6 Things You Should Do Right After Graduation

So, you graduated college. Now what?

Indeed, graduation is a monumental achievement. It’s also a time full of changes and this may cause feelings of fear and anxiety. Perhaps you’re starting your first job or still searching for your dream job. Maybe you’re leaving your friends and family to move across the country. Or, perhaps you’re living on your own for the first time and learning how to save money.

Wherever you may be on your post-grad path, life can feel overwhelming. So, take a deep breath and start planning now for long-term success. To help you get going, here are 6 tasks you should do immediately after graduation. Ready, set, go!

1. Create a Career Plan

Whether or not you have your first job lined up, now is a great time to consider your career plan. Sure, you’ve probably thought about your career while in college. But now it’s time for a reality check: what are your job prospects really like?

As a good starting point, identify your strengths and interests. Not sure what talents really set you apart? Ask your friends and family for their input.

Next, map out your goals. Where do you want to be in 20 years? What about 10? By keeping your long-term goals in mind, you can better evaluate your options. With a career plan, you’ll scrutinize each job opportunity more carefully. Career plans can also help you move forward confidently as you’ll hopefully be taking steps in the right direction.

2. Clean Up Your Social Media

Do you have some embarrassing photos and posts on social media? You’re not alone. Even if your posts are meant to be funny, you never know how a potential employer could react.

According to CareerBuilder, over 70 percent of employers search job candidates’ social media profiles before making hiring decisions. According to the same study, over 50 percent of employers decided not to hire a candidate after viewing something negative on their social media profiles. Whoa.

So, before you start applying for jobs, make sure your social media sites are professional, or at least private. Pro tip: remove any photos of you partying or acting in any way than can be frowned down upon.

3. Update Your Banking

Now is an ideal time to consider your banking options. It may be in your best interest to switch to a bank that is free to sign up and has no fees.

For example, if you are moving to another state to start a new job, you may not have access to your current local bank. Or, perhaps you want a bank account that will help you save money. One way to achieve this goal is to open a Chime bank account. The best part about a Chime account is that there are zero fees and free money transfers.

4. Network like Crazy

You never whether that person you recently met will be the ticket to your next big gig. The bottom line: post-graduation is a crucial time to network.

Just take it from Tom Farley, the president of the New York Stock Exchange. In an interview in Fortune Magazine, Farley stated, “When I think about my own career, I owe every job I’ve ever had to networking.”

If you’re intimidated by the idea of networking, don’t fret. You can begin by simply sharing your professional goals with your friends and family. They likely have connections to people who may be able to guide you in your career. And, social media sites like LinkedIn allow you to make professional connections from behind a screen.

With LinkedIn, you can reach out to professional recruiters and hiring managers, and connect with people in your field. In fact, about 95 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find qualified candidates, according to an article by US News & World Report. So don’t miss out!

5. Create a Budget

Landing your first job and seeing those paychecks hit your bank account is exciting. But, as you enter the post-graduate world, you’ll also encounter a slew of other expenses. It’s easy to spend more than you earn.

To avoid overspending, it’s a wise idea to create and stick to a budget. For tips on picking out a budgeting style that works best for you, be sure to check out our budgeting guide.

6. Understand Your Student Loans

Unfortunately, many recent college graduates don’t know how to deal with paying back their student loans. Some don’t even realize how much they actually borrowed.

In fact, according to a study by the Brookings Institute, only 38 percent of college students know how much money they borrowed to pay for school. Furthermore, 14 percent of students with student loans incorrectly reported having no debt at all, according to the same study. Because of this, many recent college graduates suffer a rude awakening when they find out what they really owe.

So, it’s best to be educated about your loans. Your student loan provider should be sending you information about how to access your student loans and make payments. If you don’t hear from your loan providers shortly after graduation, you should contact them directly.

If you have federal student loans, you can find out who your servicer is by going to the National Student Loan Data System. Start by clicking on “Financial Aid Review,” and accept the terms and conditions. After that, go ahead and login. In order to log in, you will need your FSA ID. If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can easily create one on the web page. Once you login, you will see all of your student loan information, including your total balance. From there, it’s a good idea to figure out how you will tackle your loan payments by factoring this into your budget.

Relax!

You’ve worked hard to get to this point. Graduating from college is a major accomplishment. So, while you’re setting yourself up for financial success, you should also take advantage of this transition time by relaxing and enjoying the summer. Just remember to budget for your summertime fun!