It’s been 3 days and you haven’t had a wink of sleep. Your feet hurt from pacing the halls of your apartment and one more meal of spaghetti will trigger the gag reflex. How could this be?  Just two weeks ago you accepted your diploma and thanked all your professors for their inspiration. The time has arrived, but your dream seems to have hit a dead end. Where is the big house, the Mercedes, and all the latest Apple technology gadgets packed in the back of your shiny new SUV with spinners on the wheels?  That’s what life after graduation is supposed to be, not pacing hallways and eating leftover spaghetti every night.

If you feel the above scenario hits way too close to home, here are 3 things you can do now to increase your chances of obtaining a great optometry associateship.

1. Study your business – I know, I know, studying is the last thing you want to do right now. However, I’m not talking about studying ocular pathology–you’ve already done that. Now you need to study how to build a business that depends heavily on referrals. Start reading books like The Referral Engine by John Jantsch. It also means understanding the operations of a small business. Spend hours on the internet reading and researching articles on optometry practice management and employee/employer relationships. Be prepared for your interview with a prospective employer by going outside the clinical box. Market yourself as a “staff trainer” or show how you could  help administrative personnel by reviewing and revising employment manuals, training manuals, and policy manuals. The majority of employers will assume that if you graduated from optometry school you are ready to practice optometry. Make yourself stand out by highlighting additional skills.
2. Learn a second language – The world is getting smaller and not everyone speaks English. To be more marketable in today’s economy you must have multi-cultural knowledge. A second language is going to make you much more competitive when trying to land your first associateship. The Rosetta Stone language system has helped millions of people learn another language. Find out what the secondary language is for the area you want to practice and begin your new language today.
3. Improve your Curriculum Vitae (CV) – All CVs are not created equal, and the look is as important as the content in getting the interview. Your CV must be perfect in appearance, grammar, spelling, and content. Many consultants to high-profile, high-income earners recommend hiring a professional to review and assist you with your CV. In today’s ultra-competitive job market this is money well spent. A professional can take the content of your CV and package it to outshine the competition.

Graduating at the top of your class gets you the prestige in the academic world and probably a million pictures with your mom. However, graduating at the top does not guarantee you a job. Getting a job requires time and effort above and beyond the classroom and clinic of optometry school.