Here Are Some Tips That Every College Grad Should Consider

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have a couple years left until graduation, the corporate world for many is a tough transition. Job markets are becoming increasingly more competitive. So, college students have to separate themselves from the heap of other job applicants to propel their career.

According to Forbes, however, a college degree has less value now than it did in the past. New graduates need all the advice they can get in entering and thriving in the current workplace environment. Forbes released this year’s tips that all graduates – and current students – should follow. Here are a few pointers.

For jobs in especially competitive fields, experience is way more important than the degree. Being able to show accomplishments and quantify results are more valued than a specific degree from a certain institution.

“Many college graduates think their degree means they can instantly get a job in Silicon Valley,” said Brian Evans, CEO of BDE Ventures. “As someone who took the Zuckerberg path and dropped out, I’ve learned that our society has moved to more of a ‘what have you accomplished’ than a ‘where did you go to school’ mentality. A degree is nice, but you need to show real-world skills in competitive fields like marketing.”

“Getting a degree is great,” Forbes noted. “But it isn’t everything.”

Another tip is to stop overthinking about the worst case scenario. Overreacting and surrounding yourself with negative energy only begets negative outcomes. Everyone goes through setbacks during and after college – and that’s only normal – but graduates shouldn’t always “catastrophize” their failures.

“We all run into the issue of catastrophizing situations,” said Jordan Thibodeau from Investors Therapy. “As soon as we think something could go wrong, we jump to the conclusion it will happen for certain and start suffering the emotional consequences. Instead, you should track your predictions, record the outcomes, and reflect so you can easily see your bias. That way, you prevent yourself from falling into a loop of excessive worrying and catastrophizing.”

Similar to the previous tip, surrounding yourself with negative people can result in negative attitudes in the same way. Forbes says that real, close friends “can also impact your career.”

“Surround yourself with people that push you to become better,” said Mehak Vohra, CEO of Jamocha Media. “I choose my friends based on how honest they are with me. I personally like it when a friend calls me out and tells me where they think I’m doing something wrong.”

Check out the complete list on Forbes of the 16 tips that every college student and graduate should consider.