At graduation, you stand among thousands of people around your age, all dressed the same, all nervous, all questioning what on earth is going to happen next – but you identify with them as you ponder the same thoughts. After graduation, you all separate into the dreadful real world. After being so used to being around people your age, it's a big adjustment, and you start to differ from them more and more, not as fellow colleagues, but as enemies in the job field.
Especially since we usually don't see them, only now that there are those who want the same position that we do. We can't see their face, so we simply see them as nobodies, but nobodies that might take away an opportunity from us and make our goals harder to reach.
It's easy to view them not as synonymous to our situation, but as fellow enemies trying to degrade all that we worked for. However, they are in the same exact overwhelming and uniformly stressful position as we are, and they will all face different situations and handle each moment differently. It's important for each and every person facing such a hard time in their life to not make it any harder than it needs to be, and focus on primarily themselves rather than others.
Competition is one of the most stressful aspects after graduating. It's something we all have to deal with, but for some, it may be worse than others. According to job placement firm Adecco, 60 percent of college students cannot find a job in their field after they graduate, partly due to the higher expectations of employees. Over the years, and with the addition of networking sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed, the rate of applications for jobs has increased tremendously. Companies have to arrange more time to go through all of them, so there is an increase in expectations, as well as less ease in getting an interview lined up.
While competition has always existed with college students, it has definitely increased given that job networking sites now show how many people apply, how much higher job skills are, and how much easier in general it is for others to apply for jobs. According to a 2011 study done by the University of Chicago, it appears some women may face competition even worse than men, as the study found that women are less interested in jobs than men when competition largely determines the pay.
If you fixate too much on competition, you won't be able to focus on everything else: learning about the company, discovering what you're looking for, boosting your confidence, and strengthening your skills. There are enough positions out there for you, so it's important to think more global, rather than specifically in one area, and you'll find the competition aspect to be a lot less. In today's workforce, it's important to realize that things have changed, and today, college graduates have way more resources to find a job, but unfortunately with that comes more competition. Recognize that finding a job is different today, but it is still very possible to get a job if you persist in finding one.
if you work hard, you will eventually get there. The most successful people had to deal with competition too, and while it isn't pleasant at first, it doesn't matter once you do land a job. Even if it's not the most desirable job, it's something, and you were the one that got it. Having to wonder if you're as good as the next person is just like comparing yourself to someone else: it doesn't do you any good, it just brings you down. Go out there accepting that there will always be competition no matter what major you are, but what's important is that you have to understand that there is competition, and then also realize that you can't let that stand in the way of your goals. It might be hard now, but life is not a competition. While it is viewed that way to many people, life should not be taken as a competitive race. Let the competition motivate you if anything to try even harder towards accomplishing your biggest goals.
