I am UIC: So, what is the next step?  

Feb. 1 was the deadline for seniors to declare their spring 2019 intent to graduate. Seniors are excited to finally fill out this form, while simultaneously thinking, “What is the next step after graduation? Do I want to get a job? Or should I pursue a master’s degree?”

According to a survey conducted for the book, “There is Life After College,” the researcher interviewed 752 young adults (24-27 years of age) and concluded that two-thirds of college graduates struggle to launch their careers. The researcher described the different categories of students transitioning from college to the workforce: sprinters, stragglers and wanderers.

According to the survey, 35 percent of the young adults are sprinters — these new college graduates enter into their career field or perhaps acquire additional education to place them on track to a successful career. The stragglers are approximately 32 percent: these young adults “press pause and spend most of their time 20s trying to get their start.” Whereas, 32 percent are wanderers. These young adults slowly launch their careers because during their 20s they try different jobs and position before sticking to a certain career.

Most seniors might not know to which category they belong until they graduate and begin to apply for jobs. If you are a sprinter, you want to acquire a job related to your undergraduate degree after college, so it’s important to start seeking job opportunities from professors or personnel in your field, keep tabs on job fairs on campus, and conduct a personal job search online.

Straggler or wanderers might begin to understand their career goals as they become familiar with the workforce; however, it is still important to keep an open mind about acquiring information on different job opportunities because after four years of university, what is next?

Temitope Eddna Odedoyin is majoring in English and fully concentrating in media and professional writing. Apart from writing, she has a passion for painting and enjoys using watercolors, oil paint, acrylic, charcoal, oil pastel. She also has an interest in creative writing and short stories. She believes that art — through writing and painting — is a way of expressing one’s feelings.