Finishing College , pretty confused - what next?

G86

Hey Guys, I'm hoping some of you might have some advice for me here, I'm just a little confused as to where I'm at right now.

I'm in my final 3 weeks of college - flat out with revision and stressed to the max - but really happy to be finishing at long last too. See, I took the long way; I took a year out after school to save for col and then two years out in between to save for final year as I couldn't get a grant for it. The thing is that because of all that I've always had one goal in mind - to get my degree in Media Management, and now that I nearly have it I just don't know where I go next.

All of my exp is in sales, mainly advertising, and I've had 3 interviews this week which went well enough. I'm also writing a few articles for a publishing company in the UK for some extra cash, its what I enjoy doing to be honest, probably my ideal job. I've gone for the ad sales jobs because the Media just isn't an easy industry to get into right now, and I have a 10k student loan to get paid off too, so thats taking priority. But lately people have been asking me why I'm not doing something related to what I studied, and its made me wonder what use my degree really is to me. I've worked so hard to get this far and now it seems it hasn't got me anywhere at all

I guess I'm a wee bit down too as I've been ill a fair bit the last while, but I think this has kind of been building up over the last few months to be honest, I just feel a bit lost. I've studied areas such as HR, Marketing and Project Management in my degree and I'd love to get into one of those fields even - but it seems impossible without at least 3 or 4 years exp. I love writing, but to be honest I'm happy with the freelance at the moment, I don't think there's any chance of getting into the Journalism field in Irelan at the moment. Although I am going to send my portfolio to a few Irish companies once I finish up in college and see what happens there.

I don't even know if I want to get into a career straight away, I definitely want to travel, but its going to be at least a year before I get the loan paid off.

I guess I'd just like to know if anyone else has been in the same boat?

Thanks

star-pants

Hey there,

I'm not sure how much help this is - but figured I'd try!
I did a 4 year degree in Galway in Earth Science (geology). And as with your area it's not the easiest to just walk into out of college. What myself and a friend did was work for nearly a year saving up, we went to western Australia (most geology on that side) and looked for work. We did get some here and there, did some travel in between. I got sick and homesick so I had to leave after 4months, but my friend stayed on out there. It's nearly 3 years later and she's still working out there, she's been home a few times & has gotten so much experience out there.

I however due to a number of reasons haven't really been able to pursue my course (I'm now 25) but I am looking at perhaps another course to take my life in a different direction.

So I guess, I know how you feel, you're working your whole time towards that goal of your degree and all your energy / focus goes there. So when you actually get it you don't know what to be doing. But that's normal Not all of us know exactly what to do.
You say you have a loan to pay off / that you don't want a career job just yet. So perhaps you could continue writing for the moment / building up your portfolio and start trying to get into HR /other areas by starting in reception or junior admin for one of these areas. Don't give up on the journalism either - keep trying you never know.

A friend of mine has done a degree in Arts, then a masters in journalism, did a year in that, realised it wasn't what she really wanted and is taking the Bar (doing law) but having to take time out to build up funds like you did. She's 29 ish.

So basically there's no rush, I know that you feel people are expecting you to be someone or doing something precisely in your field but things don't always work that way. It's usually a few steps before you get what you really want. But keep your goals of what you want and you'll find your way there. Taking a year out to pay off loans/ get more experience is fine - I wouldn't worry about not being in a 'career' job just yet. You may also get bits of experience in HR or Journalism with a newspaper/tv in the mean time and see if you really like those aspects. Once you start to build up experience you'll be better able to judge where you'd like to go.

So give yourself a break hun

(hope that helped somewhat -sorry if it didn't!)

G86

Thanks for the reply

I guess that I just always knew where I was heading with my life, and now it feels strange not having that direction, you know?

