Whether you’re in my position and desperately clinging to your last few weeks at university, or one of the lucky ones to be returning for future years, thinking about careers can seem a daunting process. Despite what you may hear on the benefits that university can offer in preparing for the start of your professional career, in reality it is all too easy to become distracted or complacent and procrastinate your all-important careers search.
So whether you still have a matter of weeks or even years until moving into the professional world, it’s not too late to get stuck – into searching for a career!
1. Don’t panic!
After having being nagged multiple times by pushy parents, or finally having given in to that oft-ignored part of your conscience responsible for making you get things done, you’ve finally made it to your first step of careers planning. If you’re anything like I was by this point, you’ve probably still got little to no idea exactly what it is you want to do with the rest of your life. Which is absolutely fine!
The most important thing to do at this early stage is to consider any jobs you would actively like to do, or could see yourself doing. One of the biggest things to remember about searching for that first job, is that you won’t have to work there for the rest of your life. It is very common for graduates to work for a couple of years after University before it becomes clearer what kind of work they may enjoy the most. It may not be easy finding a career, but once you have time and experience behind you, your future options may become increasingly flexible!
2. Profiling and quizzing
So you may have done a little work experience here and there, or held down the odd summer job now and then, but you still don’t even know where to start with careers hunting. Not a problem! Almost all universities provide some form of careers service, so whether you’re popping into their office, or browsing their website – this can be a great place to start to give you some ideas. You will also find many quizzes online that can help you choose what career may be suited to you. Taking the time to sit down and write out what you feel your strengths and weaknesses are can really come in handy at this point, helping you to narrow down your list of options.
3. Don’t give up!
No matter the outcome of your search up until this point, sooner or later you’re going to need to start sending out a lot of correspondence. It isn’t always easy just picking up the phone to speak to any number of potential employers, but no matter how daunting it is, just remember the person on the other end of the phone is human too! Putting yourself out there as much as you can is a great strategy for careers searching, as in a highly competitive job-seeking environment there is a definite likelihood your first few applications may be overlooked.
So whether it’s by phone, e-mail, Twitter or LinkedIn, make sure you’re making contact with employers, they certainly won’t come to you!
Do you have any more advice for people who have no clue what to do? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo: Martin Pettitt / Flickr
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