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Graduation day is a bittersweet moment. On one hand, you’ve successfully completed a big milestone. On the other hand, the looming question of “what next?” can be overwhelming. It's like standing at the entrance of a maze, with countless paths stretching out before you.

Some people seem to have it all figured out, with jobs lined up and a five-year career plan. But what if you still don’t know what you want to do? Society often expects us to have a clear plan, but the reality is, many of us are still figuring it out. As a fresh university graduate, you also may not have even been exposed to a workplace yet! 

It's okay to feel uncertain. It's normal to question your abilities and passions. The key is to embrace this phase of exploration, rather than feeling pressured into making hasty decisions. As, once you graduate, the journey has merely just begun…

So, if you do feel lost as you’re navigating the career world, here are some tips that have helped me to steer my career journey: 

Be open to opportunities 

As you don’t 100% know where you’re going, the world is your oyster! Take on experiences as they come to you. Always stay intrigued and follow work that excites you. If after several months you figure out that a job is not right for you, that’s okay! Experience is always transferrable and now you know what you do and don’t like. 

Career journaling 

I’ve found it super helpful to keep a career journal, to document my thoughts and experiences of jobs, projects, work tasks and employee relationships. Use your journal to reflect on past experiences and help you narrow down what you want to do.

Further education

Studying doesn’t have to stop once you’ve graduated; but it also doesn’t need to commence immediately afterwards. If, many years after graduating, you’ve found your niche, you can take on further postgraduate education or industry qualifications at any point in your career. Three years after finishing my BSc in Business Management I figured out that I want to go into project management. Now, I’m doing a part-time MSc Project Management degree and have also completed a PRINCE2 qualification. Gaining further qualifications gives you an edge. But be sure to let your education journey complement with your career journey. 

Seek mentorship

Having someone experienced, preferably outside your work organisation, to support you and ask questions is a great thing to have. Mentors are a great source of inside knowledge and they can guide you along your route to success. It can take some time to find a great mentor. Reach out to people on LinkedIn, professionals at events or people in your mutual network. 

Network, network, network!

I can’t stress enough how helpful networking is. One simple conversation with an industry professional can open your eyes to possibilities you didn’t know existed before. Don’t be shy to ask a question to an experienced professional. There are so many ways to engage with people in your industry. From in-person events, LinkedIn, industry-focused organisations, and don’t forget people in your company too. 

Additional work experience, whilst working

If you’re stuck in a job you don’t like and want to widen your experience before applying to your next role, it’s still possible to gain work experience while working. Volunteering is a great example of this. I am currently a volunteer with the Association for Project Management, whilst working as a Project Coordinator full-time. This gives me additional experience outside of the capabilities of my current job role and therefore adds more flavour to my realm of experience. 

Remember, your career after you have graduated is a journey and not a destination. Once you start a job, you’re not stuck to that organisation or field forever. We are lucky to live in a world that has ever-growing opportunities, and there are ways to navigate yourself in and out of jobs that best suit you, wherever you are currently in life. 

Tara studies MSc Project Management in the United Kingdom.