I've taken so many years out already before and while in college - I just feel like another year of nothing would be a waste almost. But I guess if I'm using it to pay off my loans and save for travelling then there's a reason for it really..

mikemac

star-pants wrote: »

A friend of mine has done a degree in Arts, then a masters in journalism, did a year in that, realised it wasn't what she really wanted and is taking the Bar (doing law) but having to take time out to build up funds like you did. She's 29 ish.

I hope your friend knows she being spending a law deviling which is unpaid and then the next few years trying to build a business.
Tough times, good luck with that

sardineta

A big issue in Britain is the number of poor quality graduates coming out of third-rate 'universities' with worthless degrees, largely due to the mission to get 50% of school leavers to graduate.

From my experience in both (finance) industry and recruitment, you may want to consider taking a degree in Maths, Physics or Engineering, now that you know you have the capability to complete a course of study. FWIW a further year out, in combination with Media Management will not best serve you in your efforts to find a job, let alone a career.

G86

My degree is from DCU, and I've worked my ass off to get it, its not third rate. My work for the UK company is freelance, I live in Dublin.

I appreciate where you're coming from but there isn't any point in me doing Maths etc - I was terrible at those subjects - English was always my best subject. I can't go back to study now as I cant afford it, I have to start paying this loan off in July.

I'm sorry if that sounds defensive but what you're telling me is that the work I've done over the past 5 years to get this far has been for nothing.

sardineta

Well done for the completion, it is an achievement. The key here is if you don't know what you want or are able to do with it, then yes, you may have wasted that time.

RedXIV

sardineta wrote: »

Well done for the completion, it is an achievement. The key here is if you don't know what you want or are able to do with it, then yes, you may have wasted that time.

Any degree, no matter in what field, is not a waste of time. You may not want to follow the career you've chosen to study but you'll have a degree which in itself will add weight to your CV.

OP i'm right there with you, About to finish a 4 year course in a few weeks and it's the first time i won't have a life goal be it "do a leaving cert", "get a weekend job for college" or "get a degree" and to be honest i can't wait to get out. I've had so much pressure on me for years that i can't wait to take a job just to pay the bills for a while. I haven't sat down and had a guilt free night of playing video games in YEARS. Everytime i come on boards i get a nagging feeling in the back of my head telling me that i should be doing some work. I'm so tired of feeling guily that i'm really excited about finishing college to actually figure out what i want to do with my life.

My advice is take the time to really, REALLY think about what you want to do. you've your whole life ahead of you, you don't need a goal as soon as you leave college

CDfm

Publishing and advertising sales is not a soft job.

You have balls and it will stand to you.

Best of Luck

upmeath

OP don't mind Sardineta, there's a great sense of satisfaction and achievement in completing your course, and its something to be proud of.
I finished a course in architecture last June and came out to a building industry that collapsed before my eyes in the last six months of my study. So I'm going to have to bide time and I've adapted, I'm currently using my degree to teach science and technical drawing.
Times are bad, there might not be a lot of work going in your field of expertise, but my thinking is that if potential employers see on your CV that you can adapt to and survive the hard times they'll value your resourcefulness and efficiency when they're hiring again when times are good.

G86

Thanks for the replies everyone . I know I just need to figure it out, and thats just going to take time I guess. I've been rushing for the past 5 years - it won't kill me to slow down for a while.

RedX1V - I know exactly what you mean about just not being able to relax. Even if I'm sitting down watching Lost I'm thinking about what work I should be doing instead, if I go out for a drink I'm thinking about what I've to do the next day. Its my birthday this week and I've decided to stay in and head out after the exams instead because even if I just went out for dinner I'd feel like I was wasting study time.

Upmeath - Thanks for that, its good to know that its not just me and other people with completely different degrees are in similar situtations.

CDfm - You're right there But I do enjoy it, I loved my old ad sales job, I just somehow feel like I'm going backwards by going back to that area.

CDfm

G86 wrote: »

CDfm - You're right there But I do enjoy it, I loved my old ad sales job, I just somehow feel like I'm going backwards by going back to that area.

No you are not -you are using a skill you have to get in the door and one your classmates dont have. Very important in the curent climate.

