Cliches are, by definition, trite and overused expressions or situations. If there was a guide to cliches, some qualifying entries might include: professors who always, always, employ their lack of artistic skills as a form of self-deprecating humor (“I’m not the greatest artist in the world, but …” and then proceed to draw a graph/diagram/picture on blackboard), or, sadly, the phrase, “I don’t know what I’m going to do for the rest of my life!,” which is most commonly heard from the clueless senior.
Not to say that all fourth- or fifth-years are clueless about what to do. There just seems to be a prevailing atmosphere that college is all about dillydallying until — boom! — reality hits. The sense of urgency is encapsulated in the Career Services Center advertisement that I recently found in my inbox. “Career Survivor Day for Seniors!” it heralds. The day’s programs and activities include “Digging for Internships” and “The Ultimate Challenge: The Real World After Graduation.” The tagline reads, “Our career survival experts will help you OUTWIT, OUTPLAY, and OUTLAST your way to your ultimate goal: Life after Graduation!”
Of course, the “Survivor” references, while being so three years ago, are just a good marketing strategy to catch the eye of new seniors. The folks that made the ad probably just sought to give the helpful workshops a little razzle-dazzle. But however unintentional, the metaphor of surviving in scary and unknown surroundings does serve postgraduate plans quite well. While I’m pretty sure that there is life after graduation whether or not we outwit, outplay and outlast the job market, there is truth behind the idea of an unpredictable and sometimes ruthless ride to postgrad security.
Suddenly, we’re all a little more competitive, a little more unnerved. Getting a call back or a reference letter gives us a slight edge over Nameless Applicant A, but also over Good Friend with Similar Aspiration. We’re all in this together, but we’re also not. We share stories about interviews gone awry, but then subconsciously make a note of the employer mentioned. Finding a job is a bit like getting a Google Gmail account: We want one so bad, and we hear about it all around us, eyeing with slight disdain those friends who have gotten invited when we haven’t, and then pump our fists in sweet triumph after finally getting that invite or offer. The thing is, everyone will get a job (and a Gmail account) sooner or later; it’s all about who we know, how we pull the strings at our disposal and how we spend the time waiting that will determine the outcome.
It’s just too easy to think that we must figure out what we want do for the rest of our lives right this minute. Sure, we can dabble in internships and other disciplines during college, but when senior season approaches, the exploratory romance ends and the questions begin. “What are you going to do after you graduate?” or implicitly, “What are you going to do for a living?” After spending four years learning about the arbitrariness and variables in theory, there hardly seems to be room for such flexibility in practice — lest we forget that biology majors can be magazine writers, businesspeople might decide to pursue a a doctorate in medicine, and a previously die-hard chemist might meander into biotech consulting.
Show me the money, I hear you say. Well, jobs do bring security, and it’s all fine and good to get a job that satisfies that requirement even if it doesn’t exactly make you excited. An ideal job would provide financial security and personal fulfillment. As with majors, nobody (including yourself) should expect to find a perfect job at first sight. Meanwhile, means of obtaining such a job can rely heavily on internship experience and interview skills. The aforementioned Career Services Center conducted a survey of sample graduates of 2003 that revealed that 36 percent of postgrad jobs were an extension of or related to previous internship experience. Which means going pro bono as a junior at the company right now might lead to a full-time position later on. Also, 8 percent of jobs — much more than I expected — were obtained through a job fair such as those held on campus.
Students who have had minimal experience in applying and interviewing for such positions may find it helpful to prepare by jotting thoughts, interests and activities down. Man does not live on resumes alone. Annoying questions that we haven’t heard since preschool have a way of showing up in school and job interviews. “Tell me about yourself.” “Um … I’m 5’5”, a poli sci and communication major and have Ultra-Vague-Question-Syndrome, thank you.” But seriously — questions such as “How can you contribute to diversity at our company?” (“I have a rad watch tan and am 1-percent indigenous Taiwanese.”) and “How do your values align with those of our company’s mission statement?” are very hard to answer on the spot and require adequate preparation. It’s all enough to make you want to get up and shout, “I just want the job for the pay and experience, darn it!” However, I don’t know how much some companies value that kind of candor, so it helps to spend some time mulling over what you’ve learned from past workplaces and classes and how it has shaped you as a person, etc., etc.
It is a jungle out there, and even being armed with a UCSD B.S. or B.A. might not fend off the fears and expectations that descend the moment you get that diploma. Sometimes, I’d really just rather read a magazine or play Texas Hold ‘Em all day and forget about the imminent future that is at my doorstep. At some point, though, seniors like myself just have to bid adieu to college, embrace their mix of skills and fortune and go all in.