Whilst most of us wished we could have been students forever, unfortunately for most the time will eventually come when you have to face the ‘real world’. But it doesn’t have to be all bad and if you’re still passionate about the degree you’re currently studying, or if you’re in you’re final year the one you’re about to complete, there’s a high chance you’ll be able to make use of it in your career after graduation. For those that aren’t sure where to go when summer rolls around, perhaps considering one of the following options may help.
Speak to a Careers Advisor
Most universities and colleges offer a Careers Advice service where you can get information and access to different literature and short seminars and workshops to provide you with information as well as booking an appointment with an advisor to discuss your ambitions and thoughts and gain advice and inspiration on where to aim for with the rest of your course. If you find yourself short on any required skills once you know where to go, many libraries and student support services also offer skills development classes allowing you to gain vital components you may need to buff up your final CV.
Check Out Your Prospects
If you’d rather do your research on the own, then the power of the internet may be able to help! Links in this article aren’t sponsored or affiliated and as always can be found the column on the right.
In the UK, the Prospects website offers excellent tools to allow you to see where your current skills could take you. It also works the other way allowing you to look at your dream job and to work out which qualifications and skills are required for them. Finally there’s a wealth of articles easily accessible on the site explaining everything on writing up your CV, to applying to university and further study for graduates, to tips on surviving your on the occasions you get shortlisted.
Over in the states, a similar knowledgebase can be found on the BigFuture website with tips on Building yourself a Support Network, to finding your perfect major for the career your wish to pursue (should you need to change). If you need something a little more refined, the aftercollege site provides a great service in connecting you directly with employers and other graduates, offering you tools to directly search for relevant roles based on what you’re studying.
Worldwide, Glassdoor provides both job listings and profiles on the companies that advertise, with reviews of employees who work(ed) there. Their blog also offers a helpful insight on companies that provide everything from overtime, to travel to cool office spaces as well as advice such as budgeting.
Get Networking
Speaking of Connections, for anyone out there that’s online, the LinkedIn social network is also a great tool more meeting other graduates, checking out a virtual CV/resume of they’re skills and talents, a place to swap and share endorsements and recommendation for your peers and for yourself in return as well to to follow the businesses you’re interested in and find potential jobs with them (you’ll even find posts from this blog on there should you connect with me!) What’s more, a growing number of recruitment sites are connecting to the LinkedIn network, allowing you to virtually fill out your aforementioned skills and experience and apply for jobs using your profile to fill in your application details.
Offline, a day at the fair may be able to help you meet important connections that can present you with opportunities for your career. Speak to your careers advisers to find out details on upcoming careers fairs as well as keeping an eye online for local opportunities.
If traditional books are more your thing, then don’t forget to check out your local library as well as your on-campus one. In there you can be advised on the best sections to look in for books and articles on career options and find out the right skills and abilities you’ll need to do the job (pun intended). If you’re library is big enough they may also have access to their own careers advisors or be able to put you in touch with a local service whom may be able to help.
If You Graduate Without Knowing (or an Interview)
If you’re still not sure or as successful as you hope, have no fear. Speaking from experience it took me a few months to secure the work I’m in now after graduating. Speak to your local social security or job seeker’s alliance to seek support in finding work best suited to your skills and aspirations. There’s a job out there for everyone, sometimes in a field you may not be expecting – but there’s only one way to find out.
Mike
