Post-grad update
Hi everyone,
It’s been a while since my last post, but I wanted to update you guys a little bit about my experience moving to Stockholm and finding a job after graduation!
When we last left off, I was in the process of transitioning to a brand new life in Stockholm. Moving away from Linköping was hard because in the two years I spent there as a Master’s student it really felt like home. My best friend in Sweden still lives there and one of my biggest fears was leaving her and finding new friends in the big city. We were also on the brink of moving into our city-center sublease, which is a whole different story! Guys–it was bad. But I’m happy to announce that we found a beautiful first-hand contract in Stockholm and no longer sublease.
Now that I’m settled in Stockholm, happily employed, and soon-to-be-married, things look pretty sunny. However, there are a few bits of advice I wish someone had given me right after graduation:
The first piece of advice I want to give anyone wondering about life after graduation is you will suddenly have a lot of free time. After turning in my thesis, I enjoyed a relaxing summer before jumping into the career search. To pass the time between filling out applications and attending Swedish classes, I tapped into my creative side and began making watercolor greeting cards for friends and family. Seriously, guys–I should have an Etsy shop. It was a contemplative time, but I was still worried about finding employment. Honestly, in hindsight I should have been taking professional courses to bulk up my resume a little bit more, but I digress. Hindsight is 20-20.
The second piece of advice I want to give recent graduates is do not give up! As any recent graduate can tell you, it seems like every company expects 5 years of experience for an entry-level position. That’s simply impossible if you’ve been working hard on your education. Luckily, the skills we learn during our education can easily be leveraged in a job interview. My studies at LiU taught me how to communicate effectively (model UN, numerous written essays and verbal presentations), leadership skills (planning our class trip to Brussels!), and analytical thinking and research (thesis, duh). I use these skills every day at work, and know my success is thanks to my studies in Linköping and my work as student ambassador!
The bottom line is, life in Sweden can have its ups and downs and so can post-grad life. The silver lining is that there’s always hope for a bright future!
