The Space In-Between: Confidence, Comfort, and Self-Care During the College to Career Transition

Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech

In elementary school, I never raised my hand, and I constantly felt that pit in my stomach when called on. The fear of being wrong far outweighed the possibility of being right. One of the best teachers I’ve ever had gave me a simple piece of advice: you know the answer — be confident in yourself. This encouragement carried me through all of my years at school and now during my professional career, finding special relevance during the transition between these two stages of my life. 

This period presents an unfamiliar landscape that includes a multitude of life changes. In college, milestones were measured by surviving one semester at a time, followed by long breaks. There was more flexibility, and living near friends and peers brought comfort and familiarity. In the post-grad world, milestones are based on our own hard work and discretion, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the responsibility and self-discipline. After a year and a half as a full-time architectural designer, I’m finally getting the hang of “adulting” and starting to feel settled into my career. Even though the pit-in-the-stomach feeling may never fully go away, I’ve begun to reflect on methods that have helped me build confidence and comfort in my day-to-day experiences as a young professional.

Confidence 
Invest in Mentorship and Forming Connections
The first step in building confidence at the beginning of a career is investing in mentorships and forming meaningful connections. Building confidence in yourself and your career is difficult to achieve in isolation. It’s essential to have mentors, colleagues, and supervisors who are committed to guiding you, advocating for your development, and supporting your desired career path. Forming these relationships isn’t just about meeting people; it involves spending meaningful time with them and understanding how you can learn from one another. I’m proud of the investments I’ve made in developing professional connections, as that support system has fueled my growth, helped me find opportunities for leadership and professional development, and made me feel more settled and confident during the college to career transition. In my opinion, the secret ingredient in the recipe for confidence is knowing that I have the support of peers and colleagues, giving me the peace of mind that I’m on the right track.  

Seek Opportunities for Leadership 
One of the most valuable things I’ve learned during my time at Clark Nexsen is that leadership is not a quality exclusive to those with the most experience. Finding opportunities such as leading a task, taking ownership of an area in a project, or sharing a new idea can teach you about your identity as a leader and a teammate. It was by leading the design and detailing of the learning stair in the media center for Ashe County Middle School that I learned to rely on my project team and colleagues for support. The media center was a team effort where we had to balance conflicting factors such as the budget, constructability, and materiality, while maintaining the ‘wow’ factor the client was looking for. Still searching for a solution after pouring through hundreds of sketches and model iterations, I found the confidence to initiate conversations on design ideas and host pin-ups in the office to hear fresh perspectives. We worked together, sharing sources of inspiration to blend our concept with. Seeing the “a-ha” moment manifest in the construction drawings made every iteration worthwhile and boosted my confidence as a leader and teammate.

Set Intentional Goals and Recognize Personal Growth 
One of the most overwhelming parts of post-grad life is realizing that professional milestones are up to our own discretion and self-discipline. It can be stressful to think about all the goals, accreditations, and development opportunities that are waiting to be achieved. It’s important to be patient, be intentional and realistic when setting goals, and not be too hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned. I’ve found it helpful to continually remind myself of successes I’ve had so far in my career, no matter how big or small. For example, one of my most daunting challenges was taking on the role of BIM project coordinator for a large, complex project. It brought a new layer of responsibility that I was nervous to take on, and I was afraid to make mistakes that could negatively impact the project. Upon settling into the role, I found myself utilizing recently acquired skills, and I was reminded to celebrate my successes. Recognizing my growth and achievements boosted my confidence and changed my outlook. The role of BIM Job Captain became a development opportunity and a career milestone rather than an intimidating task. 

Comfort 
Comfort and familiarity go hand in hand when building confidence. I appreciate that at Clark Nexsen I am able to tailor my career to my interests and am encouraged to be involved in organizations and extracurriculars. This has allowed me to blend my interest in community service with design, granting me that sense of familiarity and comfort while helping me maintain passion and enthusiasm in my work. I’ve become involved in various extracurricular groups and professional organizations, including the Community Collective group at Clark Nexsen. Led by the Community Collective group, I participated in the design of a Clark Nexsen cookbook filled with team members’ recipes for the firm’s 2024 American Cancer Society (ACS) fundraiser. I’ve volunteered with ACS since elementary school, and with this group, I was able to continue my involvement and utilize my design skills. Additionally, this group has connected me with colleagues across departments, and I’ve found the anxiety of speaking out or sharing my ideas subsides when I’m familiar and comfortable around the people I’m in meetings with.  

Self-Care 
The most important part of transitioning from college student to professional is prioritizing self-care. Balancing a new job, keeping up with personal relationships, making new friends, managing financial adjustments, prioritizing health, and living life is no easy feat. Something I’m actively working on improving is being more intentional with my time management, setting aside time for goals, calling loved ones, going for a run, or watching a movie. After taking time to rest and recharge every day, I find that my mind is fresher, often resulting in my best ideas or work. That being said, there is no perfect solution; I still get that pit-in-the-stomach feeling when I know I have a busy week ahead. Taking time for yourself is key to maintaining confidence, comfort, and self-care during stressful times.

When I reflect on my growth over the last one and a half years at Clark Nexsen, I’ve found myself speaking up in meetings, performing tasks more efficiently and with an increased repertoire of knowledge, and forming genuine connections with colleagues. If you’re like me and experience that pit in the stomach feeling, I’ll give you a piece of advice: you have nothing to fear. Recognizing that feeling means you’re learning and growing. But also realize that you don’t have to go through this transition alone. Take the opportunity to reach out to colleagues or your mentor for advice. Go to the company happy hour. Research professional or community organizations you may be interested in. Learn something new about that teammate you haven’t talked to. Talk with your mentors about how you can tailor your career to your interests. You never know how much you might learn about yourself.

Allison Rogers, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate, is an Architectural Designer for Clark Nexsen with experience in K-12 schools, higher education, community centers, libraries, and more. To speak with Allison, please email at allison.rogers@clarknexsen.com or call 757.961.7747.