For graduates, the step to working life can feel like a huge leap following years of living the student life, and often brings with it feelings of anxiety or uncertainty. However, it’s important that those experiencing these feelings know they are not alone – luckily there are tried and tested methods to help graduates kick start their career and take on the professional world.
Career and mentoring expert Ed Johnson – CEO and co-founder of leading online mentoring platform, PushFar – has his own interesting story when it comes to success and education. At the age of 17, Ed decided to leave full-time education and chose the path of work and entrepreneurship instead. The experience has given him a unique perspective into career success, eventually leading him to be included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 for social impact.
Here is what Ed advises for graduates making that transition:
- Research Your Industry
Before you begin applying for your first graduate role, it’s important to spend some time looking at your interests, what motivates you and get a better understanding of what type of role and industry you want to be in. Research different industries and look at the career paths within them, see if they align with what you want to achieve from your career.
Remember, different roles require different skills, experience and demands, and by taking the time to understand what you want from your career you can explore the current trends, challenges and opportunities. It can be easy to skip this step and head straight in to applying but taking some time to reflect and research will help the process be smoother and more efficient. You don’t want to rush this process.
Even after this you still don’t think you’re in an industry, role or organisation that isn’t right, you can always change paths – you’re still figuring everything out.
- Write a Graduate CV
Your next step is to nail your CV. It’s the first impression you give to potential employers, so it’s important you take time on it and make it stand out in a competitive job market. As a graduate you aren’t expected to have a huge amount of experience, so you need to include other abilities that will impress any potential future employers. Skills you can showcase are things such as your education history, skills you have gained both in and outside of university, your interests and any other relevant experience you think will help you stand out.
Think of your CV as a base document, that you then tailor depending on the role you are applying for along with your cover letter. It takes more time but is definitely worthwhile as it allows you to highlight your relevant skills and experiences that align most closely with that that particular role, which in turn will greatly increase your chances of landing the role.
- Volunteer
It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering increasing your job prospects, but volunteering comes with many incredible benefits for helping yourself as well as helping the community.
If when putting your CV together you found the experience element was a little thin on the ground, volunteering is a fantastic way to gain some that you can include. At this stage of your career while you are still trying to understand the type of role you want; volunteering is a great opportunity to explore different career paths and expose you to those industries where you will have the chance to expand your knowledge and pick up skills that could place you in front of other candidates.
As well as the personal benefits, you would also be utilising your free time to help the community, so everybody wins.
- Start Networking
The idea of networking can be daunting and strange to someone just beginning their journey into the professional world; however, it is a powerful tool to have for anyone wanting to open doors in their career. Networking happens throughout your career and can happen anywhere at any time whether you’re at an event or not. You can’t underestimate the power of networking. It allows you to build your professional network, meet people from within and outside your chosen industry and provide valuable insight.
Set yourself up a LinkedIn profile and look at local networking events to help get you started. Before you know it you will be forging strong connections that could lead to job opportunities further down the line.
- Find a Mentor
As a co-founder of a mentoring platform, I will always champion mentoring as a key factor in career success, and there are many reasons why. You may not be familiar with mentoring, or know how it works within a work setting, but it is an incredibly powerful method of developing both personally and professionally. Mentors can help with improving your confidence, writing a great CV, providing invaluable advice and importantly as a graduate adapting to the changes that come after leaving university.
Access to someone who has gained skills, insight and knowledge over the years are well-equipped to help you navigate the world of work. One of the great things about mentoring is that is an open two-way dialogue, and with reverse mentoring you can teach your mentor a thing or two as well. If you are interested in learning more about mentoring head to the PushFar website.
- Ask for Feedback
Feedback is one of the greatest assets you can receive for developing your skills and reaching your goals. It’s completely normal for you to not know everything about the industry you’re going into, or even about how you work. You can ask family members, friends and previous university tutors for feedback about how you work and communicate, and you can learn new things about yourself that can help you develop both personally and professionally.
You are then in a fantastic position take this feedback and use it to your advantage, take it on as constructive and act on it. The new perspectives you have gained are invaluable for your development, and you will soon see positive changes in no time.
- Stay Positive
Leaving university is a massive change and with it inevitably comes some hard decisions and events that could leave you feeling down. However, it is so important to remain positive throughout all of the ups and downs. You will spend a lot of time on a job application that may result in a rejection, or you might stumble at the first hurdle when trying to get into your dream role, but that is completely normal, and you are certainly not in the minority if this happens.
Try to remember that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others, this is a personal journey that you are on. No matter what you must remain confident, positive and motivated to keep yourself moving forward. You can’t control all the variables, but you can control your own positive outlook.
To find out more career tips and how mentoring can help you in the world of work visit www.pushfar.com
