So, you’ve finished university and want to break into the big wide world of post-graduate life – ideally, you’d like to land the job of your dreams. What do you do next?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are certainly things that can help. Here are a few ideas to get you started… Spoiler alert, it involves putting yourself out there!
Stand out from the rest
This is where you need to dig into your recent experience, whether that’s work experience or even travelling, to extract any relevant skills. There can be transferrable or industry-specific skills – or ideally, both. Struggling to think? It may be worth identifying which gaps need filling so that you can seek out new opportunities that will boost your CV. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy either. Part-time jobs or local volunteering projects still showcase independence and will help you build your portfolio, which is always handy when it comes to applying for jobs! Local community groups or charities will appreciate a helping hand, but otherwise, there are plenty of websites listing opportunities to give you some inspiration.
Be your own motivation
According to the Department for Education, graduates who undertake non-compulsory work experience tend to be those who have been proactive about their career development. With this in mind, you should be taking the bull by the horns to carve out the career path you want to take, while understanding that not everyone has a perfectly streamlined route towards this. Your experience so far might not appear ‘perfect’ according to your targeted industry, but that doesn’t mean it should go to waste. Extracting value in every experience you say yes to is a great mindset to have and will set you up well for interviews with prospective employers. Remember that having a positive self-belief system will underpin your success.
Useful skills to have
While transferable skills are key, there really is no limit to the skills you can outside the workplace. In your spare time, you could do anything from learning how to crochet a scarf to getting into electronics and coding using Arduino components (and yes, you really can do that at home!) Potential employers love to learn what you are passionate about, so having the confidence to start and share what it is that makes you tick is a great way to go. Niche skills are especially interesting and give you something to talk about in future networking scenarios. You never know, you could even encounter another budding crochet-fanatic!
Do you have any tips for post-graduate success? Or, if you’re a post-graduate experiencing this period, what are you actively doing to help you stand out from the crowd? Share them below!
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