As the end of the semester nears, thousands of students are preparing for finals and finishing up final projects. For some, it will be their last finals week as undergraduates.
Graduation is a bittersweet time as students bring their time at the University of Wyoming to an end, and now have to go on to face the real world.
Fortunately, many people have been in this same spot and understand the difficulty.
Trent McDonald, statistical consultant for West, Inc. and UW alumnus offered some insight into what it was like for him to transition from college to the real world.
“I was loosey-goosey with my time and tasks in college and I could get away with it. The time structure of the real world, being at a set place at a set time and juggling dozens of tasks on a fixed schedule, was a big adjustment for me,” McDonald said. “Part of the time management involved working in time for family and recreation, which at times took back seats when work demands encroached.”
In addition to his own experiences as a college student, McDonald also offered what he thinks is important in a candidate for a job.
“I look for high grades, which imply drive and persistence more than anything, and good communication skills. A cover letter and resume are keys to making my short list of people to interview, with the cover letter being more important than the resume. The cover letter is more important to me because it speaks to communication skills.”
McDonald also spoke of some common and some shocking mistakes people make during their interviews.
“I had one person curse during their interview, using the ‘s’ and ‘f’ words. I had another person criticize my work in the company in the name of ‘fixing’ me. I guess the most common mistake is not being or seeming genuinely interested. Nothing turns me off more than ambivalence.”
He also shared some things he has learned over the years not necessarily related to graduation.
“I think it is important to build relationships, both at home and work, and to stick with them,” McDonald said. “Do not abandon relationships at the first, second, even third problem because those relationships in my life have eventually turned into some of my most cherished.”
