Graduating College and Navigating Your Career Path

Welcome to my podcast, The Red Door, where humans share their their stories. Our stories are what bring us together, connect us, and how we feel a little less lonely, giving you the reminder that you are not on this journey by yourself. As a collective, we share emotions and feelings, not the same way, but we each know what anger feels like, frustration, abandonment, insecurity, and what shit is fake or not in alignment with us. It is my mission to provide a platform for you to get vulnerable and share your experiences with the world. There is always at least one person listening who will be transformed by your message. Remember that the next time imposter syndrome pops up and tells you you aren't ready or you aren't good enough. Or that no one cares. Tell that voice to fuck off and then DM me. I'm here for you now and always, not just to hype you up, but to guide you down a path of mindset shifts so you can do the holy shit, this is hard inner work and create the life you love. If you're ready, enter here.

Krissy, I am so excited that we finally get to chat. Can you please tell the listeners where you're from and what you do? I just, I can't wait to jump in this convo.

Yes. Well, thank you for having me. First of all, I'm excited that we were able to connect as well. My name is Krissy. I am from Oklahoma. It's Funny, whenever I meet people from other parts of the country, they're like, I like your accent. And to me it's like, mm, I don't consider Oklahomans to have their own accent, but we are more of a, some people call us Midwest. There's kind of an argument on if we're Midwest or a Southern state, but very heavily country state. So I think that's where the accent kind of comes in, but I work in higher education. Specifically, I work in career services and have been doing this for almost 2 years, but I've worked in higher ed for about 4 years. And I also have a podcast called Bliss with Chris, where I talk about life in your 20s and navigating college careers and just the quarter-life crisis, things that are specific to navigating anything from age 20 to 29. So that's me in a nutshell.

Oh, I love it. I wish I would have found you in my 20s because I needed help. I needed help navigating. Oh my gosh. So let's talk about the quarter-life crisis because I just want to jump right in because I feel like I had it and maybe for different reasons than maybe other people have. So tell me your experience. Like, do people come to you and they're like, what the heck is happening to me?

Honestly, because I work in career services, it's not necessarily what's happening to me is the question, but I do see students. It's kind of interesting, um, most of the students that come in, in my full-time job, they either come in for, um, like, just they don't know where to begin and where to major, what to major in, and so they feel kind of stuck. So it's not like the what am I doing. There may be freshman, sophomore aged or grade level students, and they're getting to a point where they're running out of gen ed to take, and so they pretty much have to declare a major. Um, so I see students on that end, but I also see students that are getting ready to graduate, and sometimes the self-doubt is starting to kick in, and they're really just like, I honestly just finished this degree even though I didn't like it, or I don't see myself working in the field that I just spent time and money and energy on studying. And so I see those students and they're kind of freaking out because like they feel like just because they're not using their degree that college was a waste of time for them. In reality, I don't feel like it was a waste completely. Yes, they're not going to be using their degree probably in the sense that they thought they originally were going to use it for, but I'm sure they have gained like transferable skills such as public public speaking, organization that they could use in whatever career they end up afterwards. So, um, I guess to answer your question, I do kind of get that, get that in my office, but it's more, um, of course, career-driven.

Yeah. So how do you help them navigate that? Like if somebody comes in, they're like, uh, just finished this degree, don't want to do this. Now what do I do? Like what, how do you help them?

Yes. So we talk about their interests first because I think it's good to know not only what you like, but also, you know, what you don't like because of this experience you're having right now with not liking your degree. So I think those two things are very important to know. But I feel like when students and really anybody, when you ask them what they're interested in, they are more than likely happy to talk about their interests. So just to kind of get the conversation going in a more positive light. So we start with interest first and then kind of asking— I like to ask, you know, in a perfect world, no rules, no like qualifying yourself, what would your ideal career be in? Because I think sometimes we limit ourselves and we're like, well, I can't do this because X, Y, Z. And really when you ask that question, I feel like students will answer pretty honestly. So, um, that gives me a good talking, talking point to point them maybe in different industries that align with both their interests and like their— if nothing was an issue. Um, so really kind of just talking through with them, um, because I think sometimes you get a lot of like gold nuggets when you have these conversations with students because they're scared to maybe tell somebody else. Maybe their friends and family would— they'd feel like they'd be judging them. And so I don't take lightly what I do, um, because I get to hear those things, and sometimes that's the first time that they've said some of the things out loud to someone, um, and not just in their head. So honestly, it's just asking them, you know, what do you like? We know what you don't like right now. So what do you like? And honestly, what do you see yourself doing? And don't put the limits on yourself.

