1. Backpacks to Briefcases:
Navigating the Waters from College to
the Working World
Laura Ledgerwood Garcia
Social Media Coordinator & Career Consultant
The University of Georgia Career Center
2. College vs. Work
College Work
Flexible schedule Schedule depends; ranges from 8-5,
holidays, weekends, flex time, etc.
Homework and readings to do weekly Little to no homework
Grades Performance reviews
Professors Bosses
Individual Teamwork
Same age range Various age groups
Student Involvement Community Involvement
Next steps clearly defined Your career is where you take it
3. Making your Move
You got a job/got into graduate school….
what’s next?what’s next?
1.Find housing
2.Create a budget
3.Get acclimated
4.Create a brand for yourself
5. Housing Considerations
• # of rooms
• # of bathrooms
• Roommates vs. living by yourself
• Pet fee
• Gym
• Laundry
• Furnished/non furnished
• Budget for start up costs & deposits
6. Relocation
• Moving on your own
www.uhaul.com
www.pensketruckrental.com/
• Move with help on site
www.movinghelp.com/
www.emove.com
• Moving company
www.allied.com/ - 18 wheeler
http://www.twomenandatruck.com
Least expensive
Most expensive
7. Budgeting
Income Tax
•On average, approximately 28% of annual
income is lost to taxes
– $42,000 salary = $3,500 a month
– After taxes $42,000 salary = approximately $2,500
•Monthly spending on housing should roughly
equal 1/3 of income - $825
•Create a budget
http://financialplan.about.com/cs/budgeting/l/blbudget.htm
9. Retirement
• Serious doubts whether Social Security will last for
this generation
• A study by T. Rowe Price looked at thousands of
possible investment scenarios to determine the
odds of having enough money saved to replace
50% of your income in retirement. The findings:
If you start early, you'll need to save 15% of your pretax income every
year.
• If you start later, 25% is a more realistic figure
• Contact the company financial planner/HR to
discuss your options
10. Savings
• Create an emergency fund - $1,000 minimum
• Automatically draft your account
• Consider joining a credit union
• Take a personal financial planning class
– Dave Ramsey: Financial Peace University
• Coupon
– www.restaurant.com
– www.groupon.com
– www.southernsavers.com
11. Healthcare
1.HSA/FSA – Health Savings Account
2.HMO – Health Maintenance Organization
3.PPO – Preferred Provider Organization
4.Others
12. Work/Life Balance
• Chamber of Commerce website for
events/other attractions in the area
• Young professional groups
• Alumni groups
• Hobby or interest based groups—political,
running, athletic, place of worship
• Take a class
13. • Keep track of your achievements for
performance reviews & raises
• Ask for feedback
• Be open to criticism
• Volunteer
Find a life
outside of work
Transitioning into the Work World
14. • Under promise, over deliver
• Do more than your job description
Transitioning into the Work World
15. Transitioning into the Work World
• Avoid office gossip and stay positive
• People in power don’t always have a title
16. Transitioning into the Work World
• Show up on time and do your job, even when
it appears no one is watching
17. Transitioning into the Work World
• Be careful what you put in writing
• Think about your tone and whether or not
you are using the best medium
18. Transitioning into the Work World
• Ask & listen before acting
• Respect traditions
• “When I was at ________, this is how we did
it…”
19. Transitioning into the Work World
• Networking is essential to
– Find your next job
– Make money
– Find new friends and colleagues
• Professional Conferences
• Local groups
• Ask coworkers what they
are involved in
20. Common Mistakes New Grads Make
• Thinking that because you have your degree,
you shouldn't have to do grunt work
• Not being thorough
– You're expected to consider all the options
thoroughly and make a recommendation that
includes pros and cons
• Thinking what you post on social networking
sites doesn't matter
• Procrastinating
21. Common Mistakes New Grads Make Cont’d
• Not taking charge of your career
• Waiting on someone to tell you what to do
• Not putting effort into forming relationships
with older colleagues
• Not saying "thank you”
• Developing contacts through professional
associations
24. What is a brand?
Branding:
The perceptionof a brand in the minds of persons. The
brand image is a mirror reflection (though perhaps inaccurate) of the brand
personality or product being. It is what people believe about a
brand-their thoughts, feelings, expectations. ~ American Marketing Association
Personal Branding:
“How we marketourselves to others.” ~ Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding
Expert
26. Why should you brand yourself?
• Generate business and future opportunities
• To be perceived as a leader in your field
• Stay up-to-date in your field
• To prevent false representations of you or
your organization
• People Google you
- Facebook: #2
- Twitter: #9
- LinkedIn:#12
27. Discover Your Brand
• Assess your knowledge, skills & abilities
• Identify strengths you can leverage and
weaknesses you would like to work on
• Think about your values, passions & future
career goals
• How do these tie together?
28. Establish Your Brand
• Generate buzz about your work and ideas
• Surround yourself with people you admire
and aspire to be like – virtually or in person
• Keep consistent & clearly communicate
• There’s no time like the present
• Benchmark yourself against your
competition
29. LinkedIn for Branding & Job Search
YOUR GOAL
1. Create a profile
2. Join Targeted Groups
3. Network with Professionals
4. Correspond appropriately
5. Maintain your network
Industry Groups
Alumni Groups
Is what you’re asking reasonable?
