Life after Graduation: To Work or Not to Work?

All college or university graduates often face this type of dilemma: What's next after graduation? Should I start working after graduation? Would it be smarter to consider pursuing a postgraduate study? Should I put up a business instead? Or take a break before thinking about joining the workforce? Questions like these would always pop up.

But before even thinking of what to do next, the best way to avoid these dilemmas is to prepare before you graduate; get your plans organized and get the right advice from the right people. Getting advice is very important since it's going to be your first time out on the "real world". Experienced and well-informed people are needed to help you weigh out your best options even if you have decided on what to do next. Universities and colleges offer career services where help is obtainable.

If you finally opt to work after graduation after careful thought, then start finding details on job placements and job vacancies. Your college or university career service can assist you with your applications, interview techniques and CVs. Even former graduates can avail of these services. You can as well search for jobs online, in trade journals or in newspapers. If you are curious on what it would be like to work on a specific career, you can always discover them while you're still at the university. Better yet, try volunteering where you can enhance your skills and to give you an early work experience. A previous working experience is one quality that an employer mostly looks into from a resume.

Some might prefer to pursue a postgraduate study after graduating. Before you even consider this, it's essential to think about your options, ideally, at least 18 months before you actually start a postgraduate course. Postgraduate studies are for you if:

· You are interested of studying a more in-depth subject or want that first step to become a part of the academic field.

· You want to qualify for a specific career, helping you to stand out among other job applicants.

But you should also bear in mind that having more degrees doesn't guarantee more money in return. Do not settle for making education as a reason for you to avoid the strenuous task of job hunting. Do not go back to school unless you are certainly sure that you will be able to use what you'll learn to get ahead in the future. Be confident that the investment for studying further will pay off and not just let you end up taking a job that you could have gotten even without the additional degree.

For those who prefer to start their own business after graduation, feel free to consult your university if they're offering support to students and graduates wanting to start a business. They might provide you an option to increase your entrepreneurial skills as part of your course, or giving extra-curricular counsel sessions on starting a business. Some colleges also provide a starting service to guide graduates to get their business to soar. You can always ask your instructor for details.

Lastly, if graduating students still opt to choose taking a break after graduation, then think of what you may be missing out. As the saying goes, "those who delay to play often pay"; potential employers could contact you the soonest if you'll be able to make your presence known earlier to them after you graduate. It may even take weeks or months to get that first job out after college; so the earlier you start, the better.

Although you might feel that rewarding yourself after the hard work of spending years in school is something you deserve. This is reasonable enough, but you should at least organize your career plans before you go off on a break; it might be more difficult to embark on a job search when you choose to set it aside first. You can enjoy taking the time off better once your game plan is already organized. Finally, whenever you feel the need to start looking for a job, make sure you integrate in everything that you've discovered about yourself while having your post-college quest; think of how you can use that knowledge in your future career.

Whatever your choice is, make sure you're happy and satisfied with it. Any path you choose to take that leads you to become a better person is definitely a path worth journeying on.