Yeah, 100%. I think that that was one reason why I was hesitant to continue with school, because I went through 2 years and was like, I still don't know, like, what I want to do. I love geology and I love education and I really love Spanish. Like, hey, let's move to Costa Rica for a while. Like, there was so many different thoughts and things that I wanted to do. But then on the other hand, I had cousins who were older than me and one cousin who had gotten her master's and then she was like, ugh, don't even like this career field at all. And she felt like, what had I just done, you know, for 6 or 7 years and then now I'm just not going to use it. And so I think that I watched several close people in my life go through that. And I was like, well, maybe I'll just instead enter the workforce and just kind of test it out for a while and see what I'm good at and what I do enjoy doing. I know that that's kind of backwards. But finally now, like in my early 30s, I'm like, okay, like I really do know what I'm good at. And looking back over the past decade, I can see that no matter what career I was in, those skills I used in all of, in all of those, uh, in those jobs. And so I think kind of like what you were saying, like, let's talk about what you like doing and let's, let's talk about transferable skills, which I also working as a freelancer or remotely, like, I really like to tell people that anything you've done for the most part is totally transferable to the online and digital world. Would you say that you've like come across that kind of stuff where people are like, how can I change like this into this? And they're like, it feels like there's no connection, but you somehow make it work.

Yes, definitely. Um, so I think one thing, one group of students I work with in particular is education students. So everything from early childhood through, um, secondary education. And I think Something that's interesting that's happened in the education space is that since you have— you can teach basically anything. So once you become a certified teacher, you have the skill set to teach, um, and also make curriculum and assess learning. Like, all these things you learn, um, in your college experience are transferable to— I'm seeing a lot of teachers now they either do it as a side hustle or they completely leave their job in teaching and just start their own business. And I see them either doing tutoring services, which that I'm sure came in clutch when COVID hit and parents were like, I can't teach my kids, like I don't have the patience or I just don't have that knowledge, or just whatever the case might be. So some teachers have now opened up their own tutoring services. I've seen more experienced teachers that have been in the classroom for a while become like educational consultants. Um, there's also a growing trend, and this was before COVID for, um, teachers from the US to leave and teach internationally. So that's just specifically within the education space. But I say this because most people think like, oh, you're majoring in elementary 'Oh, you have a major education, so you're stuck to become a classroom teacher, right?' And it's like, no, that's not the case anymore. So yeah, I am seeing some trends of people using their degree in a non-traditional way, but because they had the transferable skills, that's how they were able to kind of make that pivot and do something else.

I love that. Let's talk about this year in particular and some of the struggles that you've seen with students, especially with COVID and like online learning versus in-person learning. And oh my gosh, I— the only experience I have had with like an older student is I have a close friend. Well, I actually nannied their kids when I was in college, and now their babies are graduating for college. And so I was visiting with the oldest, and he was like, it's so weird. I don't even know like what to look for. I don't even know like to— should I be excited for college? Like, I don't know, I'm just graduating high school and I haven't even been in person with like anybody. So what have you seen this year at the college level as far as like how it's affected students and learning and planning?

Yes, I honestly feel like because we were forced into it, um, just kind of super quick. It seemed like overnight we went from in-person to virtual. And I think part of the struggle with being forced into it versus you having the choice to take online classes are— is that most people that take online classes usually are older, non-traditional students that kind of know how to discipline themselves enough in order to be able to take online classes. Because basically you are pretty teaching yourself in an online class, honestly. Like, you know, you might have the lecture or whatever the case might be from the instructor, but it's up to you to take ownership and like putting in the work that goes into it. Whereas most traditional college students that went straight from high school into college, they were not— they're used to, I would say, the hand-holding kind of that you got in high school, like your teachers would. Remind you constantly, like, don't forget to turn this assignment in on this day. And things were pretty much laid out for them already. And so when you go from in-person to online as a younger student, it can get really overwhelming really quick, especially when you're taking multiple classes at the same time that are online. Um, so I feel like students were really overwhelmed this past year and some months that we've been in this pandemic. And as a result, um, I think students' mental health definitely has been a challenge over the past year because I feel like once you get so far behind in a class where it's almost like, is it even possible to catch back up and get a passing grade, much less don't even like try to aim for A or B anymore, like just passing the class. And so I think students, um, I've seen it the most this past year, the most students that just got so overwhelmed and ended up either just dropping out or withdrawing or sadly getting Fs. But it was mostly because they didn't do any work. And when you go back and look at their previous semesters, they're A/B students. So it was just like You know, something clearly happened. And so, yeah, to sum that up, I'd say just overwhelm and, um, exhaustion. And of course, mental health challenges like depression and anxiety is what I've seen the most this past year.