And dont give away the seperations for free

star-pants

RedXIV wrote: »

My advice is take the time to really, REALLY think about what you want to do. you've your whole life ahead of you, you don't need a goal as soon as you leave college

Exactly - most of us haven't a clue what to do, it's tough suddenly not having a known goal, but take your time and make sure you go the direction you want.

G86 wrote: »

CDfm - You're right there But I do enjoy it, I loved my old ad sales job, I just somehow feel like I'm going backwards by going back to that area.

CDfm wrote: »

No you are not -you are using a skill you have to get in the door and one your classmates dont have. Very important in the curent climate.

Exactly - you're not going backwards. I've had to rely on my receptionist/customer service skills to get jobs in between and I've good experience there. So even if it's only to build up some cash to give me time to think, it's still good.

G86

CDfm wrote: »

No you are not -you are using a skill you have to get in the door and one your classmates dont have. Very important in the curent climate.

And dont give away the seperations for free

Ah now, it was only to refer to each post

Thanks though for the positive viewpoint, I needed to hear one!


(smileys are free this time!)

CDfm

G86 wrote: »

Ah now, it was only to refer to each post

Thanks though for the positive viewpoint, I needed to hear one!


(smileys are free this time!)

You are welcome - anyone who can sell advertising is gutsy and to make a living out of it shows a person can make it in a tough business:cool:

LegacyUser

Hey OP,

I'm in the same boat as yourself. It's scary sh1t!

A few weeks left and I'm finished for good. No work lined up as of yet and a bit of debt following me!

Try not to think of it most of the time, I'm only 21 and I know it's stupid but I feel like the best days of my life are over. Maybe they should call it a quarter life crisis.

Just keep the head up, something will have to happen!

G86

wooooooo I have an interview lined up this week with a paper Its still ad sales but if I get it it'll be a foot in the door at least! Its tomorrow - which is my birthday too lol, fingers crossed...

star-pants

Good luck with all of that

upmeath

Best of luck, let us know how you get on

G86

Woooo I got called back for a second interview!! There were nearly 30 interviewees and 5 got call backs for next week. It went really well, she said she thought I’d really fit in there and she was really sound, so fingers crossed for Monday. Oh and she also said I might get some subby work in the paper too!

Wooooo man I really really want it!! (hence the ridiculous amount of exclamations marks!) I’m really cheered up now, thanks guys.

Kevster

Hi,

I'm just reading all of this now but I'm also worried about finding work when I finish up in a few weeks. However, I think that the mere fact that you are worrying about finding worek will spur you on to do everything you can to find it! know what I mean? There will be others in your course who are probably taking a lax attitude to it all.

Anyway, best of luck - don't give up and keep applying to places.

Kevin

G86

Ah thanks, yeah see I’ve always been a worrier, I’m the type that starts assignments the day I get them and then finds something wrong with them last min and starts all over again! I started working on my thesis lit review last week, and I’m still at it, other people in my class are only starting it now and its due tues – its pure sickening but I’m just a perfectionist I guess! The only prob is that means sometimes I’m under a serious amount of pressure because of it.

Aw man I just can’t wait to get the exams over, it was my birthday night out last night and even then I couldn’t relax! Anyway thanks a mil guys your posts cheered me up no end

Grá

SeekUp

G86 wrote: »

I've taken so many years out already before and while in college - I just feel like another year of nothing would be a waste almost. But I guess if I'm using it to pay off my loans and save for travelling then there's a reason for it really..

Just one more note -- as someone who felt like they floundered a bit after college and graduate school, I've had to learn not to view alternate plans as a "waste" of time. While it's important to get some stability and experience under your belt (and cash in your bank account!), it takes time - sometimes a lot of it - to figure out what fits into your life, and how it fits. Sometimes we all get in so much of a rush to get somewhere that we forget that it's okay to take some time and figure out the best way to get there . . . which is pretty important too.

Happy belated birthday!