Groups
Company Pages
30. LinkedIn Branding
• Customize your header to
state your field, industry, or
what you are seeking
• Add a brief summary and
focus on concrete
specialties – this can be
found in advanced searches
• Include solid bullet points –
skills, achievements, things
you learned, results
John Smith
31. LinkedIn Branding
• Update your status often –
daily or weekly
• Seek out recommendations
• Customize your url
• Reorder your sections to
highlight your most relevant
experiences first
• Display groups you joined on
your profile
• Include work examples
32. Monitor what you created
• Set up a Google alert
• Check your online presence at regular
intervals
• Ask colleagues for feedback
• Boost your brand by using the most
trafficked websites
34. Final Thoughts
• Adopt the “Year of Yes” philosophy
• Step out of your comfort zone
• Monitor your finances and adjust your
budget as needed
• Find time for YOU
• Get involved professionally and personally
• Manage your brand, don’t let it manage you
• Keep your LinkedIn profile and resume up
to date!
35. QUESTIONS??
Laura Ledgerwood
Career Consultant
The University of Georgia
Appointments: 706-542-3375
Walk-in Hours: Wednesdays, 12-2pm
Satellite Hours: Tuesdays, 2-4pm
lel@uga.edu
linkedin.com/in/lauraledgerwood
Editor's Notes
Thinking that because you have your degree, you shouldn't have to do grunt work. Most recent grads start at the bottom because that's how you learn how a business works, regardless of your particular degree. You must learn how to write the sort of memo your boss wants to read, how to navigate office personalities, how to simply get things done in an organization. Even if you're not given the most glamorous work, you can pay attention to detail, follow instructions, and care about quality--eventually someone is going to let you do something more interesting.
2. Not being thorough. In college, you could (and were often expected to) argue one point of view. At work, you're expected to consider all the options thoroughly and make a recommendation that includes pros and cons. I often see new grads simply not being thorough in their thinking. Poke holes in your recommendation before you take it to your boss. That way that she doesn't have to.
[See 5 lame but common interview responses.]
3. Thinking that what you post on social networking sites doesn't matter. At best, being unprofessional on sites like Facebook or Twitter will limit your professional growth and change the way your boss sees you; at worst, it can get you fired.
4. Procrastinating. If you waited until the last minute to do a project in college, you were the only one who suffered. At work, if you put off a project until the last minute and then you're sick or something else gets in the way, you risk your professional reputation.
[See the signs you may be a bad coworker.]
5. Not putting effort into forming relationships with older colleagues. You might be more comfortable spending all your lunches with people in your peer group, but then you'll miss out on the chance to form relationships that can help you progress faster in your career. Get to know your older colleagues.
6. Not saying "thank you." When your boss or another coworker takes the time to help you with something, give them a sincere thank you. People who feel appreciated are more likely to go out of their way for you again. If you don't seem to care, they probably won't bother again.
Thinking that because you have your degree, you shouldn't have to do grunt work. Most recent grads start at the bottom because that's how you learn how a business works, regardless of your particular degree. You must learn how to write the sort of memo your boss wants to read, how to navigate office personalities, how to simply get things done in an organization. Even if you're not given the most glamorous work, you can pay attention to detail, follow instructions, and care about quality--eventually someone is going to let you do something more interesting.
2. Not being thorough. In college, you could (and were often expected to) argue one point of view. At work, you're expected to consider all the options thoroughly and make a recommendation that includes pros and cons. I often see new grads simply not being thorough in their thinking. Poke holes in your recommendation before you take it to your boss. That way that she doesn't have to.
[See 5 lame but common interview responses.]
3. Thinking that what you post on social networking sites doesn't matter. At best, being unprofessional on sites like Facebook or Twitter will limit your professional growth and change the way your boss sees you; at worst, it can get you fired.
4. Procrastinating. If you waited until the last minute to do a project in college, you were the only one who suffered. At work, if you put off a project until the last minute and then you're sick or something else gets in the way, you risk your professional reputation.
[See the signs you may be a bad coworker.]
5. Not putting effort into forming relationships with older colleagues. You might be more comfortable spending all your lunches with people in your peer group, but then you'll miss out on the chance to form relationships that can help you progress faster in your career. Get to know your older colleagues.
6. Not saying "thank you." When your boss or another coworker takes the time to help you with something, give them a sincere thank you. People who feel appreciated are more likely to go out of their way for you again. If you don't seem to care, they probably won't bother again.
How did you come to those conclusions?
They are known by their work and the products that they have produced.
Revenue generator – Dell attributes $3,000,000 in revenue to Twitter
Ask: do these tie together? Do they not?
Bureau of Labor Statistics – this generation will change careers up to 10 times in a lifetime
Join targeted groups
Network with professionals
-Industry/job function groups
Alumni group
Correspond appropriately
Ask: is what I’m asking reasonable?
