If you are a student who is currently in their final year of higher education and looking towards graduation, it may be worth your while spending 5 minutes reading this short blog post.
I would imagine most of you are frantic with coursework or dissertations and using the Easter break for study for your final exams in May/June. Some of you may already have a clear plan on what to do once graduated, some may even be fortunate enough to have secured roles. If you haven’t, don’t panic.
First things first – it’s a tough graduate job market – continued economic uncertainty means recruitment levels are down and every role needs to be scrutinised, particularly if it is additional headcount. This is why you need to be clear about what your career path may look like and have a plan. Here are 6 suggestions that could help.
Table of Contents
1. Be Clear about the What and When
It’s important to be clear about you would like to do and when you would like to start work. It is ok at this stage to not be clear about what you would like to do. It is worth taking some reflection time from your studies in order to think about what skills you now have, what your strengths are (what motivates you) and what types of industries or organisations you would like to work in. You could also consider using a career coach to support your reflections.
2. Compare and Despair
Are some of your friends ahead of you in planning/applying? Remember that it is possible to apply too early for roles. Unless you are wanting to join a graduate scheme it is advisable to start the application process 3 months prior to when you plan to start work.
3. Planning Ahead
Putting in the groundwork early will pay dividends – it’s very likely you have a significant workload in the last 6 months of your study. It is advisable to start your thinking at least 6 months before you intend to work. The first 3 months of this can be getting your CV up to scratch, working on your LinkedIn profile in terms of what it says and who you are connected to. You could even carry out some practice interviews to ensure you are clear on technique and delivery. Please see our series of How To Guides (linked to below) for information and advice regarding these various topics.
4. Take a Break
Make sure you take a break – you may well have had 3-6 years’ worth of continuous studies through some of the most challenging times caused by Covid. Not everyone can afford to travel or take a break but remember that you are a long time working and it is recommended to take at least a few weeks off to recharge. The reality is that most employers will delay a start date for the right person.
5. Develop Your Resilience
It is rare for graduates to land the first role they apply for so be prepared for rejection. Think of unsuccessful attempts as part of the required path to landing your ideal role and ensure you adapt your approach accordingly. If you have an unsuccessful interview try to get constructive feedback to avoid making similar mistakes next time. Make sure you adapt your plan accordingly.
6. Have an Alternate Plan for Graduation
In the event you don’t get your ideal role think about what else you could do. This could be further study, travel, internship or working in a different role for now. If working is the only option try to ensure you do something linked to your ideal career path or at least something that may develop some of the softer skills you could need in your future role.
Resources at Your Disposal
Speak to one of our career consultants
If you are a geography/stats/data science graduate please get in touch to have a FREE consultation with one of our recruitment specialists. We guarantee you will get real value out of a 30 minute call. Book via the following:
Download some free resources
Our range of How To Guides can be downloaded on our website by subscribing to our newsletters. There are many guides that are particularly useful to students in your position, such as:
- How to Identify (and Land) Your Ideal Role
- How to Write a Killer CV
- How to Create an Appropriate LinkedIn Profile
- How to Unlock the Hidden Job Market
- How to Prepare for an Interview
- How to Stand out From the Crowd
Check out our blog
We have written a number of other blog posts specifically written with graduates in mind:
- Planning for Life after University: A 10-Step Plan to Land Your Dream Job
- Graduate Special: How to Stand Out from the Crowd and Impress Employers
Coaching
This would be a paid-for service but within a couple of sessions you can get real clarity on direction of travel with your career. Invest in yourself or even better, get a parent to invest in you. Click here to find out more about our coaching services.
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