Yeah, I think it's so hard to even imagine what these college and high school, elementary— anybody who's been in school has gone through, because thinking about my high school and college experience, like, I lived for in-person connection and classes. I mean, I still do, but I, I mean, it, like you said, when you take online classes— so as an adult, when I was taking online classes, it's totally different. Like, I already now have a schedule, I know how to block time, like, I know how to turn in my assignments, but my first couple years of college, I needed the in-person classroom. I needed those lectures. I needed to be participating. I needed to be sitting in class at 9 PM. Like, I— so I, I think that it's difficult for people who, you know, graduated years ago to even have any clue the mental health that goes into that. And also like the planning. Okay, so now say that you are graduating with your degree, and you've been at home for a year, like, how can you help these college grads prepare for the real world? Like you had said, like, oh my gosh, everything is so different once you graduate. And it is the real world, unless you already have kind of had experience, if you've been working, if you've been putting yourself out there, but our world has been different. So how can you help them navigate through Okay. What can I expect? How can I prepare myself? How do I get ready? Um, and really what can I expect? Like, are we, are our jobs, have you heard, are they like fully, is it normal hiring situations? Like, what is it even like?

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Yeah, well, of course it depends on the industry that you're in. So I mentioned I work with education, that's one of the majors I work with. Um, so there's always going to be a need for teachers whether we're in person versus virtual. So, um, I feel pretty safe to say that people that are going into the education space, you know, they're good. Your job might look a little different in the fall, but you're I feel like— I feel safe to say that there's going to be job openings out there right now. Other industries such as, um, like I think of aviation, where I think we're just now starting to trickle back to traveling. And so yeah, we'll slowly but surely start seeing more like aviation and whatever other industry I'm thinking of, um, hospitality, all of those industries that were severely impacted by COVID. Um, I think they'll slowly trickle, trickle back to normal over the next— I would say the rest of the year. But I'm not quite sure what to think about retail now, to be honest with you. Um, because I think we've kind of gotten used to shopping online. Um, even when I went to the store, I would say a month ago, and wanted to try something on, dressing rooms were still like not open. So I'm just like, okay, I kind of just would rather shop online because I can at least try it on at home and ship it back rather than go to the store, buy them, try them on, and then have to go through the return process. Even though it's not that hard, it's just the thought of it, you know. So I would say my advice to students that are graduating this year, or even if you graduated in 2020, um, just, I would say, be flexible and open to maybe not getting something that you originally thought you would be doing after you graduated. But also knowing, um, I know this is gonna not sound good, but you're competing against a lot of other people that have lost jobs as well, and not just your graduating class. So also keep that in mind, that if your job process— job search process takes longer than what you expected, I know it sucks, but you know, that's part of the reason why it might take longer than, you know, what you thought it would originally. So just, I would say, be patient. No one knows what the next, honestly, rest of the year is going to be like, and so just kind of roll with the punches as they go. But I would say don't take that as an excuse to relax. And, you know, you want to have your resume and interviewing skills ready to go so that when the opportunity does open up, that you're ready to go and not having to scramble. So I'd say it takes time to prepare, but also be gentle with yourself because I know that the saying is, um, job searching is a full-time job. In itself. And so be patient with yourself in the process because it does take a lot of energy. Um, but also just be a little bit prepared. I would say be prepared also and don't just use that as an excuse to just take your foot off of the gas, right?

No, I— that was really great advice. I think too, for me, anytime that I was looking for a job if I just sent out like 1,000 resumes that weren't, you know, very like customizable or personalized, I felt like it was almost more energy than it was to just pick out like 5 extremely aligned positions and like personalize it, be familiar, and then send those out. I feel like that almost worked better for me. Can you speak to that at all? Like, does that happen? Or do you get feedback?

