The Best Tech To Help College Graduates Transition To The Real World

• Time management doesn’t have to be an issue.
• Finding the right job is possible with the right tools.
• Learn all the skills you need to transition to the real world easier.

The day you’ve been working for your entire life has arrived – you’re graduating college! But, now what?

Life after college might seem uncertain right now, but with the right technology and tools, the big transition from college to the real world isn’t that bad.

Before you fear you’re not ready, don’t worry. With some preparation over your last summer break, you’ll be ready to land the perfect job for you.

Time Management Apps

Time management apps will quickly become your best friend. Whether it’s your first full-time job after college or you’re trying to juggle your work and personal life, time management is a must. Unlike college, an employer won’t be understanding if you show up late or want a custom schedule to better fit around your social schedule.

To keep track of everything you need to do for work and even your personal life, consider the following apps:

• Remember The Milk
• Mind42 (also helpful for searching for a job or planning a career path)
• MyLifeOrganized
• Focus Booster
• Evernote (also useful for job searching and interview prep)

Resume Builders

No matter how you choose to search for or apply for a job, there’s one thing you’ll inevitably need – a resume. A piece of paper with a list of skills isn’t going to cut it. Finding a job for a recent college graduate is much easier when you have a professional resume.

Of course, you get even more points for uploading that resume to your own professional website to further showcase your skills and get more in-depth about why you’re the perfect person for the job.

The best way to create the right resume is with a resume template. WPS Office includes free resume templates to help you create a custom resume in no time. Simply fill in the blanks and you’re all set.

Job Search Apps

Obviously, a big part of life after college is the job search. It’s not always as easy as you might hope to find the job of your dreams, but thanks to job search apps, it’s easier to narrow down your options. You already have your phone with you at all times, now you can use it to search for jobs, find great internships, send in your resume and even conduct interviews.

A few of the best job search apps include:

• Career Builder
• LinkedIn Job Search
• AngelList (for finding jobs with startups)
• Glassdoor (also see salary details and reviews)
• Indeed

Networking Tools

If you’re searching for internships or great job opportunities, networking is the best thing you can do. Luckily, technology has you covered when it comes to networking. Yes, you can still go to live events, but social media is useful. Just make sure you clean up your profiles so you don’t look like a college student. Some of the best networking tools include:

• LinkedIn
• Shapr
• Common Connect
• Ripple

Financial Management Tools

For many college students, loans and help from parents/guardians take care of all financial problems. However, life after college means handling your finances on your own. If this seems overwhelming, you’re not alone. Even adults who’ve been at this for decades still need financial guidance. Put technology to work for you by using these financial apps to help you learn the basics, starting budgeting like a pro and maybe even start investing for your retirement:

• Mint (ideal all-in-one finance app)
• Pocketguard
• Albert
• Pennies (good if you don’t want to link to your accounts)
• You Need A Budget

Free Courses To Fill In The Gaps

Sadly, you may not be as prepared as you think you are to tackle the real world. One of the biggest problems with finding a job a recent college graduate is employers don’t believe graduates are ready. Part of that is both graduates and employers sometimes have unrealistic expectations, but sometimes, college courses aren’t exactly practical either, such as fun courses about mathematics and street fighting.

The great thing about technology is there are numerous free and low-cost courses to help you fill in any skill gaps you might have, even if it’s something as simple as writing a stunning resume. And yes, you can add these to your resume to land internships and dream jobs. Some great places to start include:

• Udemy (low-cost)
• Skillshare (access all courses for one fee)
• MOOC (free online college courses)
• Coursera (free)
• Alison (free)
• Khan Academy (free)
• TED Talks (free, great inspiration)

Transitioning to the real world can be daunting, but you can do it. Just take advantage of all the technology available to make life after college amazing.