Blog Archives

Transitioning from College Student to Young Professional

4/25/2021

The transition from college to a young professional can seem daunting as you adapt to a new schedule and find how you fit into your new role. I had the pleasure of discussing this matter with UBWA alumna and recent graduate, Katie Crum. Katie was the UBWA president for the 2019-2020 school year and now works as an industry marketer for Avient Corporation. In our discussion, she shared great insights about transitioning into full time work and the challenges that she has overcome in the process.
Challenges of Starting a Full Time Position

           With new ventures comes new challenges. Whether it be joining a new company, moving to an unfamiliar place, or the overall shift to working full time, transitioning from a college student to a young professional can be taxing. Katie shared some of the difficulties she faced as she transitioned into her full-time role. She mentioned the clear challenges of starting work in a pandemic and went on to talk about the disconnect she felt from her coworkers, navigating new forms of communication, and the pace of her work. She also shared an important lesson about the struggles she faced in finding her new identity after graduation.
           “I went from working two jobs, being involved in multiple organizations, and taking a full course load in college to living by myself in a new city, working alone, and limited social interaction,” Katie shared. “Like most of the recent grads, I think, I struggled with the isolation of graduating college, leaving my friends, and finding a new identity that wasn’t tied up in what I majored in or what organization I belonged to.” I don’t think this subject is discussed enough, that leaving college can frequently come with a bit of an “identity crisis” as you search to find new outlets for your interests and passions and leave behind a familiar routine.

Communicating Your Needs

     Starting a new position can be intimidating. You might find yourself burnt out on endless responsibilities, or unfulfilled by the lack of work you have. No matter how you are feeling in your role, it is important to communicate with your supervisors and coworkers what you need.    Katie reflected upon the anxiety she felt at the beginning of her work from the “lack of responsibility” she had in her role. However, she shared some advice on how she addressed this situation, stating, “as I have progressed in my roles, demonstrated my abilities, and advocated for what type of work I want to do, I have been met with substantial and meaningful assignments that allow me to add real value to what I do.” Although it might be difficult to speak up for yourself in a new role, it can help alleviate stress and make your work more enjoyable.

Finding Joy in a New Chapter

           While starting work full time can have its challenges, it can also be a rewarding experience and exciting new time in your life. As with any transition, you have new opportunities to learn about yourself and lean into your interests. In the midst of this transition, Katie found time to adopt “two cats and an obscene number of houseplants.” She also mentioned that through this change, she found new ways to connect with friends. Finding these bits of happiness can make for an easier adjustment to life outside of college.

           When I reached out to Katie to hear about what she has learned in her new role, she gave countless pieces of good advice to share with you all, but her closing statement really stuck with me, and I think it is important that it be shared directly in her words:

“As someone who loves to reminisce and give unsolicited life advice, I have so much more I could say about my time in UBWA and transition to working full-time, but I will leave you with this. Something I have been forced to learn over the past year is we are all inundated with the mindset that the moment something doesn’t work out in our lives we have to change it. Not to be confused with complacency; however, patience for yourself and your situation often allows you to gain perspective on what you care about most. So give yourself grace, buy a few houseplants, and try not to worry too much.”

           Thank you to Katie Crum for her wonderful insight on this topic and thank you for reading this post! If you would like to learn more about the featured alumna in this post, please click on the Featured Alumnae button on the blog’s webpage. If you would like to further discuss the topic of transitioning into a full-time role, feel free to contact me at john.170@osu.edu.

Elya John

Editor: Grace Berlier

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How to Build Connections in a New City

4/11/2021

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After graduating college, many people decide to start their journey in a new city. With this comes the challenge of digging your roots and building a network in that city. UBWA alumna Alexis Lesko moved to Los Angeles after graduating Ohio State with a specialization in Marketing in 2016. She currently works at United Talent Agency in the music department as an Agent Trainee. Alexis shared her strategies with me to “inspire some women to follow their dreams or take a risk.”

Tip 1: Reach out to your coworkers

Building a new social network can be intimidating. A strategy that can help is getting close with your new coworkers. If you sense that you would mesh well with someone you work with, ask them to go to lunch or dinner after work one day. Even if you don’t end up getting close, they can give you the low down on your new workplace including advice to succeed, what the culture is like, and information about your new coworkers.

Tip 2: Ask your friends and family if they know anyone in the city you’re moving to

One of the best ways to build a network outside of work is to rely on the people you already know. Ask your peers if they have any friends or family living in your new city, especially people they think you would get along with. Alexis says that although “it’s not easy to bring yourself to hang out with strangers” at the beginning, “it gets easier and more often than not they will reciprocate.”

Tip 3: Find a social place to explore a hobby

Whether it be joining a gym or a pottery making group, exploring a hobby can help you meet people with similar interests. Taking up a hobby can also help to occupy your time and get you more involved in your new community. Although it may initially be difficult, ask people in your organization if they want to go out to lunch. At the very least, they can tell you the best local spots.

Tip 4: Reach out to your current network

Post on your social media asking your followers if they know anyone in your new city. Additionally, reach out to any mentors or professors you are close to. There is no shame in using the connections you have built up over your years at Ohio State. Alexis moved to Los Angeles “with no job lined up and no real plan of attack,” but through using this method, a friend of a friend helped her get her current job.

Tip 5: LinkedIn networking

Cold or warm networking via LinkedIn can help you. Make a post on LinkedIn asking your network if they have connections in the city you are moving to. Although “it may take dozens of messages,” eventually you will meet people who are willing to help you. These conversations could be as social or professional as you need. If you are focusing on developing a professional network, set the tone for the call and the questions you ask towards that. However, you can always use this tactic to ask people about the city you are moving to. They can give you good advice and maybe even offer to meet you when you move.

Overall, it is important to put yourself out there when you move to a new place. Alexis says, “If you put in the effort to reach out and meet new people, opportunities and doors will open for you.” When you move to a new city, be true to yourself and you will meet people who actually align with you. Through a new move, it is important to take care of your mental and physical well-being as it can be a scary and draining process.

I would like to thank you for reading this post and Alexis Lesko for her insight on such an important topic! If you have any questions about this content or would like to discuss more about the challenges of adapting to a new city after graduation, feel free to email me at dickman.122@osu.edu.

Erin Dickman

Editor: Elya John

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