It is that time of the year, students receiving their final grades and classification on what they have been working on for 3-4 years. For the majority it is a journey which you began as a teenager seeing the end to your juvenile years, developing you into a young adult now into your early twenties ready to become a fully functioning member of society. A transition marked by a single lavish ceremony simply known as graduation! A joyful time to reminisce and celebrate with family, class mates, friends and tutors for those who made it this far, a time to cross over to the next chapter of your lives but the most important question is what lies ahead?

Well the answer to that starts with the actual reason why you enrolled at university in the first place and for that there is no one answer, however a common binding factor for all who attend university is to advance in life, whether professionally or personally.

After graduation you will inevitably be faced with the decision of what industry to take your career path down, whether you stick with what you studied or seek pastures new? When it comes to industries to look out for, the major ones include the financial, marketing, sales, and engineering industries; but an industry of great importance internationally that is often overlooked by many is translation services. For those who are able to speak different languages can use this to their advantage and work on freelance basis. Other roles such as graphics designers or animators also present similar opportunities to work on a freelance basis giving you more time to relax and enjoy a less stressed working environment.

The hope for most is that a university degree will help you advance from one stage to another. Some attend university in order to follow a direct career path such as accountancy or Law, others attend to acquire knowledge about business in order to start their own ventures. One thing is certain there are things to take into consideration once the fun of graduating is over.

1. You need a job: Once you have graduated the number one thing which is on people’s minds is what they are going to do next? Where will they work? Who will employ them? This question is one which should be asked from before signing up to go to university. It is important to know why you are doing your degree and where it will get you. This helps to focus on your goals, know what is expected of you by your future employers in terms of degree requirements whether 2.1 or first and what experience is needed to get that position.

2. Interviews, lots of interviews: As far as interviews go all graduates after competing their studies should be able to attend interviews with confidence, after all your years of hard work may get you an interview, however if you cannot communicate what you have to offer to your future employer effectively then your years of experience will hold no value in an interview instance. The best way is to research, prepare and practice as much as you can.

3. No, No, No: With the competitiveness for graduate jobs still at a high not everyone will be able to get into their specific job role requirements and graduates should prepare themselves to hear the word no. With this graduates should not be discouraged but continue to pursue their passion until they get there. You cannot give up until you have tried all possible avenues to get to where you want to be and in doing so you will find what you want so giving up should not be an option.

4. Learn to budget/save: You are not a student anymore, you need to save, you cannot rely on your student loans or grants anymore, what you work for is what you get. For many ex-students you will be moving back in with your parents and hoping to one day live on your own having experienced that during your university years. Saving is key in ensuring you achieve that goal of being independent and living on your own.

5. Freedom: Graduation to some, can be seen as a sign of freedom at least temporarily. For those choosing to venture on travelling whether short or long term may feel a sense of freedom without any commitments. This is the perfect time to see another side of the world and get to learn about yourself whilst having fun and meeting new people. For those worried about the prospect of travelling not looking as though they are working and as something holding them back from work experience compared to their peers who go into work straight away, do not be discouraged because employers actually value travelling as good experience. Another point to add on to this is whilst you are on your travels try and do some voluntary work whether it is working with underprivileged children or teaching English abroad, if possible try and squeeze this into your time travelling as this may not only advance your career prospects after graduating but also help you grow as a person.

Despite it being a tough job market always stay driven and motivated to succeed and you will get to where you want. Do not be shy of hard work and follow your dreams whether you dream of becoming an entrepreneur or working in a specific industry, do not pick a path only because it pays well. Think about whether you will be happy doing what you will be doing 5 days a week. Take this time to reflect on where you have been, where you are and where you want to be and most of all enjoy these moments.