Just out of college and stepping into your dream job may be the most exciting phase of adulthood. The transition from college to work life is a difficult time for many students with lots of uncertainties and anxiety.

You are left to figure out things on your own, unlike transition from school to college life with a lot of support from parents on a day today basis. Relaxed college life to full time job is a drastic change if you are not prepared for it.

It might be harder to find a job than you think. Generally college graduates start at entry level jobs. Campus placements can be an easy way out. But if you are not placed anywhere and you don’t have a job, try and connect with people who can support you and help you with tips to handle interviews, edit resume and support you to achieve your goals.

One of the best ways is to connect to the organization and the people where you did your internship.

Connect with friends and seniors to find out if there are any opportunities in their organization. Talk about your ambitions and steps you are taking to get there and work towards it.

Attend industry specific events and connect with people on social media, especially LinkedIn for information sharing, networking, support and professional growth.

There are ways in which you can handle your new job in less than ideal circumstances:

• You won’t know everything when you walk into your first job. So embrace uncertainty, it gives you the mental space to explore your options in the new environment.
• Connect with people who can support you if you have to relocate to another state or any place away from the comfort of your parent’s home.
• Do not be carried away by your new found independence and freedom.
• Keep yourself organized and work towards moving in the right direction.
• Work on your soft skills like teamwork, flexibility, communication, interpersonal skills etc.
• There are different kinds and age group of people you meet in office and with different roles and responsibilities and attitudes. You need to communicate well and build a rapport while maintaining workplace decorum.
• Manage your time well and learn to maintain a work life balance with enough time for socializing with family and friends.
• Manage your expenses well with proper budgets to avoid situations where you end up over spending. Try and save a portion of your salary on a regular basis. Good decisions made at early stages will give positive results in your future.
• Be proactive and take up some assignments if possible, just as you did in college with fests and sports and other events. This will help you come out of your comfort zone. Being productive in different spheres will help you in your career growth.
• Do not look for professional growth instantly. Students have the tendency to expect quick promotions and success, these factors depends on the organization structure and other factors.
• Workplace learning plays a crucial role in skill development. Challenge yourself to keep upgrading for your own advantage.
• Strengthen your marketability by doing a SWOT Analysis of yourself to understand yourself better. Highlight your Strengths, work on your Weaknesses, seize any Opportunity that comes your way and try and eliminate your Threats.
• Keep up with the industry and market demands and beat the competition. Understand what the employers are looking out for and constantly work towards it, so just in case there is a layoff you will be in a position to find a new job faster.
• Identify priorities and maintain a positive attitude. Stay on track with your goals and assignments and blend yourself well into the organizational structure.
• Keep a mindful approach and prepare yourself mentally for whatever you choose and handle yourself well.

Success can be achieved by following a holistic approach in the real world. It’s important to understand that it’s not possible to figure out the rest of your life right now. Learn with every step and new experiences and stay positive for professional success.