As a university student whether you are doing your first or final year you have the opportunity to set yourself up for a successful career. While it is important for you to maintain your focus on bagging that degree, it is equally important for you to equip yourself for your journey in the professional world. By being strategic, optimally making use of the resources that are available to you and taking action you can lay the foundation for you to be professionally competent in your chosen industry of work.
In this article we are going through some of the strategies that you can implement to prepare for a fulfilling and successful career whilst you are in University:
Align your passion with your career goals:
Start of by exploring and understanding what it is that you are passionate about or what you find interesting, and also think about the career goals that you want to achieve. Once you have done this, research the industries that you find exciting, reflect on your strengths, your values and see how your favorite industries align with that. This will give you clarity on what you need to focus on as you take it upon yourself to prepare for your desired career. If you for example see yourself as a lawyer and believe in standing up for others but you find it difficult to communicate in front of an audience, then you will want to consider whether being a lawyer is really what you want. This is not to say that you shouldn’t pursue becoming a lawyer but rather think about how you can improve or develop your communication skills.
Build a strong network of professionals in your industry:
Networking is about building meaningful relationships or connections with people who can give you advice, guidance and help you make informed decisions regarding your career. To build strong connections with your industry professionals you should be on the lookout for industry conferences, career fairs, networking events and be sure to attend them, get there and interact with the right people. You can try to conversate with as many people as you want however be sure to have a meaningful interaction with the industry leaders whom you will remember their names, and reach out to them via a platform like LinkedIn after the event has ended so that you can foster a meaningful relationship in which you may be able to receive mentorship, insights into your desired career and maybe even find out about upcoming internship or job opportunities that have not yet been advertised to the public.
Develop skills that are in demand:
Do some research and look at the skills requirements for jobs in your desired career field and determine which of the skills are the most in demand. Take note of both the hard and soft skills. For example, if you are aiming to be a data analyst you may not only be required to know Excel and SQL for data analysis, but you will also be required to have good communication skills to communicate your findings and give valuable recommendations to businesses. After you have identified the most important skills and competencies you will need to have, take the initiative to develop those skills by making use of your university’s resources for example as a student you can apply for the GitHub student developer pack which gives you access to learning platforms like DataCamp free of charge for a certain period for time. You can also make use of YouTube, Udemy, Skillshare and even LinkedIn learn to enhance your in-demand skills.
Look for opportunities to gain work experience:
For you to gain exposure to the industry that you look forward to working in you should google relevant internship opportunities and be sure to apply. Do not doubt or second guess yourself just because maybe you only meet 3 out of 5 of the skills requirements, take a chance and apply. You may also consider volunteering or part time jobs which will allow you to gain transferable skills and also put your existing skills to practice. You can also try tutoring the modules you do well in and volunteer for some of the projects conducted on your campus such as becoming a peer mentor. Gaining real world work experience will give you a competitive edge when applying for roles in your desired field of work.
Create your cv and build your portfolio:
To showcase your skills, work experience and accomplishments, it is a must for you to create a cv that will sell you to your future employers. You can make use of Canva which gives you a range of templates to chose from when creating your cv. Make sure that your cv highlights your studies, skills, previous internships, or jobs that you have done. You may also need to work on some projects to make yourself stand out in the job market such as in the case of an aspiring software developer, who will have to perhaps develop a mobile or web application and be sure to include links to these projects in their cv.
Be a life-long learner:
The world of work is forever evolving especially during these technological times. It is therefore of outmost importance for you to develop a growth mindset which will encourage you to take on new challenges, to be curious, flexible and to commit yourself to continuous learning and development. Learn about the trends in your field of interest, the impact of new and emerging technologies, how to make use of technology to your advantage as well as industry best practices.
You can do so by attending webinars, taking on some online courses and certifications, participating in discussions with your peers and mentors to bounce around different perspectives and ideas. And by committing yourself to learning continuously you will ensure that you understand what is happening in your field and this will give you a competitive edge and increase the chances of you having a long term successful career.
Conclusion:
During your university years you are given the golden opportunity to launch your dream career which requires you to be proactive and take the necessary steps to ensure that you are prepared to demonstrate your potential in your future industry of work. By aligning your passion and interests with your future career, identifying the most important skills desired in your industry and making use of the resources made available to you by your university such as career services, and access to learning platforms, networking and building valuable relations with leaders in the industry who can give you guidance and mentorship, creating a cv that shows your competency and gaining work experience or volunteering to put your existing and newly acquired skills into practice, you will ultimately position yourself for success in your desired future career.