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Graduates are always bombarded with the question of what they’re going to be pursuing professionally. These graduates are just getting a taste of joy- they’re finally parting with years of writing research reports and assignments, attending incessant lectures, and being subjected to those heartless examinations at university. Once they’ve celebrated to their heart’s content, everyone’s off to get their CVs in shape, apply for this job and that, and whatnot. A new phase of getting employed in a preferable, field-related business has overtaken their hearts and mind. The real grind has just begun.
The thing no one understands is that getting a degree is not the only thing you need to enter the workforce (with a bang, that is). Bookish knowledge and a GPA aren’t going to be the reason why you stand out amongst the competition, because, let’s just face it- hundreds of people in your country have the same degree as yours, and many of them out there’ll have a ridiculously high GPA. The only thing that will set you apart, and be that beacon that makes you shine in the spotlight is how you interact with people around you.
Here are 10 tips that graduates should keep in mind while getting ready to enter the workforce:
1. Gather all your certificates
Blast your name out there every chance you get! You need to get the credit for any competition you’ve won or participated in, even if you need to fight for it. Go back to the organizers who have hosted any curricular or extra-curricular activity and ask them to print you out a certificate. These documents are the assets that you should have by your side whenever you are called for a job interview.
2. Groom yourself
Act smart by looking smart. Make sure you get a nutritious diet, some daily exercise and the recommended 8-10 hour sleep every day to stay fit and active. Update your wardrobe with formal dressing choices like a suit, button-up shirts, ties, and every other workplace-related attire. You need to make sure you make the best first impression during an interview and you should run the extra mile for it (literally).
3. Create a top-notch resume
Before anything else, the company you’ll be applying for will judge you by your resume. Include all your details in it and don’t forget to add any internships or prior-job work experience you may have. Online website freelancing, working part-time as a tutor, graphic designer, or web-marketer, all these endeavors count as field-related job experience which will give you the upper hand as an employee. You even can have your resume professionally designed by online academic writers or freelance writing websites that’ll make sure it looks aesthetically pleasing to go through. Anything that works, right?
4. Be on the lookout
Be a good researcher- spend your free time gathering information on every business, firm, and company. The more aware you will be about the workforce, the more relevant you are from a professional standpoint. Make a list of all the companies you would like to apply to and just send in your credentials the second they have a vacancy. Be sure to short-list a good number of workplaces. Being a fresh graduate, you can’t be picky!
5. Hire a teacher
Having someone who has spent years experiencing the work ethic to teach you the depth of the commercial industry is a very intelligent move for a graduate. It’s ironic how, even after graduating, you need a lesson to explain to you the best way to perform as a professional but believe us, it’s worth it. There are hundreds of online tutors available on collaborative websites that specialize in preparing fresh graduates to enter the workforce. This will ensure that you have a deep, insightful understanding of having a ‘real job’.
6. Know your preferences
Sit down and brainstorm yourself. Analyze your likes and dislikes, and decide the job title you would want to be posted at. You can set your first job preference as a priority, then a second job preference as an alternative in case you can’t find the job you’re gravitating the most to just yet. You can have third or fourth job preferences too. Keeping your first job preference as a priority makes sure you always work towards achieving your initial goal, regardless of the job title you get posted at.
7. Find references
Don’t brush away your university teachers as soon as you graduate! Stick a bit longer, and ask them if they know of companies or businesses that you should be applying for. Your teachers are your mentors, that their knowledge isn’t limited to giving a tutoring lesson only- having a good relationship with influential people in the workforce can give you a headstart while you apply if they can refer you to an esteemed company.
8. Be ready to learn more
You have a lot of bookish knowledge, that’s for sure, but you need to be a blank page while entering the workforce! You have to absorb what’s going around in your surroundings. For this, you need to closely observe your co-workers, employers, and assistants. The workforce is a whole new realm that you need to explore and study in order to fully understand what your superiors expect of you.
9. Radiate a positive vibe
Remember that you will be treated the way you treat others. If you keep yourself lively, positive and light-hearted, your co-workers will find it easier to connect with you and you’ll receive the same good, positive energy back. Workplaces generally have tense atmospheres so it’s easy for people to get ticked off by the slightest rude comment. Make sure you aren’t the one passing it!
10. Don’t overheat yourself
Don’t start your professional life with working overtime. You’ll stress yourself out before you can make it to the end of the month! Also, being overly available as you start out gives a false impression of you having a load of time on your hands. Retracting from working overtime if you burn out later gives the impression of you being an immature person, too.
All in all, graduates need to work on themselves to ensure they aren’t taking their casual, student attitude to the workplace. Being hired is a very formal matter and only those who respect the work ethic are destined to achieve their dreams and goals.
