As a university leaver, it’s understandable to hope that a graduate job is waiting for you after your degree. After all, you’ve put the work in, so it’s only fair that you’re rewarded with some exciting career prospects when it’s time to move forward.
However, unfortunately, there’s an uncertain future ahead on the number of jobs for undergraduates, and it may take some time before you find the right employment for you. Still, there are lots you can be doing while you work towards your dreams.
Here are some alternative paths to consider after your graduation. Read on to find out more about some of the ways you can develop your career without jumping straight into a full-time job.
Graduate Internship
If you’re firing off your CV to employers and hearing nothing back, it may be time to inject your CV with a bit more excitement. To significantly give your employability a bit of a boost, consider a graduate internship. These worthwhile schemes offer structured training schedules that integrate you into a business, of which you’d be an active part.
You will still have time for your job hunt while dabbling in this arena, but you will be immersed in a graduate internship longer than your typical work experience. This means you can get a flavour for different roles in the organisation you’re in and get more insight into day-to-day responsibilities.
Employers like to see that you’re being active in society and doing everything you can to better yourself. Graduate internships will show that you don’t waste time, have a sense of direction, and that you’re willing to launch yourself into new experiences – all of which are highly sought after traitsby employers.
Graduate Apprenticeships
Many people think that apprenticeships are something that only kids who’ve wrapped up their GCSEs can embark on. Well, that’s not the case, and there are many apprenticeships for graduates out there, specially tailored to your skillset. These opportunities can lead to great things, and you’d do very well to enrol on one.
After all, studying and earning at the same is a brilliant combination, and there’s a great chance your efforts here will expand your skill set, network of contacts, and your employability. It might not be what you originally envisioned, but it can get you on the career ladder in your preferred industry.
It might be you’ve finished university, and you’re keen to carry on strolling down learning lane? A graduate apprenticeship is a great chance to do that, all while gaining vital skills for your dream career and earning some money at the same time.
Volunteer Roles
No one wants to work for free in your shoes, but giving your time can actually lead to your dream career in time. In a volunteering position, you can network with others around you have careers, and when they see you’re willing to get out there and help others, they might have a job for you or recommend you for another.
Volunteering roles can tell employers a great deal about your character when interview time rolls around too. Your passions, interests, and values can all be gleamed from a volunteering opportunity, whereas past work experience doesn’t always convey these all-important qualities. You’reputting your skills to use not just for personal gain, but out of principle.
You could help the homeless on weekends, write for a blog, teach youth groups in your area, or participate in a range of other pursuits. From any number of these roles you’ll gain new skills and experience, and it might all just help charm employers into taking a chance on you.
