Let’s talk about being a Graduate student in the 21st century. Finally getting that piece of paper – saying you’ve completed a degree! It’s exciting, a huge sense of relief, finally all your hard work has paid off. Then it dawns on you and the flush off questions start to power your mind. What do I do now? I need to find a job! How do I get a job? How do I compete with everyone?
Not knowing your career future is overwhelming and intimidating. Being a graduate myself I can safely say the thought of not getting hired for a job that is within the field you want to work in is daunting.
I recently had my graduate exhibition at RMIT University. Titled MMXIX, the event was designed to showcase a piece of work from each student from the graduate class of Digital Media. The exhibition was filled with amazing talent from my fellow classmates. It was a celebration of achievement and hard work. The night ended on a high, but as we all started to pack up our mixed media installations from our various projects, I felt bitter sweet that it was all over. I couldn’t believe how fast three years had gone by! What next? What is my next chapter going to look like?
Prior to graduating I had already spent hours scrolling through the pages of every job seeking website Australia had to offer. Perfecting and reworking my website portfolio an obscene amount of times. Writing countless cover letters, redrafting my resume and updating my LinkedIn profile. Yet after all the preparation in the world, I was still hesitant about finding a job – What if no one wants to hire me? It can be imitating knowing how many grad students are competing for the same opportunities, especially in 2019 where searching for work is already a minefield. Wanting to be the best candidate possible for an employer plays on your mind a lot.
Having the opportunity to be able to gain work experience at Slade Group and working alongside such an amazing group of staff has taught me entering the industry is motivating. It is what we have been working towards our whole degree! We should feel overjoyed about entering the workforce not nervous.
A wise woman once told me – my mother to be exact, you need to back yourself! And what I mean by that is, is be proud off your achievements, flaunt what you can bring to the table. You can do all the preparation in the world, but I believe the key is to be proud and back your accomplishment and the work will come to you. #backyourself
Hannah Thatcher is a recent graduate from RMIT University finishing with a Bachelor of Design (Digital Media) degree. Hannah has recently been working in marketing and communications at Slade Group. She aspires to further her education by doing her Masters in Teaching while also pursuing a career in digital design and her own creative art projects.