Your Guide to Succeed After Graduation

How to succeed after university or college? Becoming successful after university depends on more than just formal education.

Features of Your Guide to Succeed After Graduation includes:
- Expert advice from professionals such as career coaches, leaders in career development at the University of Toronto and others
- Step-by-step guidance to tackle complicated topics such as tapping into the unknown job network, developing a career strategy, personal branding, balanced living, becoming debt-free, and pursuing your passion
- Personal experiences to illustrate the ups, downs, trails and errors

12 Key Themes and Takeaways:

1) Networking is a two-way street, where anyone can open a door.
People make a difference, so value relationships, and aspire to be a positive influence for others.

2) Guidance is just a mentorship request away.
Mentors come in many forms, and in differing stages in their careers, and can provide guidance and feedback along your career path.

3) Job searching is a discovery process.
The process, including rejection, is continuous opportunity to learn about yourself.

4) You define your own success.
You can succeed in any career you choose at any time. Consider a career direction that excites you most and you will inevitably gain value in that direction.

5) Know where you want to go, and that there are many paths to get there.
Your career strategy acts as a compass to an engaging and meaningful career.

6) Define your personal brand before someone else does it for you.
Your person brand about showcasing who you are, what you stand for, and the promises you make and deliver on.

7) Don’t hold back your passions; find the right time to pursue them.
Keep your passion in mind as you grow your career and develop - seize opportunities, no matter how unconventional, to pursue your passion.

8) Take time to take care of yourself and your community.
To maintain your physical, mental, and social well-being, be sure to balance your career and job duties with activities that support yourself and your community.

9) Open your mind to a world of perspective.
Living and traveling outside of your community is a great way to expose yourself to new experiences and perspectives, and a great way to build your network.

10) Set S.M.A.R.T. goals to reach smart outcomes
Staying motivated starts with smart goals, followed by planned work and reward strategies.

11) Implement creative and practical ways to manage your budget.
Having a plan to manage your money and pay down your debt will ensure only the best parts of university stay with you.

12) Learning does not end when university does.
After university, to continue to learn to continuously develop, improve, and meet your goals. Actively seek out either formal or informal means of learning. 

Practical advice that anyone can use, the goal of Your Guide to Succeed After Graduation is to help new graduates become confident in developing successful careers, addressing work-life balance, and other next steps after graduation.