Just like the rest of you, I have been frantically searching for jobs. One fine day, while job hunting a thought struck my mind – ‘What do I do once I land the job’? My first thought in response to this was ‘Let me get a job first, I can worry about the rest later. One thing at a time’ but then my next thought was ‘There’s no harm in being prepared, let me take a break from the frantic search and think about what to do next maybe that will help me put things in perspective with respect to my career’. So, I thought long and hard, and compiled a list of things to do once I land a job.
Here’s my list:
- Finish paperwork: Read your employment offer carefully, acquaint yourself with the terms, conditions and the benefits and sign the documents. Most companies ask for additional documentation once they hire candidates, the sooner you get these done the better.
- Set up a budget: There’s nothing worse than realizing $600 disappeared into clothes, shoes and other fancy things you don’t really need, and setting a budget is a way to pre-empt that disappointing phenomenon. Get an idea of your cash flow and then set up a budget. No matter how much money you make, spend 25% less to support your life. It’s a guaranteed formula to be less stressed and to always have the flexibility to pursue your dreams.
Spend some time with family and friends or travel:
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- You have worked hard to land this job, pat yourself on the back. If you have time in between graduation and starting a job, spend some time with people who matter or travel. Once you start your career, it’s not easy to take time off for yourself so make the most of this time. Don’t forget to thank all the people who helped you land this job.
- Keep updating your technical skills: – Photoshop, HTML/CSS, MySQL, advanced Python, advanced Excel, Final Cut Pro etc. regardless of your job position learn as many skills as you can. There are two clear benefits for doing this a. Learning constantly keeps your mind young and active, and b. These skills may be useful if you plan to make a job or career switch later.
- Get your butt kicked at work: This is the most impressionable, flexible and foundational stage of your professional career. You have more ground to make up than everyone else around you, and you do have something to prove. There’s only one sure-fire way to get ahead, and that’s to work harder than all of your peers.
- Take initiative don’t wait for directions: You’ll never get ahead by waiting for someone to tell you what to do. Saying “nobody asked me to do this” is a guaranteed recipe for failure. Err on the side of doing too much, not too little.
- Seek mentors: The most guaranteed path to success is to emulate those who’ve achieved what you seek. You should always have at least 3 people you call mentors who are where you want to be. Their free guidance and counsel will be the most priceless gift you can receive.
- Map your future success – Connect what you’re doing today, with where you want to be tomorrow. That should be all the incentive you need. If you can’t map your future success to your current responsibilities, then it’s time to find a new opportunity. Keep your eye on the prize. “What is American humor” Every country has its own brand of jokes. As an international student, the biggest challenge I faced was understanding the American humor.
While conversing with domestic students, professors or someone at a networking event, I had a hard time figuring out if someone was being serious or funny. So most of the time I would just smile and hope for the other person to move on with that conversation. The day I decided to stay in the US and look for jobs, I remember telling myself I need to understand their sense of humor. Learning a certain culture’s brand of humor can really help in connecting with people. In many ways, it’s also a very helpful way to improve our fluency. Understanding slang, humor and other little aspects of the culture will make a big difference in how fluent you can become. For all of you in the same boat as me, this article will hopefully be a good starter guide to America’s brand of comedy. Slapstick – The most common type of American humor is slapstick. Slapstick is physical comedy that laughs at stupid mistakes or clumsy accidents. America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Vine videos get laughs using slapstick jokes and pranks.
Satire – Many American TV shows and cartoons use sarcasm, puns, and situational irony to get a laugh. These jokes are kind of similar to the crosstalk brand of Asian humor also known as xiàng sheng. Puns are jokes made by using words in silly ways. Situational irony is when the audience knows something about a situation that the characters in the show do not know. This is often funny, because – American cartoons are satires of American culture. The jokes in cartoons exaggerate American culture to highlight problems. These shows make jokes about American culture and impersonate American leaders and celebrities. Stand-up Comedy – Stand-up comedy is very popular in America. Stand-up comics use many types of jokes. There are different genres in stand-up comedy – Dark humour, political comedy, storytelling comedy amongst others. One of the most common is observational humor. Some of the most popular comedians who use observational humor are: Ellen Degeneres, Jerry Seinfeld, and Louis CK. Insult Comedy & Impersonations – Embarrassing someone in Asian culture is a huge no-no even if it’s just a joke but heckling people is common in western comedy.
