College Being

You’ve spent the last four (or more) years learning a trade (at least in theory) and now that you’re about to receive your diploma, you may be wondering where you go from here. If you were lucky enough to get an internship, you may have a job waiting for you. Ditto if you’re going into the family business or you happen to be top of your class and graduating from a very pricy law school.

But for the majority of students leaving school with a piece of paper that qualifies them for work, all that awaits is a lot of hustling (application and rejection). This can be pretty tough for the grad that is already burned out from years of study. But is taking a break the right choice (or even feasible)? If you are still contemplating what you’ll do once you throw your mortarboard, then here are a few things to consider before taking time off or gunning for your dream job.

Before you decide whether or not you want to take a break, you need to determine if you have the means to do so.

Many students opt to take whatever meager funds they have left after school to travel, often choosing to backpack around areas that they’ve never seen. Some join the Peace Corps for a year or more as a way to see the world, interact with and help others, and even hone the skills they learned in school in a real-world setting. Some just party it up on the beach for a summer before giving in and seeking a job.

If you’ve got the greenbacks to take a break, and the stress of finals has left you a quivering lump of jelly, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t grab a little R&R before catapulting yourself into the working world. Just remember that the moment you graduate, your student loans mature and you have to start repayment.

Now that you’ve determined whether or not you CAN take a break, it’s time to decide if you SHOULD. Some ex-students will be motivated to get out there and start their lives as a responsible adult, contributing to their own welfare and making the most of their potential. Others will be motivated to sleep in and duck adulthood for as long as possible. Either way, starting to look for a job might not be a bad idea.

Those who are keen to get on the fast track will likely have the tenacity to secure interviews (and employment) quickly. Alternately, grads that are a bit nervous to start their careers will not benefit from putting off the inevitable. In fact, waiting may only make it harder.

If you have a plan of action that involves something other than work that is still somewhat productive (such as travel), then taking a break may reinvigorate you before you start what could be a rather long stint at a job. But if your modus operandi involves drinking beer, munching chips and guacamole, and sleeping until noon so that you can stay up late playing Call of Duty, you should resist the urge to hibernate and get right to the job search.

Brought to you by Indiana Wesleyan University. Indiana Wesleyan University is a great Christian College dedicated to providing a large range of degrees like their collection of world renowned Masters Degrees.

This guest post was written by Leon Harris. Leon Harris writes for Coupon Croc where you can find discount codes for the best in dining and entertainment. Checkout the Thomson discount code for your travel needs.