Debunking Common Misconceptions made by Recent Graduates
...and a tested method for answering interview questions
This issue is especially important for recent graduates and people who are trying to land a job in the increasingly competitive job market.
I’d be tackling some common misconceptions made by recent graduates trying to break into the labour market and make sense of their future career path. I’d also introduce you to a method for answering interview questions that will give you a better chance at acing future interviews.
Let’s go!
Misconception #1: You have to know what you want out of life once you leave college
This is one of the most common misconceptions amongst final year students and recent graduates. And it places a tremendous amount of stress on them. It makes you feel like the world’s most unserious person because you don’t know exactly what you want to do upon graduation.
In reality, it isn't bad not knowing exactly what you want to do getting out of Uni. In fact, so many “accomplished” adults would tell you they had a similar experience during their time. And it still worked out for them.
If you’re in this category, here is a three step process for figuring out what you want to do going forward;
First, list out all you’ve done till now; your past work experiences, the projects you’ve been a part of, and all the activities in which you’ve ever taken up a position of responsibility. Then list out the key responsibilities or tasks you had to complete.
The second step is to objectively rank each task on three criteria.
- How much you enjoyed it.
- How good you were at it.
- And how easy it would be for you to improve at it.
Your goal in this step is to discover a handful of tasks that gave you the “vibes”, the ones where you were playing to your strength.
Then, lastly, you want to find jobs that offer this. Carry out research on every sector, speak to people, and if possible, get a bit of hands-on experience. This would help you decide on the work you would like to spend your time doing.
However, be honest with yourself about the work you enjoy.
Misconception #2: It is best you do something related to whatever you studied in Uni
Nothing could be worse than this mindset. Sure, it is nice getting into a field related to your course of study. After all, you wouldn’t want to feel like your 4+ years were a waste. Especially if you studied a professional course like Law, Engineering, or Medicine.
However, it is totally okay if you get into a job role totally unrelated to what you studied in school. Most companies actually train their entry-level staff on the tasks they’d be expected to carry out on a day-to-day basis.
All they need is a genuine interest in the industry and a passion to learn. In the end, you can always teach the skills but not the mindset.
Misconception #3: Put your head down, shut up, and get your work done!
This principle probably had its advantages, especially back in the era before the one we currently find ourselves in. These days, nothing short-changes you more than keeping quiet about your hustle, your growth, and your wins.
This doesn’t mean being all up in people’s faces with all of your wins, but you’ve got to make yourself visible. You have to make your growth process trackable, especially by the right people.
This is why you need to keep your LinkedIn updated. As in, put everything there. Recently completed a course? Update your profile. Got certified? Update your profile. Learned something profound? Write about it.
The reach you can get by merely putting yourself out there would surprise you. And in case you don’t already know, LinkedIn could do wonders for your career. It has done wonders for the careers of many before you.
Remember, your future employers are there; your recruiters are there too. In fact, if you’ve noticed, most companies request for your LinkedIn profile link when you’re applying for a job in their organization.
That’s not a coincidence, don’t you think?
The STAR technique
When you’re being interviewed for a position, you’ll be asked different types of questions, including;
Competency-based questions: These are aimed at assessing whether your experiences demonstrate the behaviour and the skills set required for the role.
Credential questions: These are aimed at verifying what you’ve submitted during the application process or on your CV.
Motivational questions: These are crafted to find out how much you actually know about the role and what will push you to succeed once you get the job.
Scenario questions: These are designed to determine how you would act in certain hypothetical circumstances.
The STAR technique is generally used in answering competency-based questions, scenario questions, and to provide examples in your answers. The acronym STAR stands for:
Situation: where you set the scene and context
Task: what was required of you in the situation?
Action: what did you do?
Result: what was the outcome of your efforts?
It is a generally recognized communication technique that allows you to deliver a comprehensive and detailed response to questions requiring examples. It also has the benefit of being simple enough to be applied quickly.
And a bonus for you...
So I was recently going through Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, for probably the tenth time, and I came to a realization.
As much as it is easy to dismiss idealistic books like that, to scorn them and cynically quip about how much more complicated and unforgiving the world really is. I believe it is necessary to take time out of the complexity and uncertainty of life to really appreciate the simple principles of life, the pure ideals of our existence, the natural laws of the universe, so to put it.
This would help us spot the connections in the seeming randomness of life. It would help us live a more mindful existence. And gives us the much needed strength to face life when it feels unbearably cruel.
BTW, if you would love to get access to The Alchemist in audiobook format, use this link to access my personal Telegram channel where I curate priceless resources ranging from books to links to remote job openings, scholarship opportunities, and free online courses.
Here is the link to the Telegram channel: https://t.me/t_trove
Until we meet again, I’ve got a question for you...
Are you currently living your best life? And what do you think you need to live your best life?
I look forward to reading your responses in the comment section.
This was a nice read.
I really love this article and I've learnt a lot from it. Thank you for taking your time to give us this informative piece. I'm looking forward to reading more of your articles. @Jaels