Getting a stable career is not as easy as people will have you think. And this is the reality that the majority of college students need to face after graduating. That’s why you constantly need to boost your career prospects. But how to improve your career prospects?
Contrary to the popular notion that tells us to “finish college, get high grades, and get your dream job”, reality is not at all linear. You may have high grades during college, but that is not a guarantee that you will eventually land your dream job.
But this shouldn’t stop you from achieving your dreams. Here is a list of ways that could help boost your career prospects while you’re still at university.
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How To Improve Your Career Prospects?
People these days are a lot more concerned about increasing their career options than ever before. They are looking to achieve new skills and add new experiences to their resume to boost their career. But how to improve your career prospects?. Here are some of the most effective ways to boost your career prospects while still at university.
1. Take Online Courses
Taking online courses and getting certified will greatly boost your career prospects and potential salary. And this is effective in most fields you can think of. From Medical Receptionist to Advanced Instagram Marketing or Python Programming – you can take a course in any subject. Suppose, you’re in the field of accounting, a CPA will make you look more competent for employers. The same thing goes for having an MBA in the field of business. While having a degree may help you get hired, having certifications will boost your chances.
You can easily take online courses from the comfort of your home and gain valuable qualifications to enhance your resume. This will set you apart from the competition you’ll face in the job market or for promotion at the workplace. So, this is a great way to boost your career prospects.
2. Get Job Experience
Some university students are aware of the catch-22 situation of obtaining a job after graduating. Most of the time, as a new graduate, you apply to various companies showing your interest and dedication to get the job. But they will usually ask you how many years of work experience you have. Obviously, you will say none since you’re just a fresh graduate. And in fact, those who have experience have a higher chance of being hired.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution to this problem. While you’re at university, you should start building your job experience and the great way to do this is to do volunteer jobs and part-time jobs among others. You can also use your internship as a work experience.
Nevertheless, when you get out of the university, and you obtain a year of job experience, you will be able to boost your chances of getting hired.
3. Talk To A Counsellor Or Career Service Adviser
Every university employs a career service adviser who is willing and happy to talk with you regarding your career plans. You can sit with your adviser for thirty minutes or more so that you will know how to attain your long-term goals. A career service adviser can recommend you various options and even link to various platforms or websites where you can easily register as a job seeker.
In addition, most universities conduct a workshop wherein you can participate to achieve personality growth, learn conversation skills, know interview minutes, and other important things that may help you ace your future job interviews.
4. Consider A Placement Year
Going for industrial placement, or extending your internship, is another way to improve your career prospects while at university. Learning that is related to a certain work will increase employability by letting students implement the skills and knowledge they have obtained inside their classrooms into real-life work environments.
This will also allow you to discover your career path as well as get immediate experience. Along with your degree, getting a placement year will improve your CV and most importantly offer you an edge over other applicants.
Further, industrial placement will let students establish a solid network connection and obtain good ideas for a final-year project like a thesis or dissertations.
5. Join Social Groups & Grow Your Network
Participating in a social group or in a university activity that aligns with your interests can be a great asset. But it is highly recommended that you opt for a leadership role and then prove that you’re a caring and responsible individual since it will involve further obligation.
If you become a part of groups or a society that is related to your prospective career, you will gain and learn new skills and experience that can help you in your career development.
Developing your professional network can introduce you to new employment opportunities, potential mentors. You could also have access to other helpful career resources like tips for interviews, office politics, professionalism etc. To sum it up, building a robust professional network with consistent effort over time can significantly help you grow your career prospect.
6. Participate In Extracurricular Activities
On the other hand, an extracurricular activity may help in fostering self-confidence, increase the sense of belongingness, improve time management, and develop social and teamwork skills. It is also crucial for critical thinking.
While you’re still at university, you will be able to adopt leadership skills and develop team spirit. Please note that these skills may boost your career prospects considering that the majority of employees these days keep an eye on candidates who aren’t just good at their work, but are good and well-rounded people.
7. Write A Great CV
Even though you don’t have plans on applying for a job anytime soon, writing your CV and updating it from time to time is not a bad idea. What’s more, it is crucial that you track all your achievements as you obtain them instead of depending on your memory alone in the future.
Aside from that, remember to modify your CV depending on the job you are looking for. As a matter of fact, this is normal when you are applying for different roles. However, it is best that you have something to work with so start writing yours.
8. Boost Your Online Presence
Did you know that your social accounts are considered your tickets to getting a job or not getting hired? These days, most hiring managers usually check various social media platforms in order to find out whether a certain applicant is the right person for the job or not.
With that in mind, even though you love posting photos of your night-outs, it is best that you make another account that will make you look more professional. Thus, before you post anything, keep in mind that your social footprints will say a lot about who you are. However, there’s no way it should reflect destructively, but it must be positive at all times.
Do not give recruiters reasons to disqualify you because of a photo you have posted in your college years. Remember to always keep your professional and personal online presence separate.
Cultivate The Right Attitude For Work
Constantly challenging yourself, gaining new abilities, and broadening your horizons is sometimes the best approach to strengthen your career and take it to the next professional level. It’s important not to dismiss your desire to learn more and concentrate on your professional development: it’s a critical strategy to advance your career.
The modern workplace is a constantly changing place. Workers are going to have to earn new skills every now and then to cope up with the trends. Imagine the office space before and post COVID-19. Right from remote work to zoom meetings. So much has changed. Therefore, being open to learn and gain new skills is a staple.
After all, there are steps you can do to invest in yourself without making a large investment if your career feels dull or you feel stagnate. Isn’t that the best type of all?
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Final Thoughts
Making the most of your college is very important, especially if you want to get the job you are dreaming of. The sooner you get out of university, the sooner you’ll earn money. Hopefully, the ways to boost your career prospects while still in university works in your favour. So, enhance your CV and become qualified for your dream job!