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Pre-graduation woes.


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So I will be graduating college in almost exactly 3 months.

I will have a pretty substantial debt (less than 100k but still) thanks to living on campus. I loved my on-campus experiences and the fact I made so many new friends due to being there 24/7 but could live without the bill...

Went to local school first and got 2 associate degrees. I will be graduating Cum Laude with a BA in Public Relations from my current school.

 

Anyway, I am pretty good at what I do for my field and enjoy writing, but in order to get jobs you must have experience. No idea how to do this without getting a job, aside from interning (which I've done this semester and hopefully this summer as a post-grad, but that's not nearly enough) I did not learn much in my internship so far and feel like I wasted an opportunity.

I am involved a lot on campus but feel those activities won't be enough to really "sell" me, since most places prefer an actual internship.

 

It is a corporate industry. Here's the thing I've come to realize about myself:

I dislike corporate.

I dislike the snootiness of my peers, the rigid ideals and images and the fact that everyone is trying to be "innovative" but still hold on to such old school ideals. A lot of people I notice succeeding are very manipulative and conniving, and I don't want to be a part of that.

 

I am so unmotivated to look for work. I hate the resume process and how much weight those hold, and how I practically have to pimp myself out on paper with hundreds if not thousands of others like myself. If I want to stand out I have to go above and beyond but not too beyond because, apparently some places don't like that. It's all so overwhelming and confusing. There's a lot of pressure in the job hunt.

 

I've grown to resent my major and am having doubts. I enjoy my minor but it is a cut-throat industry I've minored in (advertising), so I don't think I have prospects in that area just yet. I plan to do some freelancing after I graduate for local businesses and events.

 

I really want to have a job as soon as possible but thanks to being swamped and overwhelmed at school and finding contempt in some areas of my major, I am so not even about looking for work.

 

I just need some motivation or out-of-the box ideas. I'm losing sleep over my future and how freaked out I am that it's coming up so soon. I feel lost and not really sure where to go with everything. Everyone else seems to set and some are getting job offers and I feel as though I'm like a sophomore or junior all over again, and now I notice time keeps ticking away and I need to get aggressive...

Or I'm going to be jobless which scares the hell out of me.

 

:(

Edited by Musing
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While you are still in school, volunteer somewhere & do the PR for them. It's not the same a launching a new movie or managing a sports star but the local dog pound needs somebody to get their name in the media & let people know how to donate. It doesn't matter what the volunteer position is . . . just get in there & roll up your sleeves but don't forget to track & measure your successes so you can tout those in an interview for a "real job."

 

 

Start send out resumes & work with on campus recruiting to get a job. I don't care if you hate corporate. With $100K in debt you take a job, any job & you start trying to dig out from under. Once you get your foot in the door, network, network, network.

 

 

Also start going to practical classes seminars at places like the SBA, the Chamber of Commerce & the SBDC to meet with potential employers & clients. Stick around long enough & one of those groups may let you teach a seminar on PR. Setting yourself up as the "expert" is always a good idea.

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GorillaTheater

Just a thought:

 

Your university has a media relations person. It may not be the only hat they wear, but I guarantee they have one.

 

Call that person up. Explain that you're seeking out possible career paths, and may have more interest (I assume from your post) in something other than the private sector. You'll probably get some good advice from someone who also chose a path outside of the private sector and heck, maybe even a job.

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Hey guys, thanks for your input.

 

d0nnivain - I don't ahve quite 100k (more/less 50k) I still consider it a lot, but 100 is sort of my "cap off".

I'm involved in a non-profit in town however I feel as if they aren't really sure what to do with me. They are great people but I get little direction. I'm looking into other opportunities at a non-profit close to my house that I frequent. Along side of that, just doing some freelance work for friends' businesses.

I also am involved in official organizations on campus and have gone to several conferences.

 

It just feels odd to me, maybe because these are my first out of school experiences? I feel like I don't know what I am doing. It's common sense stuff really but its easier to map it all out on paper than to apply it in real life.

 

Gorilla: Funny you should mention that, I actually interviewed her my first semester there!

 

I just am feeling very overwhelmed and confused with everything. As soon as I have the idea to cold call someone, or set up an informational interview, my studies and on-campus events and planning take my attention away. I hope this feeling of unpreparedness or doubt is just a phase I'll get over once I'm in a job. It is getting to that job that is the difficult part.

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$50k is a lot better but I can still understand that you're overwhelmed. If the non-profit doesn't know what to do with you, find a niche for yourself. Pretend you work at a glamorous PR agency & the non-profit is the new client -- now go promote them. It's not quite that easy you have to come up with cheat idea & pitch it to them but generally they are so happy that anybody wants to do anything, they will let you run with your idea.

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$50k is a lot better but I can still understand that you're overwhelmed. If the non-profit doesn't know what to do with you, find a niche for yourself. Pretend you work at a glamorous PR agency & the non-profit is the new client -- now go promote them. It's not quite that easy you have to come up with cheat idea & pitch it to them but generally they are so happy that anybody wants to do anything, they will let you run with your idea.

 

This is a pretty good way to look at it. For my duration there, I may try this approach.

I'm looking into different markets and niches now, which is why I'd love to help out local shows and events around here. It's not glamorous and high-paying (I'd do it on the side of having a FT career) but it'll get my contacts and help me get some good writing samples.

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