can finally be free of them after graduation – if you choose a career that enables you to work independently. If you love collaborating with others, many jobs will be happy to have your brainstorming power. Again, don’t force yourself to be someone you’re not. Accept your preference, and go from there.

4)   Would you relocate for a career?

Some jobs can only happen in one specific place. Wall Street will always be in New York, and Hollywood will always be in Los Angeles. It’s completely okay if you don’t want to move – that just means you’ll have to limit your search to your area’s specific industries.

5)   Are you creative, analytic, or a mix of both?

It’s okay to put yourself in a box right now. The sooner you have a strong understanding of your skillet, the better you’ll be at pitching yourself during interviews. Be honest with yourself about your preferences, and go from there.

6)   What types of school projects felt the easiest to you?

Were you the best writer in your major? Amazing at giving presentations? A pro with research? Look back on the last four years, and think about what came the most naturally to you. Whatever it may be, there’s a way to continue doing it in a new setting post-graduation.

7)   What values do you hold close?

Your future job will be where you spend the majority of your time. Whatever your values may be, you’ll be happiest when they’re present in the workplace. Again, be honest with yourself – if you love money, it’s perfectly okay to prioritize a high income. If you love helping people, you shouldn’t choose a career focused on profit.

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Every path imaginable is right in front of you right now – who wouldn’t feel the pressure to choose correctly? The good news is that there is no right or wrong decision. Your questions to these answers will always evolve, and you’ll always have the option to make changes in your own life.

Wherever you go next, remember to remain honest with yourself, respect your own feelings, and stay patient every step of the way.