The Post College Professional

When it comes to having your own business cards as a student or recent grad, there are probably a few questions running through your mind. Are they an antiquated tool of the past? What’s the point of them? And most importantly, should you have them? Never fear, these essentials will walk you through why business cards matter, what to put on them, and how to make your own awesome card.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, have you thought about how to show your gratitude at work? We spend so many hours at work surrounded by our coworkers and bosses, but we rarely take the time to pause and say thank you! Now is the perfect time to tell people at work that you appreciate them. Whether you’re finishing up a stellar internship or just closing out the year at work, here’s how to give thanks while maintaining professional vibes:

 Jeremy Williams always thought an engineering degree and an MBA made a perfect combination. A graduate from Miami University’s mechanical engineering program in 2010, Jeremy knew his education didn’t stop there. After working for a few years, he decided to attend George Washington University’s MBA program to round out his engineering education. Jeremy reflects on his unique path, why getting an MBA as an engineer makes sense, and how he combines both degrees as a product manager at GMAC.

So you decided a business master's is the next move for you. But with so many programs how do you choose the right one? It's important to choose a program that matches your career goals and interests. Check out our infographic that breaks down master's programs by industry and job function to help guide you to finding the right program for you.

We all love a good online quiz or two. Knowing what superhero you are or your Harry Potter house is super fun, but when was the last time you took a quiz that gave you valuable takeaways for your career? Welcome to the world of professional personality tests! These tests help you understand yourself, how you interact with others, and what careers best tap into your strengths. Here are few that can help you start learning more about yourself: 

You may have graduated, but that doesn’t mean you should stop reading. Now that you’re out in the real world there’s even more to learn! How do you get a promotion? What even is a 401K? How do you do this thing called adulting? Assemble your own fall reading list with these ten suggestions and take on your first years out of college like a champ!

Exploring the benefits of an MBA is a great first step to learning if graduate business or management education is the right path for you. Maybe you're a recent graduate and want to explore what additional education can do for your future career. Or you may have been working for a few years (or many years) and want to learn how an MBA or business master's can impact your career and your  opportunities. Regardless of your reason, understanding the benefits of an MBA or business master's degree can help you decide if it's the right path for you. Hear from admission directors about the numerous benefits a graduate business or management education can provide to you. 

For undergrads who want to go to grad school, one of the hardest decisions to make is all about timing. Should you wait a few years after graduation and get work experience? Or should you go for it and continue your academic journey? Rachael Sherman knows the ins and outs of this decision-making process. She graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Creative Advertising in May 2018 and is now pursuing her Master’s in Strategy at VCU Brandcenter. She shares why she decided not to wait and how her grad student experience has been so far.

Up until college graduation, making friends is pretty straightforward. During college, you’re surrounded by thousands of like-minded peers. Making friends is as easy as working on a group project together, joining Greek life, or winning the random roommate lottery. But after graduation, everything changes. You get a job and move to a new city, while your friends scatter to different locations. Your new coworkers can be great work friends, but you probably don’t want to limit your social life to 9-5. So how can you make friends in this new city called home? Scale back your Netflix viewing parties of one and try these four ways to gather your new friend group:

It’s bound to happen. At some point in your career, you’re going to be single and attracted to one of your coworkers. If you’re lucky, they will be single too! So you’ll start toying with the possibility of asking them out on a date. But you’ve never had to navigate the tricky world of office dating before. It could be potentially high-reward (hello office soulmate) or high-risk (the ever-present coworker ex). So should you or shouldn’t you? Before you take the plunge, consider these office dating do’s and don’ts: