The moment when you graduate from university and enter into the world of work is a momentous one. Having spent at least three years in the student mindset, the change can be both nerve-wracking and also exciting. Whether you know exactly what direction you’re heading in or not, this is a time to embrace new opportunities, not to worry about the future.
The first thing to do is to ensure you are making the most of the skills you have at your disposal. Any potential employers will be impressed by expertise that is relevant to their workplace, as well as more general skills which are vital to your progress up the career ladder. International students may find that they want to hone their business English, whilst other graduates may wish to take classes in IT skills. Whatever your chosen industry, be sure to arrive at interviews prepared to show off about how well qualified you are for the role.
There are exciting roles open to graduates across all industries, and a great place to start in order to build up your experience and profile is with an internship. These can be paid or unpaid, weeks or months in duration, and vary greatly in the kinds of duties you will be expected to perform. No matter what form they come in, however, they are always a great way to get to know an industry you’re interested in, and provide you with valuable hands-on experience which you can boast about on future applications. These kinds of opportunities can be found through individual companies, via recruitment agencies or through ads in local and national newspapers.
In a similar vein to internships are graduate training schemes which are more long-term, paid positions aimed specifically at recent graduates. These crop up in all manner of different industries – from IT to HR, from consultancy to recruitment. They often include valuable training on-site, and are crafted precisely to prepare you for a future working in your chosen field. If you’re set on a certain career path, this can be a great way to start your journey.
If, however, you want to plunge straight into the world of work without any internships or training programmes, there are plenty of routes available to you. The best approach is to be as wide-spread in your search as possible, making use of as many sources as you can. This could be anything from applying on spec to companies that you like the look of, to stopping in at a recruitment agency or using a job site (reed.co.uk, for example, have postings for jobs in a vast array of industries and areas). Don’t be afraid to use any contacts you are lucky enough to have at your disposal, as they can give you an edge over your competition. Ultimately, as long as you are positive, determined and resourceful, you can really make the most of this transition from graduate to businessperson.
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