After Graduation, What's Next?

Are you ready for what lies ahead once you stroll across the graduation stage? Will you be able to steer yourself through the job hunt and, ultimately, your first job? Answer these six questions to find out.

Do You Know What You Want?

You might think employers will appreciate your "I'm willing to do or learn anything" approach to getting a job. However, most employers interpret that as "I'm desperate" or "I have no focus, so I'm just taking a shot at whatever I stumble across."

If you're fuzzy about the type of job you want, now is the time to work with a career counselor at your school. There, you can take a career assessment test, learn how and why informational interviewing can help you gain focus and talk over your specific concerns with someone trained to help you.

Do You Have Experience?

Employers look for evidence that you've gained experience in your field through internships, co-ops, part- or full-time jobs, or even volunteering. If you haven't picked up this type of experience yet, it's a good bet many of your peers have and will likely have an edge over you in the entry-level job market.

But don't despair if you lack experience. You can get it now or after you graduate by doing a postgraduation internship, volunteering or temping.

Do You Know Your Chosen Field?

Imagine going into an interview and saying, "I love this field and know a lot about it -- that's why I want to get into it myself." The interviewer replies by saying, "Interesting. Tell me wha........