Diploma in Hand, Anxiety in the Other

And somewhere between stress, determination, prayer, and probably too much coffee, I made it.

I got the degree.

Now somebody has to hire me. 😂

And that is where the anxiety comes in.

Qualified on Paper, Terrified in Real Life

There is something interesting about preparing for graduation. For so long, the goal is simple: finish.

Then you get close to the finish line and realize graduation isn't actually the finish line.

It's the starting line.

I've already applied for what feels like job after job because I am ready to use the credentials and skills I've worked so hard to earn. I've looked at positions in writing, communications, content creation, copywriting, and other areas where I know my creativity could be valuable.

And so far?

Crickets.

No flood of interview requests. No recruiter dramatically calling to tell me they've been waiting their entire career to discover me. 😂

Just applications.

And waiting.

Then more applications.

And more waiting.

That part can mess with your confidence if you let it.

You start wondering: Is something wrong with my résumé? Am I applying for the wrong positions? Do I have enough experience? Am I really qualified?

That's when I have to remind myself: I didn't earn these skills just because a hiring manager hasn't called me yet.

The silence doesn't erase the work.

Wait…Now I Have to Interview?!

Here's another little problem.

I haven't had a real job interview in over five years.

My last job basically found me.

I was standing outside Dunkin' Donuts one day, completely minding my business, when the man who would eventually become my boss, Mr. Mickey, came outside and started talking to me.

During our conversation, I mentioned that I wasn't working and that I had been out of work for almost two years.

And this man hired me.

Just like that.

No panel interview.

No, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

No, “Tell me about a time you overcame a challenge in the workplace.”

I was just standing outside Dunkin' Donuts being myself. 😂

Looking back, though, there's actually something important in that story.

Being myself worked.

Mr. Mickey wasn't meeting a perfectly rehearsed version of me. He met me. My personality. My energy. The way I communicated. And something in that conversation made him willing to give me an opportunity.

Now, years later, I'm entering the professional world with something I didn't have then: credentials, a portfolio, stronger communication skills, and a much clearer understanding of what I can bring to the table.

I just have to remember to bring myself with them.

This Time, I'm Doing Things Differently

One thing my final college courses taught me is that searching for a career requires more than clicking Apply and hoping somebody notices you.

So this time, I don't want to repeat the cycle of submitting application after application and silently waiting for something to happen.

I'm going to be more intentional.

That means networking and reaching out to people in the industries and companies I'm interested in. It means researching organizations instead of only reading job postings. It means tailoring my résumé and cover letter instead of treating every opportunity exactly the same.

And when I finally get that interview—and yes, I'm saying when—I'm going to prepare.

I'll research the company. Practice answering questions without trying to memorize some robotic perfect response. Prepare thoughtful questions of my own. And afterward, I'll send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time and reinforcing my interest in the position.

Basically, I'm going to use everything I've learned.

And hopefully the interview goes as smoothly as standing outside Dunkin' Donuts did.

Maybe I'll bring coffee for good luck. 😂

Scared Doesn't Mean Unprepared

I think that's the biggest lesson I'm carrying with me as graduation approaches.

I can be excited and scared.

I can be qualified and nervous.

I can have credentials and still wonder whether somebody will give me the opportunity to use them.

Those things can exist at the same time.

Graduating doesn't magically make uncertainty disappear. If anything, it opens the door to a whole new collection of questions.

Where will I work?

Who will take a chance on me?

What if I get rejected?

But there's another question I'm learning to ask:

What if somebody says yes?

In just a few days, I'll have the degree in my hand.

I'll probably still have a little anxiety in the other.

But I'll also have something I didn't have when I started this journey: proof that I can learn, grow, adapt, create, and finish what I start.

So yes, I'm going to keep applying.

I'm going to network.

I'm going to follow up.

I'm going to prepare for the interviews that haven't happened yet.

And I'm going to keep showing up as myself.

Because apparently that worked pretty well outside Dunkin' Donuts.

And this time?

I'll be showing up with a degree, too. 🦋