Billionaire Prep: 2021 Graduation
by Reagan Williams
“I wanna be a billionaire so freaking bad,” and “I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine,” Bruno Mars sings these opening lines for Travie McCoy’s song, Billionaire.
The song takes us through all these cultural references we associate with success: Forbes Magazine, Oprah, the Queen of England and then seeing our name in lights. As we grow up, we are told to go to school, finish college, pick a trade, choose a career and on top of all that, be successful. We are constantly flooded with these images of success on television, the internet and our phones.
Since the pandemic, our perspective of how we work whether remotely or in-person and the economic landscape of the job market has changed. So, what do you do in May, June, this year or in general if you’re graduating from college? What are the job search options like for someone entering the workforce?
Can a virtual handshake be your solution to finding a job in our current market? What if you’re not ready to fully join the workforce or attend grad school? What company may be a good fit for me because diversity, equity and inclusion is important to me? According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers expect only a 0.1 percent drop in maintaining hiring for the graduating class of 2021. The outlook for graduates is more optimistic despite the pandemic’s impact on the shutdown of the economy, unemployment rates or the downturn in the stock market in 2020.
Even though, shaking hands remotely and virtual interviewing has become more accessible through sites like Handshake. This alterative allows you to attend virtual job fairs, meet employers and not wait in line (in the past at a traditional job fair) to get an interview and become introduced to companies hiring locally and nationally. Let’s say you want to gain more experience or go to grad school. Betterteam might be a favorable option to search for internships, grad school opportunities and other college recruiting events with a list of resources to help you make your post-college decision.
Perhaps, you have big dreams like the song Billionaire and desire to have a more immersive experience. A fellowship is a great opportunity for a recent graduate who wants to gain invaluable experience while investing in themselves and their future career. Additionally, it's a feather in your cap if you want to attend grad school and enter the job market in the future. Fellowships are competitive and can provide the opportunity for you to expand your network and possibly fund graduate school depending on what you apply to. As far as opportunities, experience and income is concerned- it can be a win-win for your future, so look into Pro Fellow and view their offerings.
Lastly, graduating from college and entering the workforce is a major milestone in adulting. When you graduate you are at the finish line, but where do you go next? During the pandemic, companies have conscientiously committed or deepened their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity for Social Impact is a great place for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), professionals with a disability or chronic illness, LGBTQIA+ professionals and semi-retired professionals. Check out Top Diversity and Inclusion Jobs Board Sites as another job resource for your employment needs. On the other hand, some people just want to be a billionaire, while other people want to be a billionaire, still maintain their intentionality and who they are as people.
As you are preparing to graduate, you can still prepare for when you are your OWN, billionaire- whomever you become and the road your career takes you similar to the song.
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Boulevard of Options: 2021 Graduates