Post-Graduation Preparation and Starting a New Job in Scotland
Happy New Year everyone - 2020 is here! I am on winter break from university so I've spent the first few days of 2020 going sledding, watching Parks&Rec, and generally catching up on some much needed self-care time! This year is an exciting one for me, I'll be graduating from university this summer and starting a Software Engineering role in the UK this fall. Change is always difficult and graduating and starting a new job will be a huge change. I've come to feel like my college town is my second home, and I'm sure that I will miss it and the friends once I leave. However, starting a new job is also exciting! When I'm at uni, I always feel like I could be working on another assignment or getting ahead on some notes and it'll be nice to leave work behind at 5 pm everyday and have my own free time.
I go to university in Scotland but am originally from the United States. With hard work and determination, I landed a graduate software engineering role in Scotland! I interned at the company this past summer, and was offered a graduate job offer which I accepted in the fall. Since I've lived in Scotland for the past four years, I'm not too nervous about moving but I am relocating to a new city so that is slightly scary! I've been doing some research about the new city I'm moving to and preparing for this big life change and thought I would share.
Some ways I'm preparing for graduating and starting a new job are:
Searching for flats on RightMove and other UK rental websites. It's a good idea to look at flats well in advance to get an idea of what the market is like, how much you can get for your money, and what areas of the city you prefer. A good rule of thumb is that you shouldn't spend more then 30% of your yearly salary on an apartment so try to stay under that amount when you're looking for a place.
Setting up a Roth IRA/savings account - once you start a new job and have steady income, it's a good idea to put that money into a high-yield savings account like Marcus or a retirement savings account like a Roth IRA. It's never too early to start contributing towards retirement (you'll be happy you started early once you're older!) and high-yield savings accounts are a great way to make interest on your savings without having to do anything. I would recommend Marcus or Ally.
Make a list of hobbies you'd like to pursue. When you're in university, I think it's easy to lose your hobbies because of intense coursework and exams but once you start the 9-5 you'll want to have hobbies outside of work to pursue. Make a list of all the hobbies you would be interested in taking up and look up classes that you can take in the city, such as pottery, pilates, and cooking classes! If you don't have anything particular in mind, you can look up "Best classes and workshops in x city" and maybe you'll find something you like!
Enjoy time left at uni! It's easy to get caught up planning for the future and while it is important to be prepared you should also just enjoy the time you have left at uni. Getting good grades is important but by your 2nd semester of last year it's also important to hang out with friends, take weekend trips, and have fun!
I hope these tips were helpful, I'm still navigating the strange territory of preparing for grad and starting a new job so any tips you can give I would appreciate - please drop them in the comments below! If you want to know more about how I got my job in the UK or tips for moving to a new country, leave a comment 😊
Till next time,
Ashley (@ashhcodes)
