With the semester coming to an end and graduation quickly approaching, excitement is in the air at Sonoma State. However, graduating seniors can’t help but feel the pressure of entering the real world. 

The brink of graduation comes with constantly having to answer the question, so what are you doing next? Some might be attending graduate school, but for others the next step is to get a real job. Also known as a job that not only includes benefits but one that could potentially turn into the career they have for the rest of their life.

This then explains the high pressure for these, soon to be former, students. The type of job they hope to land will determine a majority of how their post-college life will turn out. 

The job will control how much a person will  make, where one will live and what a new typical day will be like. Therefore, it’s very important they go for the right job as well as establish a strong work ethic. 

In an online Entrepreneur magazine article titled, “4 Ways College Grads Can Prepare For Their First Real Job,” written by Eddy Ricci, the four key components to landing a career job are shared. 

The article’s main objective is to address what post-grad students should do if they want to go far in the business world. It also included tips on how to boost your work reputation. 

The article began by stating how a month prior to graduation, and entering the adult world, students should  wonder and focus on who they need to get to know, what they have learned about themselves, and some short or long-term outcomes of their first choice career. 

When it comes to getting a job, connections are key. Who you know can help you out a lot when it comes to searching and applying. 

Having connections can open a lot of doors of opportunity. In the article, Ricci shares that having connections with your coworkers and boss are very important when first starting out. 

She stresses that no matter how busy you think you are, you are never too busy to grab a cup of coffee with someone superior to you. Second piece of advice he states is to be aware of what motivates you. 

Whether it be money, knowledge, independence or recognition, the writer believes after learning which one suites you to share this information with your new boss. 

By learning what motivates you will help and make somewhat of a guide of how to reach your maximum work ethic.

Furthermore, talk to people who previously worked for the same company. With great advances like the website LinkedIn, you can talk to the people who  have had your job. 

Ask questions like why did they leave it? What were they able to take from it? What did they wish they knew beforehand? And any other pertinent questions. Some responses could come out negatively, but at least now you know. 

Lastly, as the writer puts it, win big win some. You can either win big and stay with the company for long-term or win some by leaving but now with something under your belt. 

The article ends with stating how following these steps into a “pre-launch” can have an effect on your first job that could lead into your overall career success. 

“Once you’re done with school the only thing to do now is to become an adult,” said senior Hilary Hill, “which means full-time job, full-time responsibilities. We’ve spent majority of our lives preparing and going to school for this moment. How you choose to go about it will either make or break your career.”