1. Lack of Experience
Many recent graduates will find that they need work experience to land a certain job but need a job to gain that experience. Even entry-level positions will often require a particular level of experience that most recent graduates will not be able to meet.
This puts the person in a frustrating cycle of being either underqualified or overqualified for the jobs available to them.
For this reason, a lot of recent graduates will start out in jobs that don’t genuinely interest them just to build their resumes for a more promising career in the future. There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with this practice, but it can be discouraging.
2. Adjusting to a New Lifestyle
Whether someone is coming from undergraduate or graduate school, the atmosphere will undoubtedly be different once they’re no longer a student. The shift from college life to work-life can be simultaneously stressful and exciting.
Recent graduates might find themselves moving to a new city, starting a new job, being away from their friends and family for the first time, or feeling unsure about what they want to do with their lives.
The routine of college is mostly straightforward, but the layout of the real world is not. It’s much more open to interpretation, filled with more decisions and responsibility, and has a lot of uncharted territories.
3. Debt
A large number of people will graduate college with some type of student loan debt. The more prestigious the degree, the more debt a person is likely to have. Financial literacy and responsibility become even more important once the graduate enters the workforce and can start to pay back their loans.
At the very same time that these loans are due to be paid back, recent graduates also must worry about other financial pressures like housing costs, transportation, and other essential bills.
With many going into entry-level positions or feeling unsure about their career path, it can quickly become stressful trying to figure out how to pay for everything.
On top of that, a large percentage of recent graduates don’t have many financial skills beyond the basics.
Many schools do not teach even the simplest ideas about money or teach students how to handle their financial matters in the most effective manner.
4. Lack of Interview and Negotiation Skills
For many recent graduates, their first job interview will be their first and only experience with the process.
While some colleges equip students with the tools and tricks for acing an interview, many do not. Students are left with little knowledge of how to confidently approach an interview, whether it be for an entry-level position or their dream career.
On top of that, when recent graduates are able to land the jobs they want, they often don’t know how to negotiate their salary and attain other important benefits.
For this reason, they’re left accepting lower pay than what they’re worth and missing out on the benefits they’d have if they knew how to argue for them.
5. Deciding Between More Schooling or a Career
More and more jobs are requiring advanced degrees and applicants can’t even apply to these jobs unless they meet all the parameters set forth.
Even though someone has a college degree, it may still not be enough to get them the job they desire. On the one hand, it’s tempting to take the first job one can get. After all, the whole point of pursuing higher education is usually to be able to get a good job.
On the other hand, continuing one’s education might be appealing because it feels more comfortable to stay in that environment. It might also feel worth it if someone has certain aspirations that they’re willing to prolong their learning for.
It’s best to consider all the options sooner rather than later so that there aren’t any big resume gaps. A lot of recent graduates end up taking a gap year after graduating, though, so having a large gap in one’s educational path isn’t a deal-breaker.
While recent graduates will face a set of challenges that will be unique to them, there are also many reasons to believe that these hurdles will be in their best interest in the long run. Every obstacle faced will be an opportunity to learn something new, develop resiliency, and ultimately grow.
Recent graduates will also have the chance to establish healthy habits so that they can cope well with the changes life throws their way. Setting boundaries, getting enough sleep each night, and creating the perfect work/life balance will all be vital. Thousands of recent graduates enter new territory each year, so it’s important for them to remember that they are not alone. Adjusting to change is never easy, but it’s always worth it.