Ideas for gaining skills, adding value to your CV and enhancing your employability
Learning doesn't end after Graduation So you've graduated in the class of 2013... Well done!
What next?
If you don't have a job, an internship or work experience lined up, what should you do next?
Perhaps take a gap year?
If you didn't take a gap year before you started college or university, now might be a good time to do this. However, it's crucial that you plan what you're going to do and that as well as being a great experience it will add value to your CV. Here are just a few options:
What next?
If you don't have a job, an internship or work experience lined up, what should you do next?
Perhaps take a gap year?
If you didn't take a gap year before you started college or university, now might be a good time to do this. However, it's crucial that you plan what you're going to do and that as well as being a great experience it will add value to your CV. Here are just a few options:
Volunteering
Volunteering can be highly beneficial - not just as a worthwhile experience but also in terms of adding skills and experience to your CV. Just Google "work experience" to find a host of possibilities both at home and abroad. You could work in a remote support or teaching role, or perhaps work for a charity - volunteering your time to help the needy or less privileged, or just helping the wheels of their office run smoothly - possibly helping with bookkeeping, running charity events, raising awareness.
Whatever volunteering you opt for, it's best to ensure that it's relevant or that you'll gain valuable transferable skills.
Whatever volunteering you opt for, it's best to ensure that it's relevant or that you'll gain valuable transferable skills.
Skills Improvement
If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs, what about learning some new skills - ideally vocational skills such as IT or copywriting? Or you could apply for a full-blown vocational course such as a Marketing Diploma and perhaps combine this with part time or full time work too.
Independent Travel
Notice I "independent travel". Anyone can book package tours but it takes careful planning, research and self belief to travel independently. You'll generally go off the beaten track and out of your comfort zone, all of which can add to your soft skills - initiative, research, adaptability, self-sufficiency, resilience, problem solving, team leadership, project management, risk analysis, etc. You'll also meet with people of all cultures and enjoy diverse and memorable experiences.
Many years ago I travelled solo to Australia and New Zealand. I obtained a "Working Holiday Visa" and was able to take temporary office and bar work to subsidise my travel costs. I can still say today that it was the best year of my life and it made me much more confident than I'd previously been.
Many years ago I travelled solo to Australia and New Zealand. I obtained a "Working Holiday Visa" and was able to take temporary office and bar work to subsidise my travel costs. I can still say today that it was the best year of my life and it made me much more confident than I'd previously been.
Work Experience
Who wants to work for free? No-one I suspect - including me! But work experience helps you acquire new skills and adds value to your CV and it often leads to paid work. Do take care that you're not simply unpaid labour. Choose your work experience carefully and try to agree a plan with the employer so you're sure of working with or shadowing different managers and growing your knowledge.
Or you could register with an employment agency and take on a succession of temporary roles that will give you some vocational experience and transferable skills for your CV. Temporary jobs often transition into permanent roles. If a company likes what they see, they'll likely make you an offer. So, again, target the type of company or market that you'd like to work in.
Or you could register with an employment agency and take on a succession of temporary roles that will give you some vocational experience and transferable skills for your CV. Temporary jobs often transition into permanent roles. If a company likes what they see, they'll likely make you an offer. So, again, target the type of company or market that you'd like to work in.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language - TEFL
Many students obtain a TEFL qualification to enable them to work overseas AND earn money at the same time. Unlike independent travel, you'll probably spend most of your time in one location but you'll still have a fantastic experience while acquiring transferable skills such as team leadership, planning, motivating.
Whatever you choose to do, here's what NOT to do after graduation...
- Don't get off the roundabout - you might never get back on
- Don't waste your time taking "well-deserved R&R" - you'll miss the boat
- Don't chill out watching TV or catching up on 3 years' worth of missed sleep
Life's not a rehearsal - you're future starts now.
And remember that learning is lifelong - it doesn't stop after your graduation ceremony.
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