People often put a lot of pressure on succeeding academically in college. There’s a high expectation to get your bachelor’s degree in order to land a real full time job.

Obviously for certain professions such as the medical field there are certain requirements you have to meet in order to work in that field. But I’m talking about the people who get their degree and then end up taking a career path that has absolutely nothing to do with what they went to college for in the first place. 

For me personally, I have not worked in the music production field. I’ve occasionally done my own projects in my spare time, but my current career path is not in the production field.

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Fresh out of college I got my first full time job working for an Audio/Video company in Columbus. It was a great first job, my boss and colleagues were great. I learned A LOT and made A LOT of mistakes. I got to help people who were building new homes understand what smart home technology is and how it can improve their lives. I gained a new set of skills. 

However, after my summer semester in LA experience, I knew I wanted to eventually move back to Los Angeles (you can read more about that in my blog “How I Prepared for my Move Across the Country”. 

I utilized the skills I gained from my time here, and prepared to use them to get a job in the same field in LA. The concern here was that this industry in LA is HUGE. There are so many luxury homeowners and the demand for this type of work is much greater. I knew I would have to step up my game. 

Regardless of my degree in music production, I used my communication skills to conduct several phone interviews with potential employers. I interviewed with two different companies and after multiple phone calls, I ended up landing the job with the one I wanted. And that was about exactly a year ago. 

Understanding Your Strengths

In my recent blog “Is College Worth It?” I talk about the importance of understanding that the college experience is more than just academia.

There are so many skills and experiences you can gain that are especially helpful in the workforce. Time management, organizational skills, communication skills, being able to work well individually and in groups, are all examples of personal skills that can be applied in almost anything you do. 

So, what are your strengths and how do they line up with your degree? What strengths do you have outside of your degree? Use this to your advantage when you are applying for jobs. My stepmom got her degree in social work and now she owns her own business as a private travel consultant. Completely unrelated, but absolutely doable. 

Understanding Your Weaknesses

I was preparing for a job interview several years ago and I practiced all the questions I thought the employer would ask me. Except…I missed one. They asked me “name one weakness that you have.” And that stopped me in my tracks because I didn’t even think to consider what my weaknesses were at the time.

This is such a great self-reflection tool to learn more about certain areas you can improve upon. By understanding your weaknesses, you can work on whatever that may be to help improve your skills for when the right job comes along. 

I think I remember mentioning one of my weaknesses was being confident enough to talk to people over the phone or let alone answering the phone. It was super uncomfortable (and I was young at the time), and over time I just kept getting thrown into having to answer the phone. By the time I had worked there for about 4 years, I was extremely confident in answering the phone and even teaching new employees how to gain the same confidence. 

Network, Network, Network

This one is SO important. You’ve probably heard the phrase “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.” Even just knowing someone in your industry is a great way to establish a connection to others who may be able to help get you to where you want to be. 

It’s really important to connect with people, make friends, and maybe even be the one to provide a connection for someone else. It’s incredible what a simple “Oh yeah, I know Jimmy! He’s got a great work-ethic and is very responsible” can do for someone looking to get a job. 

LinkedIn can be a great resource for connecting with people in the professional world. Think of it as social media but for business professionals…it’s a little more formal, and can be a great resource for those looking to hire as well as those looking to get hired.

You can also network with some of the people you went to school with – a lot of times these people will have moved out of state to pursue some other career path. If you’re doing something similar, chances are their workplace may have an opening for something that fits you specifically. 

Be YOU!

That’s right – just be yourself! This is a great time to let your personality shine through. Show people what you’re passionate about, spread your knowledge, utilize your skills, be personable, and just be you. A lot of times I’ll get wrapped up in all the small details, but sometimes it’s great to just take a deep breath and to be myself. 

It’s great to be confident and accepting of yourself and the process. It’s not always linear and can even be unexpected. You’d be surprised how often things can land in your lap at the most unexpected times. Remember though, these things do require hard work and patience.

Share your experience in the comments below – are you currently doing something totally unrelated to your degree? What’s your experience been like?