tarting life as a young professional can be a challenging time in your life. While you may be excited about getting your first grownup job, you may also be concerned about transitioning to adult life. It might feel like the freedom you had in college is coming to an end, but, this is just the start of a new chapter of your life.
Create a Budget
When your first paycheck from your new job comes in, the first thing you might want to do is treat yourself. It can be tempting to spend the money on things you want, but it is important to create a budget so you can transition to paying your own way as an adult. After you have put money into savings and paid your bills, you can use some of the money for something fun, like a trip or experience.
One expense that might be new to you as an adult is student loan repayments. While there is often a grace period between graduation and your first repayment, it usually only lasts a few months. For many recent graduates, the first repayment is a reality check, and you may wonder how you will make these more affordable. Luckily, refinancing allows you to combine your current debt into one loan. Taking advantage of Earnest student loan refinancing allows you to reduce overall expenses.
Get to Know Someone with a Life You Like
Take some time to find and get to know an individual who has the kind of life you see yourself following. Many are happy to talk about themselves and will likely enjoy telling you how they got to where they are today. You don’t have to know them well to invite them out to lunch or coffee to get to know them better. Ask them questions about the education, internships, and experience that has led them to the professional they are today. See if they have any pointers or want to add anything they wished they had known when they were just getting started.
Focus on More Than Just the Basic Skills
All the competition has the necessary experience and skills for the position you also want. So, if you try to focus on only the skills you need for the job, you will be competing with others for the same thing. It's important to have these basic skills but avoid putting all your energy there. Instead, look for niche skills you can develop to make you even better at what you do. This should be one that is good to have but not something that everyone else has. This can help you stand out in job applications.
Align What You Are Doing with Future Goals
Creating a five-year plan can do more than just help you decide what you want to be doing five years from now. This plan should also lay out how you plan on getting there. Begin by thinking about where you see yourself at that time and work backward. If you want to be a marketing manager, you may start listing out the projects and accomplishments you need to have done before then. You might find the results make you nervous because of how much you need to do to get there. If you want to be in an impressive position at some point, ask yourself what you are doing to get there. If you aren’t taking these steps yet, it is time to pick up the pace. Being in a better position requires you to set yourself apart right now.
Dress for the Job You Want
As you enter the professional world, take some time to evaluate your wardrobe and consider your overall appearance. Dress appropriately for the job you have gotten. Even if the environment seems casual, it is best to take attire cues from your managers, not your colleagues. Know that the first impression you leave is often what counts. If you are dressed well, you will likely be seen as a more professional person than someone who dresses more casually.
The attire you should wear will depend on the industry and company. A tech startup will likely be more relaxed than an attorney's office. If everyone dresses in jeans, you don’t want to be the one person in a suit. But you might want to be overdressed rather than underdressed for the first couple of days until you can get a feel for the environment.
Surround Yourself with the Right People
Many tend to define success and what is normal based on what they are currently surrounded by. When you surround yourself with positivity, you can achieve things you might not have thought were possible. When you are happy, you also encourage that perspective in your colleagues. It's important to be surrounded by people who can raise the standard for you. At the same time, remove negative people from your life, because they want to pull you down to a place they are more comfortable with. Surrounding yourself with a diverse group can help you become a multi-faceted person who can see lots of different perspectives.
