Graduation rant

Graduation....I have had a few of them. In fact I ve had four of them if you count the one when I finished 5th grade. I think though the one I enjoyed the most was my high school graduation. For me, graduating from high school meant that I was able to leave my youth behind and become more of an adult. It meant that I gained the freedom and responsiblity to decide which path my life would take but also the consequences of said choices. Once I entered college it was really nice to be able to set my own schedule, show up to classes when I wanted to and not have to worry about the possibility of detention or reprimand from a school administrator.

I would say after I graduated with my bachelors the sense of accomplishment was so much less in the long run. Graduating from college just meant I had to find a job or decide to go to grad school. My initial thought was to work. I figured that I had spent enough money on my education and it was time to join the rest of the adult population with the hustle and bustle of everyday working life. Little did I know that there were no jobs to be had. My backup plan was going to grad school. I applied a few different places so not to put all of my eggs in one basket. I was accepted to a couple different schools and ultimately I made my way to Denmark. What better way to study international marketing and management then to be in and international setting. So two years later graduation number four.

For me this was a big accomplishment. Growing up I pretty much despised school. I started a year ahead of pretty much everyone I currently know...and then even wanted to skip a grade in middle school because it was like I was repeating everything I learned the year before. To me school a boring because I wasnt challenged enough. I found sanctuary in more creative classes as well as physical education classes. My favorites were theater, art and P.E.. For the other classes I rarely had to do homework and still got good grades. My grades were so good that I graduated with honors from my high school. So in other words, I wasnt too excited about going to college and I was the last one my family would have imagined going to grad school, let alone finishing.

So this so called big accomplishment was overshadowed by a worldwide recession. Its been almost five months since I graduated with my masters and I m still unemployed. I had a great job while I was in school but was unable to continue because of this inconvenient recession. Its funny how I decided to go for my masters so I could make it easier on myself to get a good job and now its as if I m working three or four times as hard to find something. This recession has benefited companies by replenishing the diminished talent pool with people who were previously employed. Its makes in much harder for those of us who have recently graduated. A company would, for lack of better words, be taking a chance on a recent graduate to fill a position when then can easily find someone who has multiple years of specific experience.

Perhaps though more companies should be willing to take a chance on someone with less experience. Wouldnt they be more motivated to prove themselves? Dont they bring an added excitement and fresh perspective? I mean finally practical application of all the knowledge they have absorbed for years. And if you arent sold on that...how about the fact that they command less in salary...and they can be molded and shaped into a companies corporate culture easier. Yeah someone may have lots of experience but maybe they are set in there ways...they think in their old position the practices were better.

Really the job search is worse than being in school. Every application is like homework but only way more repetitive. If you do enough homework and get it 100% correct then you can get an interview. Every interview is like an oral exam, the difference is that you automatically fail if the interviewers dont like what they here. The worst part about it all though is all the free time that you have. Most people would kill for some time off...but there is a big difference between a couple weeks of vacation and 5 months of boredom.

Personally I enjoy working. I have been working since I was 14 and have rarely been without a job. I love learning new skills and interacting with people in order to achieve a common goal. I gain a true sense of accomplishment when I can look at something and know that I made that happen or was part of something.

I guess through all my ranting I ll say this. When I get my first job post graduation, I will feel accomplishment. I will have past the ultimate test and will finally be able to move out of the post student purgatory. I m ready for the new challenges that face me in the next chapter of my life.