What next?

One of the best things about college is that it provides so many options for the future. Developer, scientist, professor, banker, salesman and what not. All are feasible possibilities when we graduate. There is so much choice.

Too many choices however, can make for a difficult decision. Even worse, we may not know all that’s available to choose from. So here’s a first attempt on your broad choices after college. We’ll look at details in other posts. Feel free to pursue one or more or none.

In general, there are 4 things to do after college;

1. Study some more
2. Get a job
3. Work for yourself
4. Do nothing

Let’s look at them one by one.

1. Study some more aka “Higher Education”

It is probably never a bad thing to study for another degree and there are many students who believe in this. Higher education gives you the chance to specialize in a field (e.g. bio-mechanics), get grounding in a completely different field (e.g. financial engineering) or gives you a few more years of protection before going out in to the world.

As an engineer, the gatekeepers for further studies are most likely to be GATE, GRE and CAT. Like all competitive exams, you will do well to start early with your preparations for these. In addition to these, there are recent trends indicating student preferences for universities in Europe – France, Switzerland, Scandinavia etc.

While there are a number of options for higher education, some student inevitably want to do all of them – at the same time! You probably think it is a great way to hedge your future by studying for GATE, GRE and CAT at the same time. Well, it’s not. Try to think about what interests you and then talk to your contacts about them. It is all too easy to miss the big picture when you’re cramming word lists and studying digital electronics at the same time.

Prioritize, prioritize and prioritize!

2. Get a job aka “Campus / Off campus”

One of the great things about finishing college is the ability to go out and fend for ourselves. We do this with a job that pays enough for rent, food and the occasional extravagance (like a Rs. 34,999 Nokia E90 Communicator). Campus / off-campus interviews are key for this.

Getting a job is not about how much you know, rather how well you can work with your colleagues. So don’t worry if you didn’t pay attention in databases class. Go ahead and try for that database administrator job if you think the recruiter sounds interesting.

Many people become tense come recruiting season and this is understandable. But realize that your first job is exactly that – a first. Your career is significantly more than this one job. Don’t put pressure on yourself to find your dream job straight out of college. There is more time for that.

Enjoy the process and stay positive!

3. Work for yourself aka “Start-up”

While a minority of students go out and start their business soon after graduation, it is nonetheless an option. Entrepreneurs can radically advance the state of business and in the process, redefine convention. Google’s founders are prominent examples of this.

Striking out on your own is a high stakes games – fabulous rewards with substantial risks. Even if you don’t plan to start your business immediately, college is an excellent time to think about it. You can start with your market research and test ideas on your fellow students. The planning process in itself will make you a better person.

Time is on your side when you start-up young. So go for it!

4. Do nothing aka “You have wealthy relative paying your bills”

There is no shame in not doing anything after college. Your parents/friends/folks-on-the-street may feel otherwise, but realize it is your life, your decision.

In some parts of the world, graduates take a “gap year” before starting work. It’s a time to explore new countries, learn to play an instrument or climb a mountain. The important thing is that it is not a time to relax – come on you’re only 22!

Do note that not everyone is open to this option and you have to really believe in your decision to make this work.

So there you go – 4 options for your immediate future after college.