As I come to an end of my undergraduate degree at Cardinal Stritch University, bittersweet is the feeling that comes to mind. I must say goodbye to the life and community I’ve come to love the past four and a half years, but I look towards the future and all it has to offer. There was a period of time this past semester where I felt panicked, stressed, and ultimately unprepared: I was looking for a job in my field post-graduation.

The “real world” as us college kids like to call it, is this elusive environment that has always been put in the back of our minds as we enjoy our college years. But in our last semesters of college, we are suddenly forced with the realization that we need to find a job, support ourselves, and put our degree to use. Our Career Services can only do so much to prepare and give us the necessary tools; it’s up to us to go out and get hired.

Through the process, I learned quite a bit about interviewing, applications, and what it’s like to work in today’s economy. I think that it’s important for me to share what I learned as a 2016 graduate with a recent job offer.

Employers are not going to come to you.

This was also something I had to learn. In college, you are constantly complimented and rewarded for the work you’ve done. You build relationships with faculty and staff, and you become comfortable. That’s not how this job hunt is going to go. These employers don’t know who you are, what you can do, or why you’re the perfect fit, even if you think so. Employers will not be fighting over you; you’re going to be fighting other applicants for their attention. You’re going to have to learn how to market yourself, a lot.

You won’t hear back from everyone.

I applied to 45 jobs. Yes, you read that right. Forty-five jobs, three companies contacted me for interviews, and eleven companies replied with rejections. You won’t hear back from everyone, and you won’t get an interview for every job you apply for. It’s all part of the process, and don’t feel discouraged.

It’s going to take a lot of time and waiting.

Patience is a virtue, and that is no exception when applying for jobs, which is a full-time job in itself. Hearing back from companies can take weeks, and the whole process can even take months. Once again, it’s all part of the process. If it is the job that you are meant to have, then it will be yours, no matter how long you have to wait. Waiting to hear back brought a lot of stress and anxiety, but there will be no better feeling than getting that call or email with your employer offering you a job.

When one chapter is closing, and we are eagerly anticipating the turn of the page, so much can happen in those moments of the page flip. In the few months of applying for jobs, I learned an immense amount of knowledge not only about the work force, but myself as a qualified candidate. My best advice to you, whether you are 22 or 42, is to be confident in the work you have done, and in yourself. There is a job that you are fit to carry out, and you will be successful and happy. It may take a little time, but all good things in life do.