by Monie Sosh

Created on: June 08, 2008

Graduates sometimes look at graduation as the end of something, and as a graduate, I understand completely; no more term papers, no more final exams, no more cramming for tests the night before, but in reality, it is just the beginning.

Not long after the shouts of jubilee die down and cans of string are emptied, it is time to focus on the future. Everyone that greets you asks, "Now what? What are you going to do for a living?" The look of exasperation that crosses your face says a couple of things; one, you are tired of hearing that question, and two, you aren't for sure.

Hopefully the degree in hand is in line with your talents and passions, which makes for a good, solid, first step to a successful career. If not, all is not lost. Any degree is a good thing and never a waste of time.

If you should choose to go back to school, a large percentage of your completed classes were general in scope and will apply for any degree. On line classes or adult accelerated classes may be an option to continue your education, which will allow you to work full-time if necessary. One nice thing about continuing classes is that student loans will be held at bay for awhile longer.

Some graduates have exalted ideas of how things will be once they graduate. They picture head-hunters knocking on their door offering exuberant salaries from fortune 500 companies where they will sit in plush offices with a gorgeous view.

One thing to keep in mind is that no one starts at the top, anywhere, even if you start your own business. The only place you start at the top is when digging a ditch. (I saw that on a sign once!) The difference between you and someone else starting out, is that with a degree you may not have to start completely at the bottom.

In the day it was called, 'paying your dues' and that has not changed. You must prove yourself before promotion will come. If you are loyal and diligent in the small things you will be trusted with the much bigger ones.

There are the occasional exceptions to that rule but it would be best not to count on it unless you have an idea or product design that would jet-set you past everyone else out of the gate. With today's technology that may be easier to do, but remember, it makes it easier for every other graduate as well.

The second thing to keep in mind is debt will hinder progress to your goal of a career, by forcing you to take a job just to pay the bills instead of finding work that builds a foundation. If you were not blessed enough to earn a full scholarship, student loans will rear their ugly head soon enough. Taking on a new car payment, credit card debt, or any other unnecessary purchases is not a smart career move. Believe me, those credit card offers will be very tempting, but earning a credit rating can wait!

And last but not least, it is important that you hold on to your dreams and passions. A degree will take you only so far but passion will carry you beyond your wildest dreams.

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