Managing Post-Graduation Expectations

The French call it sevrage. It sounds like it could have something in common with to sever. If you think of severing as the act of cutting off, or separating something, then the two terms are definitely distant phonetic and semantic relatives. Sevrage is, among other things, the deep state of confusion, pain and suffering caused by stopping an addicting behavior. You are no longer high. The adrenaline, the excitement, the energy, everything is gone and you crash. That is when sevrage takes over and conquers slowly and painfully every cell in your body until you become numb. And then there is silence… Your body slowly regains control, but you feel lost. The new you is afraid to look back, but is more afraid to look ahead. The world surrounding the new you is unknown and you forgot what it meant to perform even simple tasks. Every day is a new challenge that you tackle with the outward belief that tomorrow will be easier. Inside you might doubt everything you are, stand for, and know, but your only chance is to adapt.

This sounds extreme, doesn’t it? What am I talking about? Is it about me, about you, about…what? As extreme as it sounds, I strongly believe that as we get closer to graduation, we – soon-to-be MBA graduates – will experience some form of sevrage. Being in a challenging and stimulating environment is addictive and causes a high. For two years, we are surrounded by like-minded people who want to make a difference, implement change, and reinvent the world. Just as JD candidates see torts everywhere around them, MBA candidates see new and better ideas everywhere. Without trying to sound elitist, the second one decides to get an MBA he/she separates him/herself from the rest of the working world. He/she joins the very small percentage of people that have a graduate degree. Then for two years while in school, all – or most – ideas he/she has are encouraged, accepted, and implemented. Whether that is in a group presentation, business plan competition, or an actual business venture, the point is that nobody uses the word “impossible.” That is until we graduate.

We, soon-to-be graduates, do not really talk about reintegration into the work force. We are too busy chasing that perfect, post-MBA job to think about anything else. But how do you get off the high of creativity, efficiency, and quick idea turnaround? It’s like being on Wall Street. The constant flow of energy and sense of accomplishment is followed by market close. And what do you do when the lights turn off?

This is what we will all face in our first job after graduation. And we will go into withdrawal because in reality change is not easy to accomplish, not all ideas will be welcomed or implemented, and occasionally people will not even care that we have an MBA.

Does this sound too pessimistic? I’m sure it does to some. What about realistic? More likely. All I am saying is that we will all experience this in one form or another, unless we find a company that fits our expectations and new-found business attitudes. Or we stay mindful of this reality and prepare as best we can to readjust to the working world.