College celebrations for those without jobs can be more stressful than joyful. There should be very real gratitude. But the inevitable questions from friends, relatives, and acquaintances shifts the mood: “So, what you are doing for work?” is the most common question. The muttered response about not being sure or starting to interview is usually met with awkward comments thereafter which range from the polite but sympathetic to the uncomfortable and misplaced jokes about living off one’s parents.
What should you do? A few weeks off is likely sensible. Those who graduated mid-May and enjoyed a trip or just hanging out for a while are not being lazy. Some transitional period is often a good mental reset.
Then, vigorously engage in either a job search (for those who know what they want) or exploratory work (Career Counseling Connecticut’s term for figuring out the career path).
While we are aware of the self-promoting, there is no question that both of the above are lonely processes that most anyone, but particularly recent college grads, are not good at doing and that seeking professional-expert help will be invaluable.