9 Keys to Success After Graduation

A recent article in the New York Times entitled “Kids These Days” caught my attention. The article talks about how young people in this generation are willing to take greater risks which may make them experience greater successes.

Bill Gates was 20 years old, Steve Jobs was 21, JK Rowling was 25, Warren Buffet was 26 – do you know that these famous people started their business or companies when they were all 20-somethings and even Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook when he was only 19?

So, fresh graduates don’t limit yourself to opportunities or underestimate your ability.

Here are the 9 key ideas that graduates should keep in mind:

1)      Accept changes. As Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will change your beliefs, but at least you have the options to open to new ideas.

2)      Be open-minded. When you open your mind, you will free yourself to explore new opportunities! To quote Alexander Graham Bell, “When one door closes, another opens.”

3)      Trials make us better, not bitter. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill. We experience failures along the way – low grades in a course at school or even rejected job applications. The key is to tolerate those failures and learn what can be learned from them. If Thomas Edison hadn’t failed, he might not have become one of the most well-known innovators!

4)      Be creative and innovative. Leverage your talent and creativity to build an awesome career.

5)      Get a mentor – having someone guide and inspire you with wisdom and experiences is always better. Check out my previous blog, Mentor Your Way, to learn more about how to get your perfect match.

6)      You already have a full-time job - job hunting. Be sure to stay positive and keep up the faith. It is about how well you prepare and how motivated you are to get ready for the job market.

7)      Polish up your resume and cover letter. If you need help, contact Career Services at 778.782.3106 to make an appointment with any of our Career Peers or Career Advisors.

8)      Get connected and network. Use alumni events for networking and use LinkedIn to increase your online presence.

9)      Develop your “soft skills”. Good soft skills will help you stand out in the highly competitive corporate world.

I leave you with a quote by Walt Disney - “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Best of luck, and congratulations to the class of 2013! An exciting chapter of your life awaits for you!

Jeannie Chong is a Special Projects Assistant with SFU Career Services, and a fourth year student studying communications and publishing. Jeannie also volunteers at a radio station, spends time doing crafts and Chinese calligraphy, and loves to indulge her sweet tooth.Lead image adapted from a creative-commons licensed photo by Michael Carian on Flickr.