How To Succeed After Graduation
By now, you must have observed that the world is changing rapidly. The dynamism of the future of jobs is nothing like we have seen before. We are not in the 60s wherein African countries, only one person goes to school from an entire community. We are in 2019, a huge amount of the population has access to education in higher institutions. As such, many more people are graduating and more are graduating with first-class honours. You would see that most top companies no longer take second class graduates anymore. Have you ever asked yourself why? The competition and population has greatly skyrocketed.
What to do to stay relevant!
Now, take a moment and think of all your direct course mates. You are all going to graduate –maybe not at the same time but still. Now, that is just your class, think about other schools in your state, then your country, then the world. I am sure you get the picture. Your competition is global so you really need to find a way to stand out. Here are some tips to stay relevant:
Leverage technology
The internet is available to us at a reasonably low cost. There are so many free courses online that can give you an edge over your equals. Learn how to use software that is relevant to your field of interest. Connect with experts in your field from all around the world. These people can mentor you. Utilise the resources that are made available.
It’s never too early to develop a CV
This might seem odd but trust me, it is a good strategy. It helps you keep a record of all you have done in each extracurricular activity you were involved in. Do not discount anything you do. Clearly articulate it and document it. Writing a CV now is also a way to see how much you have done and evaluate yourself. This will serve as a push for you to do more. Learn to write a polished CV that makes the HR analyst think, “We need this person in our company to be better”
Learn something outside the classroom
What they never tell you is that formal education is not all you need. Going to a university is great but having only formal education is not – not in this time and age. Having only a formal education will not give you the equilibrium you need in your life. Having only formal education has actually worked in the past but that time is long gone. Even though you shouldn’t devote all your time and strength to your formal education, you still need to take it seriously. Work hard to get a first-class because it will open doors for you. The trick is that it opens doors for you, but there’s no guarantee that you wouldn’t be kicked out of the room, which is why you need the skills.
Consider learning another language or maybe even languages
Another set of people in high demand are those that are bilingual or multilingual. That alone puts you on a higher pedestal than your colleagues. Companies looking to expand to foreign countries would need you if you are fluent in the native language of those countries. Take advantage of technology. There are ample online resources that can help you learn another language. On a global scale, the top languages to learn are Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic, Hindi, German and Portuguese.
Gather experience while still in school
You need to gain relevant experience in the workforce while you are in school. It would open your mind to more possibilities, as well as, expose you to a work environment. Do not spend your holidays at home. That is a time you would not get back. Instead, invest that time volunteering, getting a holiday job or interning. This is a great way to learn hard skills and be a boss at soft skills. It is also a great platform to expand your network. Another thing you should consider is starting a small business especially if you want to develop your entrepreneurial skills. Starting early allows you to make the mistakes and learn from them without having to lose much.
Invest in meaningful hobbies
Have positive hobbies will boost your self-brand and add value to your life. One thing is that hobbies can be transformed into business ideas and being that hobbies are things you like to do, turning it into a business will result in happiness for you which is the most important thing. You are most effective when you are doing the things that you love to do. Hobbies like fashion, travelling, singing, cooking and so on, will be a plus to you.
Conclusion
You are an undergraduate; it is time to start thinking of the future. You might think it is still far but in the twinkle of an eye, you are writing your last paper. Make efforts to expand your network and be intentional about what you learn. With the advent of AI, Machine learning and automation, a lot of job roles are going to be extinct so when deciding on a career path, think long term ( at least 10 years from now) and even while you are on that path, never stop learning and improving yourself. Basically, staying relevant implies that you must be a continuous and smart learner.
Thank you for reading!
I hope you found this article on “How To Succeed After Graduation” interesting. You can always check SchoolMetro for quality academic contents.
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Really helpful