What if I Shouldn’t Go to Grad School Right Now? What Should I Do?

Great question! We’ll give you some ideas here, and your career advisor is a great person to talk to about post-college and career planning. Set up an appointment with your career advisor on Starfish, or email careers@sohe.wisc.edu to get connected.

  • MOST IMPORTANT: Contact real people doing the jobs you are interested in for career conversations (also called informational interviews/curiosity conversations) and perhaps job shadowing opportunities so you can test things out before spending lots of time and money on education.
  • Get an entry-level job in an area of interest to gain more experience and exposure to the field. *See the SoHE career guide for tips on job searching and building application materials
  • Participate in a service program to build leadership skills and gain experience (for example: AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, City Year).
  • Volunteer or do an internship to gain experience and exposure to your field of interest.
  • Build business skills in companies that like to hire undergrads (for example: Epic, Enterprise, Oracle, Target, the list goes on!) *Note they may have early hiring timelines
  • Teach English abroad and see more of the world. *Note many programs have early application deadlines.
  • Take a year to work a “survival job” or temp job that offers flexibility, so you have time to explore fields of interest.

 

REMINDER AGAIN: Visit a career advisor for support in exploring careers and making an action plan tailored to your interests. 

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School of Human Ecology Graduate School Guide Copyright © by School of Human Ecology Advising & Career Center. All Rights Reserved.

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