Graduation is bearing down. Completing your studies and walking across the stage to receive your degree is incredibly rewarding and is an accomplishment anyone should be proud of! But what’s next? How do you make the most of your education and find success in life after school?

1. Stay true to yourself.

Your goals and dreams are yours. You’re passionate about ideas and causes that might not resonate with others. You have talents and skills that are uniquely your own and honed by your experiences and background. In the same vein, how you deem yourself successful is based on your definition of success and fulfillment. If your viewpoint of success is to land a well-paying job downtown, go out and conquer! Make sure you have all your ducks in a row for your portfolio—résumé, cover letter, references, and work samples. You know the drill. But keep in mind the journey to the top is winding and takes time. Remain patient. Stay calm. Your degree and résumé will get your foot in the door; it’s up to you to show the corporate world that you are knowledgeable, prepared, capable, and unstoppable. Excellence is a series of small things consistently done well. And if your picture of success is you looking amazing in your cap and gown—congratulations! You are a role model and have much to be proud of! No matter how you define success, recognize that you will always be a student and have opportunities to grow and discover. And be patient in the journey.

2. Have a game plan.

It’s cliché but true—there’s no road map for success. But you’d better have a game plan and a sense of direction. Any sports fan knows a good game plan brings every tool and trick play.

• Make sure you have a mentor. When the days of submitting applications get long, lean on them and glean professional wisdom. Learning from the experiences of others is invaluable and may save you from unnecessary struggles and pitfalls. Individuals who have worked their way through the corporate ladder know more than you; more than likely, they’re willing to impart their knowledge to you if you ask.
• Networking cannot be overstated. Building your relationships and leveraging the alumni network open up opportunities you may not have seen coming your way. Of course, the added bonus is having an advocate on your side within companies and around clients you’re working with.
• Be flexible in your game plan and leave room for adjustments. The road is unknown. Use perceived detours to hone your skills and discover more ways to apply the knowledge and tools you already possess. You will become a more well-rounded professional and ultimately have more to offer as you move through your career.

3. There’s not a cookie-cutter experience.

In school, the expectations of earning an A are clearly defined in the syllabus; some professors might even provide a rubric for projects and assignments to detail how your work will be assessed. As most adults know, that doesn’t exist in the real world. One of the toughest lessons to learn and remember is that what worked for one person to realize their dreams and achieve success will likely not work for you. And that’s ok. Stay persistent and remain true to your dreams and goals. You’ll forge your path, and it will be glorious. You're already a weathered veteran when you start college courses as an adult. You possess working skills and professional knowledge. At Amberton, students graduate with refined techniques and improved skills that add to their value as employees. Click for a video of Dr. Di Ann Sanchez explaining how Amberton graduates have a leg up on their journey to success after college. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKq9Sk5Ez4o

Graduation is bearing down. You’ve completed your studies and will soon walk the stage to receive your degree. It’s an incredibly rewarding accomplishment anyone should be proud of! But what’s next? How do you make the most of your education and find success in life after school?

1. Stay true to yourself.

Your goals and dreams are yours. You’re passionate about ideas and causes that might not resonate with others. You have talents, skills, interests, and values that are uniquely your own, honed by your own experiences and background. They even help you measure your own success–after all, the decision to be proud of yourself is up to you!

If your picture of success is to land a well-paying job downtown, set the vision in your mind. You can achieve it. Get your portfolio in order—résumé, cover letter, references, and work samples. Put the essential elements in place to present yourself professionally on LinkedIn. You know the drill; now go out and conquer!

Keep in mind the journey to the top is winding. It takes time. Remain patient and stay calm. Your degree and your résumé will get your foot in the door; it’s up to you to show the corporate world you are knowledgeable, prepared, capable…and unstoppable.

Excellence is a series of small things consistently done well.

And if your picture of success is you looking amazing in your cap and gown—congratulations! You are a role model and have much to be proud of!

No matter how you define success, recognize that you will always be a student and will always have opportunities to grow and discover. Be patient in the journey.

2. Have a game plan.

The cliché is true—there’s no road map for success. But you need a strategy and a sense of direction. Any sports fan knows a good game plan has every tool and trick play at the ready for just the right moment.

Make sure you have a mentor. When the days of submitting applications get long, lean on your guide for professional wisdom. Learning from the experiences of others is invaluable and may save you from unnecessary struggles and pitfalls. Individuals who have worked their way through the corporate ladder know more than you. More than likely, they’re willing to impart their knowledge to you if you just ask.

Networking cannot be overstated. Building your relationships and leveraging the alumni network will create opportunities you could have never anticipated. You’ll also create the added benefit of having an advocate on your side among companies and clients you’re working with.

Be adaptable and leave room for adjustments. The road is unknown. When you’re forced to take a detour, leverage it to hone your skills and apply your knowledge and tools to get back to where you want to be. You will develop into a more well-rounded professional and have more to offer as you grow through your career.

3. There’s not a cookie-cutter experience.

In school, the expectations for earning an “A” are clearly defined right there in the syllabus. Some professors might even provide a rubric for projects and assignments to detail how your work will be assessed. If only the rest of life were so clear.

One of the toughest lessons to learn is that what worked for one person to realize their dreams and achieve success will more than likely not work for you. And that’s ok. Stay persistent and remain true to your own dreams and goals. You’ll forge your own path, and it will be glorious.

When you start college courses as an adult, you’re already a weathered veteran. You possess working skills and professional knowledge. At Amberton, students graduate with refined techniques and improved skills, adding to your value as an employee.

Click for a video of Dr. Di Ann Sanchez explaining how Amberton graduates have a leg up on their journey to success after college.