Make yourself a more attractive prospect for post-graduation employment. You may not want college graduation advice or to be thinking about your life beyond college as a recent high school graduate or new college student.
It is, however, never too early to start planning for your future. You don’t have to know precisely what you want to do when you grow up, but you can start thinking about your professional identity and taking actions to assist yourself find work after college.
As a recent graduate, you’ll be considered an entry-level employee. This title suggests that you will have little to no work experience to include on your CV.
With that stated, there are additional things you may participate in or focus on to give your CV a little more oomph and attract the eye of a potential employer.
You may also start networking with seasoned professionals and address other criteria that companies consider when making recruiting decisions, such as social media engagement.
I’ve included some college advice, ideas, and suggestions below that you may think about throughout your days on campus to assist you to get your ideal career more quickly after graduation. With a little luck and a lot of preparation, you might be able to get your ideal job before graduation, which is usually the objective.
>> More: What You Need To Know Before Applying For A Job
Article Road Map
Participate In Groups And Organizations.
Getting engaged is one of our finest bits of college advice. Joining clubs and organizations is an excellent method to demonstrate initiative.
Even better if you join committees since it demonstrates your ability to manage several obligations (club meetings, committee attendance, maintaining good grades) at the same time.
When you start working, you may find yourself in a similar scenario, and employers may take your previous experience into account.
Look For Part-time Job.
Many college students work part-time to supplement their income or help pay for their education. Another benefit of part-time employment is that it demonstrates to potential employers that you are responsible and capable of holding down a job.
Your boss may even serve as a reference for future job applications. Having a part-time job while in college might assist you in finding work after graduation.
If you’re worried about balancing school and employment, keep in mind that businesses that recruit college students are usually aware of the need for a flexible schedule, so you won’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts.
Start Your Own Company Or Work As A Freelancer.
Freelancing or creating your own business, in the same vein as seeking part-time work, demonstrates initiative to a potential employer. You may generate some additional money utilizing freelancing services like upwork.com if you have any abilities, such as graphic design or writing.
Direct sales businesses like NYR Organics, Jafra, and Isagenix can also be a good method to supplement your income while building your CV. However, do your homework to figure out what would work best for you and to prevent fraud.
You May Like: Video Interview Tips: Top 7 Guides for a Successful Interview
Participate In Community Service Or Volunteer.
Volunteering is another option to get engaged while in college. If you choose to volunteer with charity or community groups, you are demonstrating good effort, initiative, and responsibility.
Employers also like to recruit people who are concerned about supporting and assisting others, since you’ll need such a mindset to function well in a team setting.
Maintain your academic performance.
Though grades aren’t the only factor considered by employers, they certainly make it simpler to obtain a job in many situations.
You don’t need honors to get a good job, but grades do factor into an employer’s choice when you’re a new recruit, owing to the fact that you have little to no work experience on which to base your performance potential.
Socialize And Take Pleasure In Life.
It may surprise you, but maintaining a social life is equally as essential as maintaining good grades. When it comes to cultural fit, employers look at personality and emotional intelligence, and these traits emerge from your social interactions.
During the interview process, you may also draw on your personal experiences for information. Be responsible at the same time. A DUI conviction, as well as the repercussions of poor judgments and behavior, can have a detrimental influence on your job prospects.
Look For Chances To Lead.
Consider nominating yourself for leadership roles in the clubs and organizations in which you engage, such as President or Secretary, if you don’t believe it will add too much to your plate.
This sort of effort will stand out on your resume, and the experience will provide you with additional instances to draw upon throughout future application and interview processes.
Network
If you’re in your senior year of college, you’ve probably decided on a major and are looking for industry-specific clubs and organizations to join. These are excellent networking options for future possibilities, and you may even develop friends who will remain in your life for many years.
Online networking is also valid. It’s never too early to start a professional LinkedIn profile, considering that almost 90% of employers recruited someone through LinkedIn in 2021, according to Capterra research.
>> More: How To Improve Your Job Prospects
Keep An Eye On What You’re Doing On Social Media.
According to a 2013 CareerBuilder poll, over half of all employers use social media to investigate candidates and reject many of them based on their social media behavior, which includes things like slamming existing coworkers and firms, provocative photographs, and more. Keep an eye on your social media activities right now to help you land a job after college.
Take A Look At Graduate School.
Many of us want to return to school for a graduate degree later, but life gets in the way, and finding the time can be difficult. If you’re motivated, it might sometimes be easier to go directly from college to graduate school.
This is exactly what I did, and it turned out to be the finest move I could have made in terms of my schooling. When compared to what I would have made with only an undergraduate degree, it increased my employability and quadrupled my beginning wage.
Going to graduate school straight might help people who want to pursue a new major since they aren’t passionate about the one they picked as an undergraduate (keeping in mind that some graduate degrees do require a certain type of undergraduate degree or course requirements to be accepted).
Conclusion
For students, college graduation is an exciting moment. After years of education, you now have an endless number of life pathways to select from. While for many, this is starting a new job, for others, it may entail traveling, interning, or taking a gap year. I hope this article helps you decide the appropriate step to take.