7 hacks that will help you succeed as a fresh graduate.

Where do I start from?

‘When I leave school, I will get a job, get married, and buy a car.' this statement remains very popular among university students and soon-to-be graduates. While having a career goal andr projection is good and usually advised; it is also important to leave room for growth and accept the fact that things might not pan out the way you had envisaged.

For someone who sustained a serious leg injury during my service year and who was confined to the use of crutches for months, tech seemed like the way out because everyone was talking about and  I was not ready to sit at home doing absolutely nothing. However, what no one told me was how difficult and emotionally draining this path would be, especially for someone with no savings, and support from anyone. 

Hours learning, refining thoughts, watching videos and working became my daily routine and I am sure a lot of young people spend a considerable amount of time repeating the same pattern but it is important to be very aware of how long it might take to break even and start receiving that pay check.

For the purpose of growth, these tips that helped me will be beneficial to anyone;

1. Know your environment: It is very important to pay attention to your immediate

environment and identify businesses and skills that are currently thriving and have a

history of being financially and time rewarding. When this is done, the process of

Identifying a path to follow becomes easier. This is not just for those without a clear path

to life after school but also for those in need of more clarification.

2. Look Inward: Everyone knows what they want and how much success they want to

achieve before a certain period. However, the usual problem that affects their growth is

finding something they have passion for or something they are confident they will

dedicate their time to learning. When these questions are answered and passion is properly

utilized, the chances of finding one’s niche get easier, and gradually, success is attained.

3. Perfection is an illusion: The thought of attaining perfection during the learning process

is an illusion, as that thought makes it difficult to fully immerse oneself in the process.

When learning a skill, the best trick is to focus solely on learning and dedicate your time to

growing daily and understanding that growth happens gradually.

4. Networking: It is usually advised to meet people that are learning the same skill that you

are learning or those that are already in that niche and make efforts to learn from them.

This process can hasten the speed at which you learn because there is a self-awareness

that you are not the only one learning. It also encourages healthy competition. Over the

years, some of the biggest companies we have seen, especially in the US, were created by

either friends or people that have the same career vision. Find your people and grow with

them. Don’t forget to avoid unhealthy competition.

5. Avoid distraction: In this time and age, it is almost impossible to not get distracted

especially by social media and current happenings around us but as someone that is

looking to learn a skill and grow, it is best to find a way to shut out the noise and

distractions and remain focused. It is also important to acknowledge the fact that there

will be distractions at some point during your learning process, when you do this, you

become aware of things that might hinder you and find ways to cut them off. Best

solution is to draft a time table for your daily activities, allot more hours to learning and

some hours to rest, scroll through social media, or watch movies. Doing the same things and

seeing results of the work you’re putting in will help you allot more hours to learning and

less time to doing unprofitable things.

6. Embrace social media: Social media is a blessing and a curse and will continue to

remain a learning tool for those that are eager to learn. If you’re learning a tech skill, you

are most likely to find mentors and renowned techies on platforms like X, LinkedIn, etc.

Follow them, monitor their posts, send a DM if possible, and follow the tips they drop. If

You must pay for a boot camp or mentorship; pay if you can afford it. If you are not

buoyant enough, embrace YouTube and other learning platforms. Purchase online courses

from reputable learning institutes.

7. Allow yourself to make mistakes: It has been proven that failing at something and

trying it several more times but with a different approach has the potential of not just

building character and resilience but can also lead to success. The biggest inventions ever

seen in the history of mankind did not come out perfect on the first try but after consistent

work and dedication by inventors. Don’t be too hard on yourself; rather, give yourself

time to grow and develop.

These tips have helped me to stay grounded and I am certain they will help anyone find a skill

that suits them and attain success with time. Do not forget to give it your absolute best and never

give up.