Um, so before, when I was actually in college, I just thought it was okay just to send the same resume. I would change my cover letters up if the job required a cover letter for the application. But then once I got old enough to realize in grad school, um, I think it was our career services that told us this, you want to customize your resume and cover letter for each opportunity, because I think people can read through and see like, this person is just kind of vague, right? And so if you want to stand out, you want to make it more custom and tailored to the people that you're talking to, right? And so I would say also another thing that will help you stand out is, um, you'd be surprised at how many people don't send like a thank you note or email. After they interview. And so I think the more you can make it a more personable experience for the people that are interviewing you, I think the more you can stand out. So to answer your question, yes, I think it's better to take the time to customize each, each of your application materials for each job that you're applying for. So I think that also helps you to narrow down your search because I think sometimes we get— we feel like we have to panic and apply for any and everything. And when you narrow down and focus in on the top jobs you actually feel like you would like and would be happy doing, I feel like that makes it a better job search process than like putting that pressure on yourself to just apply for anything you see that's open. So yeah, totally, girl.

I don't even know how I would apply for an in-person job anymore because I've been online now for 4 years that I'm like, how would I even— like, what do you even do? Do you still print out a resume? Do you send it over?

Like, I don't know.

And I think it's so— maybe not easy, but I think it's way more accessible to find like an online business owner, right? And do like a deep dive internet search on them. You can literally like look at their Instagram, their website, like all these things, and then you can really curate like a very personalized outreach. Whereas I feel like sometimes companies can be a little bit more like, maybe the information about the CEO or the person who's going to be hiring you isn't out there as much. And so when you go in, you can't be like super prepared. Whereas I've legit landed clients before because I'm like, oh my gosh, you listen to Tenacious D? So do I. And they're like, oh my gosh, great. And so I think that any like research you can do that's really personalized will totally, like you said, help you stand out. Or even just sending a thank you note, like, it was so great meeting with you, I love this, this, and this, blah blah blah, it was so great, call me, hire me, bye. But yeah, I, I love that you, that you mentioned the, the personalized touch of a thank you note, because I think that I didn't know that when I was in college and like applying for jobs. I didn't even honestly think that I took like the 2 weeks notice seriously because I didn't know, like I didn't understand why, like I didn't understand like respect or like I was still learning those things. And so it's like, right, I'm— I found another job, bye, you know. So I think that it's like, it's so important to have somebody like you can lead who can lead you into this new journey, this new life with like all of these tips. I love that. I— it's so awesome and it's probably fulfilling. Like, do you absolutely love what you do?

I do. It has been a challenge doing everything virtually the last year, but I do love what I do. I'm excited for when students can actually meet in person, um, because I don't know, I just feel like there's nothing can replace face-to-face interaction, of course. But I, I mean, I still enjoy what I do, um, and it is fulfilling, like, because I think at the end of the day, people go to college to get a job of some sort. And so it feels good to help students, like, just— I feel like my, um, office is the bridge between, like, them graduating and entering the real world or the workforce. And so it's cool to kind of be that, that bridge between like the academic side of college and like what they actually came to college for. Because 9 times out of 10, students go to college to earn a degree so that they can get a job. You have some people that probably just do it for fun, but most people don't do that these days. So it is fulfilling.

Oh, I love that. Okay, to wrap this up, what Advice or words of encouragement do you have, especially for those graduating this year through this crazy year that we've had? Like, what are some like pick-me-up or hype-up words that you can give?

Yeah, well, I'll just go with what first came to mind, and yes, that is to give yourself grace. Um, don't like, just don't be hard on yourself because, like I said earlier, none of us have ever been in a situation of a pandemic before, and so we don't know what to expect, right? I think that's what's hard about, um, especially graduating now, is it's hard to even see past like a month out, much less a year out. And so if you find that you are not landing something as fast as you think you would, or even like, I know a lot of people had to move back home with either parents or relatives or whatever the case might be in order to save up money. And so don't be hard on yourself if you have to stay home a little bit longer just so that you can save up money to move out. So, um, we have literally, I feel like, been in survival mode this last year. And so it's okay to not feel like you're thriving right now. I'm sure you're doing the best you can. And so I hope you practice self-care and give yourself grace during this time because I mean, eventually it will get better or normal or whatever you want, however you want to look at it, but it might just take a little bit longer.

Yes. Self-care. It's okay to wait. It's okay to just take your time. 100% agree. Thank you so, so much. I love this. I love everything that you had to say. It was amazing.

Oh, thank you. Thank you so much for having me again.

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