Life after university is hard. And feeling unprepared for it? That’s completely normal.
We polled our early-career members about adjusting to work post-university:
- 58.1% said they were still adjusting
- 19.5% felt like they’d adjusted
- And 22.3% were either not currently working, hadn’t yet started working, were unemployed, or sometimes felt that both answers applied.
Those numbers showed us just how many early-career women feel lost in the shift from campus to career, so we wanted to break down what actually changes and how to navigate it with more confidence.
Why is post-university life so hard?
From pre-school through university, you’ve followed a similar routine. Wake up, go to school, stick to the fixed school schedule with activities set by teachers, and then go home. Repeat this cycle until summer, when you’re free for three months of pure relaxation. College shifted that a bit, giving you a little more independence.
But you still had that guidebook. Semesters, syllabi, built-in breaks? You knew what was coming up and what wasn’t. You had your holiday break and summer break to look forward to (even if you were interning).
The hardest part of post-college adjustment is shifting from flexible class schedules (where you can choose whether or not to attend that 8 AM lecture) to a rigid 9–5 routine. Add to that friends scattering all over the place and shifting from a student centric-identity to an entirely new one?
The biggest challenge early-career women face after graduation is the identity shift from student to full-time employee.
Most early-career women do not have post-college life figured out.
And it’s 100% normal and okay if you don’t.
Navigating Your First Full-Time Tech Job (It’s Not Like Your Internship)
We want to reiterate: you are not alone. Everyone goes through this. For some, it’s easier than others. But everyone deals with the abrupt change that graduating from university throws at a woman in tech.
And let’s be real, your first full-time tech job isn’t like your internship. You have more responsibilities, more expectations, and just…more.
Let’s talk about how you can get through it.
Office Politics and Culture Shock
Even if you’ve interned, when you start your first full-time tech job, you’re pulled deeper into the inner workings and corporate politics. Sometimes it even feels like a high school cafeteria, trying to navigate who to sit with, while also dealing with the looming presence of “bro culture” in tech.
For some of you, it might be a total culture shock. Some ways to help with the culture shock are:
- regularly attending team meetings
- setting up one-on-ones with peers
- asking managers for norms and expectations
On top of all of that, you’re going to need to find your allies. The people whom you can trust at your office and who will support you. At some bigger organizations, you can find these people at your ERGs! Even though pushing yourself to get involved might be like twisting an arm, it’ll do wonders for your experience at work.
We’ll get into networking both inside and outside of work in a few sections down (but if you want to skip to it, you can [here]).
Building a Work-Life Balance
When you’re first starting out, you might want to give it your all, but that can easily lead to burnout.
We don’t want that.
Building a work-life balance is crucial to maintaining your mental health. Start building boundaries (here’s a great resource for you to check out about setting boundaries at work), but know that you won’t be perfect immediately, or, honestly, at all.
We’re not striving for perfection.
Some days, you might be on Slack a little later than you should be, and that’s okay.
You want to manage your energy, not your time.
Building Your Post-College Support System
Loneliness ranks as the second biggest stressor for early-career members according to our May 2024 Pulse Survey. It’s so important to build a vast support system to keep that loneliness at bay and to help you live your life to the fullest.
A strong support system is essential for early-career women because it combats loneliness and burnout.
Why Your Network Matters More Than Ever
You’ve probably heard us mention it a few times, but networking matters in tech because it expands support systems, reduces isolation, and opens career opportunities.
But how do you actually network?
- Attend work events: meeting people at work when you’re working on small teams can be difficult! Even though attending a dinner with your coworkers might be the last thing you want to do after a long day, it could help you develop a larger network in your workplace.
- If you work remote, chat with your boss about setting up remote coffee chats with members of other teams! It’ll help your organization feel less overwhelming.
- Find in-person or virtual events in your field: there are many organizations (including Rewriting the Code) with networking opportunities. Some are work-style events where you chat about your job, but others are for getting boba and playing board games. Attend what works for you.
- Find a mentor: mentors provide an accessible professional support network. They’re someone who wants to see you succeed, so you already have a person in your wheelhouse. You don’t have to use RTC’s mentorship program (though we do recommend it), but find the right mentor for yourself. One who cares about you and your career.
Here are a few quick questions you can use at these networking events to help you get the conversation flowing:
- What kind of projects are you working on right now that you’re excited about?
- How did you get started in your role?
- What do you enjoy most about working at your company?
- Is there anything you wish you had known when you first started out?
Leveraging RTC for Continuous Support
RTC’s community is a great support system for when you don’t know where else to turn. In fact, communities like ours are vital to making the transition from school to professional life easier because so many of our members are experiencing the same things.
At RTC, we have:
- woman-focused programming built for you to help you excel in your career (and a ton of resources, too!)
- a mentorship program for you to find your person
- an active and engaged Slack community (where you can vent and celebrate wins, best of both worlds)
- virtual and in-person events that range from F1 cafes to boba dates
We have a lot of other resources, too, but these are the highlights. Not to mention, all of our events are great places to meet other RTC members in tech, so you don’t feel so alone. Check out your city’s Slack channel, and maybe you’ll make a few new friends!
Making Friends in (and out) of Tech Spaces
So, say you’ve done the networking and community building, and you still want more. Some of the best ways to meet people are to connect in shared-interest spaces.
That means if you like:
- Books: look for a book club at your local library or indie bookstore
- Cooking: join a class at a local restaurant!
- D&D: check out your local game shop for a one-shot you can join
- Crafts: many small businesses host craft nights! Check out some of your local small businesses and see if anything is going on.
And look into discord or other community group chats, like Reddit! There’s a discord group or subreddit for just about everything under the sun.
You’re Not Alone in This Journey
Post-university life is challenging because it requires identity, workplace, and lifestyle adjustments. But we’re here to help.
If you aren’t already a member of Rewriting the Code, what are you waiting for? Join us!
Remember, it’s okay to not have everything figured out yet. Your first few years out of school can be difficult. Celebrate what you have figured out and the small victories you have!