One day you’re daydreaming in the back of your lecture hall and the next you’re at your graduation ceremony in a cap and gown. Ok maybe there was a lot of late night readings, exam cramming and time spent at the library scattered somewhere within that blur. Still, it doesn’t change the fact it’s time to start looking for a full time job!
Everyone from your professor to your next door neighbour has given you advice on what to look for. There’s the clichés – find your passion, work with a purpose, and prioritise a good work/life balance. But they fail to mention how to make the most of your career path early on. Never fear! Here are some simple career tips you can get to work on right now.
#1 Network, Network, Network!
Majority of job vacancies are filled before they have a chance to hit employment sites. Why? People tend to offer positions to friends and those they have positive working relationships with first. Essentially, the more people you know the more effective you’ll be in hearing about new opportunities.
As almost everyone you meet in uni will be looking to enter the same industry reach out to as many of them as possible. Make sure to stay in touch by joining LinkedIn. Not only can you get some ideas from what they are doing but you can also remain on their radar with your exciting work!
Another great way is with your colleagues at after work drinks. If you’re too shy, try professional mixers. Often they’re hosted by industry leaders. This is a fun way to connect with people as they’re all open to making connections too.
#2 Change Is Your Friend
Don’t be afraid to branch out if the opportunity arises. If you’re boss gives you the opportunity to move to an unfamiliar new sector give it a shot. Did you see an opening overseas? Apply for it. Make sure you’re always shaking up your work. Often the best choices in life come with the greatest risks. Change encourages you to keep striving for more and stops career ruts. Therefore if you’re experiencing big disturbances to your usual work patterns, congrats you’re probably making progress.
#3 Passion Isn’t Found If It’s Curated
Many people these days struggle to find their passion. It’s no secret that it’s the magic needed in finding work that won’t feel like wasted time. However something everyone should know is that passion isn’t developed over night! If something interests you then this is the initial spark to get that ball rolling towards ‘finding’ your passion. Once you have an idea of what could be fun stick with it. Put the hard work into becoming a skilled professional in this field. The journey to this point will be hard but once you’ve nailed the criteria you’ll probably discover your passion. Interest can be found, but passion is curated by becoming really good at it.
#4 Look To The Experts For Guidance
Is there someone you admire? Maybe they’re the reason you’re interested in heading down a specific career path. If so start researching now! Here are some questions to get started. Have they written books? Do they have a social media presence? Any YouTube interviews? If they are local like a professor or work colleague then try to reach out over a coffee and have an informal chat about their journey if they’re willing.
#5 Future-Proof Your Skills
A huge number of amazing jobs have only gained popularity within the last decade. Some weren’t even invented before your lifetime! This is especially true within creative fields. Whilst this is exciting as you may find yourself working in a position that has yet to be heard of presently it does pose a risk. People tend to forget that the birth of many new jobs has led to the death of others.
It’s essential that you always remain employable. Don’t specialise in something you see no future growth in. Maintain a healthy focus on the long term and try to predict what possible challenges your field of work could face in the next decade. Try to cater to those needs by ensuring you have the skills to remain relevant. It’s important to never forget that you should always be learning and developing in order to keep progressing.Ca
