The most common question to come out of a graduating senior’s mouth is, “What is the next step in my life?”   With options such as entering the workforce, armed services, and or attending graduate school, it can be challenging to decide which direction to take.
Some students who are fortunate enough to land their dream job shorty after graduating.  Kellie Duncan who graduated from Hood student in 2013 with a degree in communication arts, received her dream job working with Pride of America Norwegian Cruise Line stationed in Hawaii.  Duncan stated, “When going after your dreams job, you need to keep persevering even when you get shot down over and over. You also must be passionate about the position, because it fuels you to keep trying.”
Brittany Diehl, who graduated from Hood College in 2012, was another graduate who landed her ideal job right out of college as the Promotion and Social Media manager at the Frederick Downtown Partnership.  “When I first saw the job posting online, I called my mom immediately and said “this sounds like my dream job! So far, it absolutely has been.  Downtown Frederick holds a special place in my heart, and being part of an organization that does so much to create an even better place to work, live and play has been extremely gratifying.  I get excited to go to work every day, which is a great feeling,” Diehl said.
Diehl was able to prove to the Frederick Downtown Partnership what a hard worker she was prior to being employed by them. Diehl held an internship with the partnership during her senior year of college.  The knowledge she acquired from her internship made the transition to employee smooth since she already had experience with the organization’s purpose as well as working alongside Executive Director Kara Norman.
Networking is also an essential part of getting noticed by an organization.  Building solid relationships will only benefit an individual in the long run. All people, a job seeker converses with, as well as works with, will not only be preparing the individual for real life challenges but may also be called upon to write a letter of recommendation describing the individual’s character, quality of work, as well as work ethic.
The desire to achieve a master’s degree has become a very common pursuit for some post graduates.  With the job economy being so competitive, gaining that master’s degree may put an individual a step ahead in the working world.  Graduate programs are feasible because the programs are often tailored to the working individual.  Many graduate students are able to hold full-time employment during the day, while attending school at night.
Coleen Yazurlo, a Hood College Admissions counselor, stated, “A lot of times graduate programs can be mostly fully-funded through a graduate assistantship (GA) position, but there are not enough for everyone.  A lot of times you will need to be admitted early so applying for the GA positions in the spring is a possibility.  If an individual waits until the last minute, it may cost a lot more money to attend school.  If an individual is even considering applying to grad school, applying early can be quite beneficial.”
Students often begin to prepare for graduate school during their senior year in college.  The steps necessary towards that success are applying to schools, delivering resumes and letters of recommendation to the schools, as well as preparing to take the GRE’s.   Early admission students are sometimes given stronger consideration for acceptance into a master’s program.
If a student is employed full time on a college campus, frequently the school will assist with the cost of the graduate school classes.  That option is attractive to many students because the student will not feel the burden of accumulating debt while trying to receive a master’s degree.  Yazurlo added, “I found some employers will pay for your graduate school.  It may only be a class or two at a time, but it is something to ask employers when interviewing for a position.”
Since the job market is so highly competitive, when graduating from college there may not be as many job opportunities available as one had hoped for.  A majority of people, who accept their first full time job, do not stay at the same work place for their entire working career.  “Sometimes you have to just give your first job a shot, even if it’s not your dream job,” Hood career counselor Jill Hermes said.
Those who believe they must obtain a fitting job that meets all their desires perfectly will most likely struggle when looking at the reality of the current job market.  Every bit of work experience an individual gains will aid the individual and help them to look more professional and competent toward future employers.

Senior Matt Mellon, anticipating graduating.