The Best Skills To Learn: What Students Need In A Post-Degree World 

At NSHSS we want to help students even after they’ve left the classroom, yet the post-college world can seem rather uncertain. After spending anywhere from two to four years in a controlled environment, surrounded by like-minded fellow students all with the same goals in mind, the wider world can seem drastically different.

One way to help mitigate this feeling of confusion is to develop a set of skills that can guide you more organically through the post-degree world. That’s why we have put together a list of five skills that we believe will help you navigate this new adult world you’ve found yourself in. This list is a combination of hard and soft skills, but each of them are related to the ultimate goal of helping you succeed.  

1. Time-Management 

This might seem like an old-fashioned skill, perhaps one that you may have heard of in the past, but that is why we’ve put it at number one. 

Managing your time is vitally important to your success after college. Following graduation, your schedule will change more than you think, and that’s why it is so important to keep track of how you spend your time, and where you devote your time day-to-day. Nowadays, there are several apps that can help you structure your time, as well as the tried-and-true approach of going to your local store and buying a planner. However you see fit, keeping track of your schedule can really help you in your career, in your home life, and even for the times when you want to have fun!  

2. Financial Literacy  

It might seem a bit obvious at face-value, but you would be surprised at how often newly-graduated students underestimate the importance of financial literacy in today’s world.

Being financially literate is not just about saving money and filing your taxes on time, it’s about keeping up with your credit history even after your loans have been paid off, building credit to one day own a home, and making sure that you keep a detailed record of your expenses. If you are still struggling financially, we have a list of great part-time jobs for students leaving college.  

3. Clear Communication  

The transition into the workforce can be a tough process for some people, and most of this stems from one simple fact: you are re-entering a new world.

After eight years of high school and college, you might not be used to meeting new people as often. A lot of this happens as you begin a new job. From your first interview, to your first day on the job, to the first time you might have to make a presentation in front of a client, communication can go a long way in helping you overcome the fear of feeling like a new person. Communication can also help you ask for what you need in this world, whether that’s a raise, a change in your schedule, or maybe speaking up to take on more responsibility. Communication can be verbal, non-verbal, and written, but no matter what type, effective communication all comes down to how you express yourself. So remember to be confident, concise, and open-minded. It might just get you further than you think.  

4. Critical Thinking 

One very important skill many employers are looking for, and often find that newly-graduated students lack, is critical thinking.

While some students excelled at this from the Freshman year, other graduates are used to depending on their friends, professors, and the campus library for help. But when you are in an office setting and asked to complete a task that might seem daunting, you will find that you do not have the same resources you had before. However, that does not mean you don’t have resources. Most companies provide their employees with plenty of training material from the HR department to help you succeed, you just may not get a chance to really study it in the same way you would have in college. So, when you find yourself faced with new challenges at work, don’t assume you’re stuck. Instead, really think critically about how you might be able to solve the problem using all the new resources at your disposal. And the more you do this, the easier it will be in the long run.  

5. Integrity

We wanted to end this list on a positive note, and talk about a very simple soft skill that everybody should keep in mind. As you make your way out of college, you might find that there are corners to cut and people who don’t seem as important in your life as others. But no matter what job you get, city you live in, or community you join, you should always strive to lead with integrity in your adult life. Adults are often in a hurry to go from one thing to the next, and in this process, they might lose sight of the little things. This can be displayed through telling ‘white lies’ in emails, or cutting somebody off in a grocery store line, or even putting off family members or friends because your job is so demanding. But even with this new, busier lifestyle where so much more is expected of you, it’s vital to act with integrity and to treat everybody fairly. This might seem like a childish lesson, but displaying kindness and honesty towards others can go a long way in helping you stand out and be the successful adult you strive to become.  

At NSHSS, our motto is simple, “be honored, be more.” This means that no matter what path your life takes you on, try and live a life that is balanced, kind, and resourceful. We hope that these five key skills will help guide you toward the right path, and that perhaps by using these skills yourself, you can inspire others to do the same. If you are struggling with more components of life after college, or looking for help throughout college, be sure to visit our blogs page to discover all sorts of helpful guides no matter your struggles.