After college, many think they are ready to tackle the world and can do anything they want. You should be able to get the best job, and become independent especially because we are all now highly educated and have the ability to make a difference in the world, right? Now, adults weren’t completely wrong when they told us this, however, they might have not have given us the whole story. Upon graduating from college, I moved back home, got an internship to gain more experience, and I have to say that it isn’t anything like the movies make it out to be. Where is my perfect job where I get paid a boatload of money so I can have my one bedroom apartment in the East Village? What the adults in our life failed to tell us was that it takes time to get the things you want and everyone has to go through different paths in life to eventually get their dream job. It doesn’t matter what path you decide to take now, as long as you’re happy and learn from your experiences, then you are a successful college graduate.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter that I didn’t land my dream job right away, because I have learned a lot from my internship and have completed tasks that I could only dream were possible. I am proud to say that I am working on a web series about the organization; I have completed videos for the CEO and directors, and various tasks outside of video production. I have gained strong connections and continue to work with various staff members on my resume, cover letters, and conducting mock interviews.
Yes, I am doing this work for free, but I have been paid in various other ways that I believe are far better than money. There’s a reason that the majority of my debt doesn’t need to start being paid off until 6 months after graduation. I could never have imagined that the Head of HR would come to my desk and ask if I needed some help on my resume and cover letters. This help alone has allowed me to feel more confident about my application and has taught me how to communicate the responsibilities I have completed in a professional manner. Not only to mention that I have attended a METs Game at Citi Field for free, along with various events and parties where I am able to interact with the staff.
You might also be wondering how they haven’t offered me a full-time position, yet, since they seem to enjoy the work I am doing. That’s the main issue with non-profits, they hire only when a position is absolutely needed. However, that’s also the main reason that so many staff members are going out of their way to make sure that I get a job soon. They don’t want me to continue working for free. They assure me that I can limit my hours if I feel overwhelmed by applications, and if I need any assistance to email them. They have provided me with a stable foundation, where I can continue to learn and expand my knowledge on the various aspects of a non-profit organization.
Most of my friends have either decided to attend graduate school, wait until they find a paying job, or are continuing to jump from part time job to part time job, and all of those paths are respectable because they are happy with their choices. They understand and respect that we all have different priorities that dictate the path we decided to take. The only thing we can hope for is that we are all having fun and enjoying our experiences equally. There’s no such thing as slaying postgraduate life, only celebrating the small successes that you hope will lead to the big and grand moments in our lives.
