That fateful time where your formal education comes to an end, and that moment when you’re finally released into the real world is close at hand. What used to be a fuzzy fantasy (“I can’t even imagine myself in the workforce!”) now looms on the horizon of reality. The inevitable question: “What am I going to do with my life?” has only gotten more vivid, more immediate, more… real.
Of course, being a university student means you have taken the first steps by choosing a major, so you’ve more or less already answered the question in a manner of speaking. However, post-graduate worries, i.e., finding the right position or knowing all your options, are already flitting across your mind. The itch to finish school and take the necessary preliminary measures for job security is growing fiercer by the day.
The good news is: you don’t have to torment yourself. I believe that instead of waiting until you graduate, why not tackle the much-anticipated post-graduation life situation today? And to help you out, I have curated a list of the best ways to kickstart your career while still in university:
Seek out internships (paid or otherwise)
When it’s time to step onto the playing field, there’s nothing that pays more than having a head start over your colleagues. The best way to do that, of course, is to go in with a few months (or even years!) worth of experience under your belt. I cannot stress this enough: If you go out into the world with solid hours of work in the bag, then finding a job should be a no-brainer.
So instead of spending your precious time scrolling through social media, why not give yourself a competitive edge by putting theory into practice? Besides, it’s pretty easy to make a few connections here and there through internships, which in and of themselves will boost your chances at moving the needle much earlier than anticipated.
More connections = more opportunities
Ah yes, the beloved and cliched “It’s not what you know – it’s who you know” makes a staggering return. But even though it’s a cliche, there’s a reason why job seekers keep hearing it time and time again (and will still hear it for many years to come).
And the reason is simple: It works.
Even the most seasoned job seeker knows that your professional network can be a valuable gateway to finding out about fresh and exciting job opportunities. Who knows, you might even find a mentor through your internship who will not only give you tried and true, infield-based guidance, but will also introduce you to some of the movers and shakers within the industry.
Hone your street smarts
Getting a 4.0 GPA is all well and good, and if you’re aiming for that, then it’s something worth being proud of. Ambition is a powerful driving force. At the same time, though, high grades are not everything; they're not going to teach you “people skills”. If there’s anything that all university graduates have in common, it’s the realization that they’ve spent the past four or so years not preparing for life in the workplace.
So, go out there. Talk to other industry professionals. Make use of your internships and ask all the silly questions you’ll be too embarrassed to ask down the line – i.e. when you’re an actual employee.
Begin at the beginning
There is nothing wrong with taking a shot at the most junior-level positions within your field. That being said, you do not have to do it unpaid. If you’re starting from ground zero, it can be useful to start with a job that allows you to learn the basic task of your field and enables you to grow professionally.
A caveat: Starting at the bottom doesn’t have to be overwhelming; just because you’re starting out doesn’t mean you’re obliged to spend 80+ hours a week doing grunt work. The key is to be humble, acknowledge your position in the pecking order, and start small.
Believe in yourself
Prematurely leaving the bird’s nest (or even leaving it at all) can be quite scary. You’re out in the wild, all alone, and feel like you’re being asked to step onto an arena with lions. Now what?
Well, for starters, you can take a deep breath, and know that everything’s going to be okay. Look, every single employee has already been in your position once. And yet there they are, working decent jobs and going in to do their thing like clockwork. And so would you. So leave those feelings of uncertainty and doubt where they belong; in the past, and know that you are deserving of praise and accolades.
Remember: You’re only getting started
The definition of fearlessness is not “not feeling fear”; it is feeling fear and doing the thing you’re most afraid of anyway. It is the one essential quality that differentiates the go-getters from the comfort zone lurkers. And as far as I know, no one’s discovered a shortcut to professional expertise yet, so you’ve got nothing to worry about anyway. Simply remind yourself to take it easy and carry on.
If you’d like some extra assistance along the way, I recommend checking our e-library of wisdom-packed guidance to keep you inspired.