Insult comedy is a favorite type of American humor. (An insult is a joke that criticizes someone’s personality, looks, or behavior to get a laugh) Joan Rivers was one of the most popular insult comics. Sometimes insult comedy is harmless, and no one’s feelings get hurt. But, insult comedy can sometimes sound mean. Robin Williams was best known for his impersonations and funny characters. (An impersonation is an imitation or mocking of someone’s voice, speaking style, and personality.) Impersonations, like insult comedy, can sometimes seem mean. But not always. Sometimes the person being impersonated finds the jokes funny, too. I was looking for a couple of jokes online when I found these, with midterms coming up these sounded apt, I’m sure most of us can relate to these. Good luck everyone! “Spending spring break in Champaign” Spring break is coming! For those who have travel plans – have fun you guys, be safe and take tons of pictures. For the ones staying back to study for the CPA – good luck with your studies. If you’re bored in Champaign or just feel like you need a break from the books, here is a list of fun things you can do in Champaign over spring break:
- Hike the Trails at Allerton Park & Retreat Center—Recognized as one of the seven wonders of Illinois, Allerton Park & Retreat Center in Monticello offers 14 miles of hiking trails along the Sangamon River to explore. Adding to the scenic hike are grand European-inspired sculptures that invigorate you on your hike. Check out their trail run happening in early April for a fun course half marathon, 10K or 5K through the stunning park.
- Ride the new Kickapoo Rail Trail—The first 6.7 miles of the Kickapoo Rail Trail opened in August of 2017, showcasing woodland, prairie and wetland between Urbana and St. Joseph. This multi-purpose trail will soon expand over 24 miles, connecting to Kickapoo State Park. Until then, take a breather from your ride in the Village of St. Joseph with numerous shops and restaurants to enjoy.
- Discover Art in the Prairie— Just a few blocks from campus, Meadowbrook Park is the cozy, quiet park you need when a break from schoolwork is necessary. They house 80 acres of prairie, a sensory garden, a sculpture garden, and more. Connect with nature and take a quick walk over to Meadowbrook Park.
- Kayak on Homer Lake—Spring is the perfect time to break out the canoe or kayak and bring it out to Homer Lake Forest Preserve. This scenic lake connects to the Salt Fork River so you can extend your trip, or pack up and hike the trails or check out the Interpretive Center to learn more about the natural history of the area.
- Take a walk on south side of campus—The University of Illinois Arboretum offers a scenic walk on the south side of campus, with numerous gardens to explore as flowers start to bloom. The Idea Garden, established by Master Gardeners, showcases the latest in borders, ornamentals and vegetables.
- Play Foot Golf at Lake of the Woods—At another of Champaign County Forest Preserve, you’ll find a unique activity, perfect for stretching those legs after hibernating this winter.
- Lake of the Woods offers their golf course with a new option, foot golf! This soccer and golf combo is nine holes of pure fun. While you’re there, check out the Mabery Botanical Gardens and visit the Museum of the Grand Prairie!
- Fish at Kaufman Lake— Stocked with sunfish, channel catfish, and largemouth bass, Kaufman Lake in Champaign offers up a fantastic day of fishing. 8. Check out an Illini Baseball Game—As spring approaches, the excitement of baseball returns. The Fighting Illini Baseball team starts their home season in March running through May as they take on their Big Ten opponents.
- Go on Slowride pedal tours – Gather your friends and take a tour with your favorite drink in your favorite neighborhood. With options to tour campus or downtown Champaign, SlowRide tours is a leisurely way to see the city and socialize with fellow students.
- Taste award-winning wines – Located on the scenic Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in Southern Illinois, Alto Vineyards and Winery produces award-winning wines. Set atop the rolling landscape of Alto Pass, the family-owned vineyard and winery consists of the central wine farm in Alto Pass and a tasting room in Champaign, where visitors can taste some of the best wines in the country. It features a sizeable indoor tasting room with ample seating, a screened-in pavilion with a back deck, and a rooftop vine deck with breathtaking views over the Shawnee National Forest and the valley. What will make your spring bucket list in the Urbana-Champaign area?
