By Angela Sun
Thank you to all the readers that have followed me in this journey of career development and exploration over the last year. I am proud to announce that our blog has made it to Blogging4jobs.com's Top 10 Simply Awesome College Career Services Blogs--thank you! 
As my time as the Career Center student ambassador comes to an end, so has my Tufts college career. As I walked across the stage at the International Relations graduation, I felt a mix of invigoration, introspection, and fear...mostly fear. I have no idea where I'm going to next year. I just moved back home to Canada, for an 'indefinite amount of time' (the exact phrasing I used to the AT&T Customer Service Rep when suspending my phone line). But as I've taken a couple of days to recover from post-senior week chi depletion, I have a message to share with you, because employed or not, you're still going to be just 'figuring it out'.
You are OK. When I checked with my career counselor just a week before graduation, she told me that there is a majority of students don't have jobs yet. Forbes just published a dismal statistic quoting that only 16% of the graduating class of 2013 reported graduating with something lined up. So for starters you're not alone. But all these stats and to some extent, media-sensationalized-employment-Armageddon-talk aside, each of you are graduating with a degree from an top university, unique but important skill sets and experiences, and a network more powerful than you can imagine. It's absolutely OK to be job hunting post-graduation. In past years, most Tufts graduates found jobs within the first couple of months after graduation. In fact, let people know that you are a new grad job-hunting, you never know what could come up. But most importantly, remember that finding a job is first about journey and opportunity, second about deadline. College was just the start, from this moment on, it has become your sole responsibility to manage your career. So as we embark on a challenge of career hunting, not job hunting--let us soul search.
Listen to the 8-year-old inside you. What do you truly want? What really makes you passionate, and excited to be part of this world? Have lots of answers? Know the answer, but don't know how to get there? Fortunately, the world we live in is so diverse and dynamic, the opportunity to work in an industry relevant to your passion, leveraging the talents you are most skilled at, exists. For example, I am a person who has many interests and passions...social media, public policy, international relations, speech making, entrepreneurship, China-related affairs, new technologies, investment, and the list goes on and on. One example of a 'passion-combination' for me would be developing digital/ social media strategies for political campaigns, be it at an agency, or in-house (as the industry matures). This is just one of many possibilities, and that's OK. List them all out as part of your brainstorm.
Envision the 35-year-old you will become. Where do you want to be? What kind of professional vs. leisure life do you want? Do you want kids? Where do you want to live? How much do you want to be making? Who do you want to impact and how? This exercise will help you narrow down your original brainstorm further. While you might not have all the answers - and your answers might change - this type of long-term brainstorming and planning early on is critical. The evolution of your career is path dependent, meaning that your career will be influenced by previous experiences. You could meet someone that leads you to another opportunity, or you could try something out and realize it's not for you. Sure, there are macroeconomic factors that will affect your career path, but don't let a 'bad market' get you stuck in a dead-end or pulled off the road. Spot opportunities, predict winners--and keep your eyes focused on what you want ultimately.
You can take charge of your future. You are in the driver's seat now. So use a planner, live a regular schedule, stay healthy, and spend the energy you would spend on your job to look for the job itself. The conventional career advice will always apply: edit, network, apply, practice, research, and learn. What sets job hunters apart is the scope and quality to which each of these tasks are accomplished. Re-evaluate everything you do. What is your personal brand? Is there something you've done or can do that you could emphasize more? A better way to present yourself? Be tenacious, open-minded, positive, and dedicated. The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Continue to use Tufts Career Center. It doesn't matter if you've NEVER worked with Tufts Career Center in four years (though I will cry and kick and scream a little), or if you've been visiting us consistently. You can continue to use our resources. Check out http://careers.tufts.edu/alumni/ to see what is available, and set-up a phone/ in-person appointment. You can even meet with a designated alumni counselor as a matured professional years down the line, perhaps as your preparing for a career change. Having someone to work alongside will help keep you on track and accountable.
Stay inspired, stay supported. In college, friends came with dorms, clubs, and dining halls. Out of college, you'll have to stay in touch to maintain existing relationships, as well as look in your work place, and maybe even a bit further, to meet people. So be intentional and proactive about meeting people to help build your post-graduation social network. But also look to meet people who are younger and older than you. Offer to be a mentor, and stay inspired by meeting people who could mentor and sponsor you too. The journey of people who inspire you will help you figure out how your game plan, and seeking mentors could accelerate your growth as well.
At the end of the day, this is our youth and opportunity to claim. Step up 2013--laugh, live, and learn to the fullest. School has just begun.
Connect with the Tufts Career Center via our social media platforms. Also, feel free to connect with me personally via LinkedIn/ Twitter--I would love to continue to hear from you!
