CONGRATULATIONS! You finally got a college degree.

After all of your efforts in reviewing, researching and after all your sleepless nighs doing your projects, everything has finally been paid off. You deserve a celebration. You deserve the happiness and satisfaction that you feel. Look at your diploma and tell yourself, "yes! I made it!" and then happily move on to the next level. But don't you know that a tougher road is ahead of you? More challenges and difficulties are coming.

Welcome to the real world.

It's far different from your college life. The real world is extra harder. It's like a jungle full of wild animals ready to eat you alive. It's all about surviving, and for some, making it to the top. You'd have to deal with fake workmates and demanding boss. This world can be ruthless. It wouldn't care about the efforts you exerted. It would only look at your inputs and the results of your work. If didn't like the result or if you can't show any result because you couldn't do it, then most likely, you'd be sanctioned. I'm not trying to scare you and I'm also not saying that it's going to happen to you. But that can be a worst case scenario. Not all employees were lucky enough to have kind bosses.

When you start working, please do NOT expect a very high salary. Here in the country, you're usually paid 13-14k per month if you're a fresh college grad. You have to work your way to the top SLOWLY. You need to show your manager that you deserve to be regularized or promoted. You have to show them your skills and your good work ethics. Mind you, a lot of companies look at your character and attitude above all things. They value employees who comes to work on time. Therefore, if you used to have a habit of coming to class late or ditching classes when you were still a student, sorry but that's not gonna work in the real world. Your lates and absences would affect your records and your salary.

Aim to be regularized first. When you are a newbie, talk and make friends with tenured employees and learn from them. Don't get intimidated. They have been in the business for several years already and you would really learn a lot of things from them. Always be willing to learn and to embrace new ideas and perspectives. There are certain advantages if you are a regular employee. One example is having an HMO. A medical insurance is certainly beneficial to you and your immediate family members. Regular employess are obviously paid more than newly-hired employees and they get more incentives and bonuses.

After getting regularized, keep on working hard and aim for a promotion. You need to step up your game to learn new and exciting things. A career growth would help you improve your skills and, of course, it would also help you a bit more financially speaking.

It's extra harder when you're still navigating on what to do with your career. It can get confusing and difficult. But that's a part of the process. I can't promise that it will get better eventually. But what I can assure you is that the more you go through hardships, the easier it would be for you to deal with them and find solutions. Just keep on believing in yourself.

Life is tough.

But you're tougher.

Go get 'em!

Images are from Pixabay