It’s that time of year, folks. A large chunk of us are entering our final semester ever and boy, there’s lots of feels going around. The biggest being the fact that we’re going to have to look for full-time work.

Grad jobs don’t mean just cadetships or traineeships. A grad job could be any sort of assistant job or internship that has opened up in your field of interest. The one thing they all have in common? They’re extremely hard to come by.

Here’s what we expect to happen when we apply for grad jobs, but what really happens instead.

Expectation: Applications Won’t Take Too Long

Reality: Goodbye Weekends

If you’re applying for a grad job at a government branch or corporate firm, expect the most insane application process. We’re talking online quizzes, loads of references, detailed cover letters and rounds and rounds of interviews. Not to mention how obscenely early you have to apply to even get a look in.

RIP, social life. It’s been nice knowing you.

Expectation: I Have A Degree, I’ll Be Sweet

Reality: I’ll Need 2-3 Years’ Experience?!

The very sad reality of job hunting as a new graduate is that you need a bunch of experience before you get the experience. Yes, we know. Irony doesn’t even come close to how mind bogglingly silly it is.

If you find yourself at the end of your degree with no ‘experience’ under your belt, it’s not too late. You can start by putting your hand up for internships and volunteer positions now. Plus, even if it’s not directly related to your degree, some basic office experience will demonstrate you know your way around a professional environment. A gig’s a gig’s a gig.

Also, don’t underestimate the value of hobbies, interests and travel. Chuck them on your resume to add a little personality and you might be surprised at how much it inches you above the rest.

Expectation: The Job Will Be Full Time

Reality: More Like Casual Or Part-Time Work

There’s lots of upheaval in the workforce right now so don’t dismay if your first foot in the door isn’t a full-time gig. We’re not saying that full-time grad jobs don’t exist, it’s just that they aren’t as common as they used to be. Kind of like some species of dinosaurs, or landline phones.

In fact, the average Australian graduate takes around 4.7 years to snag themselves a full-time job. There’s nothing shameful about taking what you can get.

Expectation: I’ll Finally Have Money

Reality: Um, Sort Of

Depending on the company, some entry-level jobs usually pay an award wage that’s just above — if not right on — minimum wage. If you’ve been working steady hours throughout your degree, you might find that there’s not a huge amount of difference in the pay that you take home.

The most important bit is that unlike your job in retail or hospo, this one will be going places. Don’t worry too much about money at the start of your career. The dollaz will come with time.

Expectation: You’ll Use What Your Learned At Uni

Reality: Not For A While

When you step into your first day of work, you can’t be blamed for expecting you’ll put your skills straight to use. But the reality is that you’re more likely to be a jack of all trades for a while; you’ll be trying out lots of different stuff and helping out your bosses where you can. With most government grad positions, you’ll be rotating around in different areas for your first year or so.

We reckon you should stay agile and willing to learn. It’ll not only impress your employers but it’ll make the whole process a hell of a lot more interesting for you too.

Happy applying!

(Lead image: Stepbrothers/Columbia Pictures)