Transitioning from school to the workforce is rarely easy. I was reminded of this recently when my partner, after serving six years in the Marines, began applying for jobs. On paper, his path looks very different from a college student’s — military service versus campus life. But when it came to the job search? His mindset mirrored exactly what I see in so many college graduates.
Like many students approaching their first role, he started with an “I’ll take anything” mindset. At first glance, that seems flexible and open-minded. In reality, it comes from a scarcity mindset — the belief that opportunities are limited and you should accept whatever comes your way.
As a career coach (and after more than a decade in corporate HR), I can tell you: the phrase “I’ll take anything” is a recruiter’s worst nightmare. It doesn’t give us direction. It doesn’t show us who you are, what you value, or where you’ll thrive.
Eventually, my “stubborn bull” realized he had a built-in resource (me!) and asked for guidance. Here’s how we shifted his approach — and how college students can do the same.
1. Get Clear on Your Values
The first thing I had him do was take my Values-Driven Assessment. Knowing what motivates you — whether it’s innovation, stability, collaboration, or autonomy — is key to choosing the right environment. For him, values like flexibility and remote work rose to the top, giving him criteria to measure job offers against.
2. Assess Your Energy
We then looked at his results from the Energy Leadership Index Assessment, which measures how your energy serves (or doesn’t serve) you. This gave him language to describe not just what he could do, but how he shows up in stressful situations, interviews, and team settings.
3. Translate Experience into Impact
Here’s where the military parallels college life. Just as students sometimes keep their resumes vague (“Assisted with projects,” “Worked on group assignments”), he had learned not to “brag.” But in job searches, specifics matter.
I taught him this formula:
I taught him this formula:
What you accomplished + How you accomplished it (tools, strategies, collaboration) = Impact (time, money, or energy saved).
Suddenly, his transferable skills — leadership, project management, adaptability — popped off the page.
4. Treat Interviews as Conversations
Before, he treated interviews like rapid-fire Q&A sessions. Once he relaxed and approached them as conversations, everything changed. His interviews went from 20 minutes to over an hour — because he was relatable, approachable, and confident in what he offered.
The Lesson for Students
Whether you’re coming out of college or the Marines, the job search can feel intimidating. But the principles are the same:
- Clarity beats “I’ll take anything.”
- Energizing your values gives you confidence!
- Your story matters — tell it with impact.
- Interviews are conversations, not interrogations.
When you align your values, energy, and experiences, you move from scarcity to strategy — and that’s where opportunities expand.
If you’d like me to speak to your students about navigating the college-to-career transition or provide 1:1 coaching to help them clarify their values, energy, and impact, I’d love to connect. Together, we can ensure your students step into the workforce not just ready for “a job” — but prepared to thrive in the right job.