For the past two weeks, I've been trying to make a major life decision about where I will work and live after this semester is over. (I've received two great job offers in completely different cities.) Josh lent me his copy of Rick Warren's
A Purpose Driven Life in hopes that it might help me out a little. I read the first chapter in which Mr. Warren states about his bestseller, "This is not a self-help book. It is not about finding the right career, achieving your dreams, or planning your life." Forget that! That doesn't help me at all! Incidentally, my new blog findingpurpose.blogspot.com has no posts in it.
Instead, I have designed my own way to drive life, i.e, how to get a job after college graduation. This way doesn't require a 40-day spiritual journey. It only requires that you take these few steps.
First, when picking a major, do not pick anything involving liberal arts. English? Out. History? Out. Seacrest? Out.
Second, you need to have a decent GPA. Anything above a 3.4 will work. If you are one of those liberal arts types of people, I suggest finding a science-based major that requires the least number of major classes. You can make 'C's in all of them and still maintain a good GPA by making 'A's in your liberal arts electives.
Third, begin to look for a job the semester before you graduate. Be prepared not to find one.
Fourth, decide where you want to work. Once you have narrowed it down to one or two cities, apply for grad school at a big, public university in or near those cities. This big, public university should preferably have the name of a state in its title.
Fifth, graduate with your BS degree.
Six, get accepted into grad school. It doesn't matter what major you decide on. Take as few classes as possible, preferably two. Don't worry about the cost; it'll pay off later. You don't even have to do well in your classes. You can fail them all. Just make sure you are officially a student at the university.
Seven, and most important, on the first day of school, find the university's career center, and register yourself. Don't register yourself as grad student looking for a job once you graduate but as a new student who already has an undergrad degree.
Eight, wait for the career center to throw jobs at you. If it is a big university, chances are companies in the city you want to work will recruit there. You don't have to go looking for them; they will look for you. And since this is your first semester, you won't have a transcript. They won't know that you're making a 30 in one of your classes. No matter what, you'll have the upper hand. You will be competing against stressed out seniors who don't have a degree and who haven't gotten into grad school. But you have.
Nine, take your pick of jobs.
See? It's the Suzie Driven Life in fewer than 10 steps! There are some minor details that you have to take into consideration, such as passing the GRE, interviewing, not being happy with your major, failing out of grad school, and living a meaningless life. But really, in the short run these things don't matter. If in the long run you wish your life had purpose, you can always read Mr. Warren's book.
I take no responsibility for failed attempts when trying the Suzie Driven Life.
