Counseling for Difficult Life Transitions with Empower Counseling: 3 Tips for Transitioning from College to Work
At Empower Counseling we have seen many clients struggle when transitioning from college to their first job. First, let us look at some of the common issues that clients struggle with. Then we will focus on 3 tips for transitioning between college and work that can make that transition smoother and easier.
Tip #1: Remember You can Always Change Your MInd
One struggle that we see time and time again, is clients putting so much pressure on themselves deciding what direction they want to take with their lives, what type of work to do.
The reason they put so much pressure on themselves to make the “right” decision, is they tell themselves things like “This is the biggest decision of my life” or “I better make this work”, as if they can never change their minds. For your grandparents generation, it was common for individuals to choose a career path and stay on that path for life. They also tended to stay in the same house until the mortgage was paid off. The world is not like that today. It is not difficult to change careers if you really want to. There is online school if you decide you want further education. There are virtual jobs allowing you to live anywhere. People buy and sell houses.
What I am saying is, don’t put so much pressure on yourself to choose the perfect career path right out of school. You can always change your mind.
Tip #2: There is no “Right” Answer.
The next big struggle we see when counseling individuals graduating college and moving into the working world, is putting pressure on themselves to choose the “right” job between 2 or more choices. We see clients put pressure on themselves to see way into the future and determine how their lives will look if they choose the perfect job for them. How can you know? You can’t know how the rest of your life will turn out if you choose a particular job right out of school. All you can do is select the job that is the best fit for you right now, and go into that job with the knowledge that if it does not work out the way you ant it to, you can always make another choice.
Tip #3: Don’t let the voices of others make your decision for you.
You will be tempted to get the advice of many others regarding which career path or which job you should choose. Watch out for other people’s “shoulds”. Everyone you talk to will be coming from a place of different opinions based on their own life experiences- not yours. Find one of two family members, mentors, or trusted friends to talk things through. But ultimately, the decision is yours and this decision should be based on what is important to you and what you want your life to look like-not what others think it should look like.
At Empower Counseling, we help clients every day who are unsure about which direction they want to go in life. We help you uncover the layers of rigid rules and “shoulds” you may have learned in life that are causing you difficulty and anxiety. Then we help you become clear about what is most important to you so that you can make the best decision for yourself. We have seen clients come in confused, anxious, and lacking self-trust and self-confidence. These same clients completed counseling knowing exactly what they wanted their lives to look like, and the steps to take to get there.
Contact Kathryn, Adam or Kristine to begin counseling for difficult life transitions today. Just click on the name of each counselor to learn more about what they offer.
At Empower Counseling, our Birmingham area counseling clinic, our licensed counselors also specialize in anxiety and depression counseling for teens, college students, young adults and professionals. Adam is a certified addiction counselor, help clients bridge that transition between rehab and sustained sobriety. Kristine can help your teen make sense of the world and their lives when they are struggling. Kathryn, a former attorney, can help you get “unstuck” and move forward, whether you are suffering from anxiety or depression, or want to find more purpose and meaning in life.
Call Empower Today 205-730-6570.