As a graduate fresh out of school, you could easily land that first job right after; or you may start looking for one. The later is mostly the case for majority of graduates, so here I discuss some must-do’s for fresh graduates.
Professional CV, Resume, and Cover Letter
The most common job application mistake these day is a graduate applying to a position without a cover letter. Also some don’t even know the difference between a CV and a resume. Your CV and cover letter can best be described as a paper representation of you. Whether you will be invited for a job interview or not largely depends on how best your CV and Cover Letter describe you. The importance of these two documents which go hand-in-hand can not be over-emphasized. As such, they must be suitably crafted to make you shine. If you don’t have one already, then craft one. If you do have one, then always look for ways to improve it.
Look for internships and volunteer opportunities
Graduating without any work experience is a very common graduate trend. So considering that, taking up volunteer and intern roles will help you gain the necessary experience and exposure to secure your dream job. While most of these volunteer and intern roles may be unpaid, some actually come with stipends and other benefits.
However, you must bear in mind that the goal is not the financial reward. However, this may be extremely difficult in this part of the world called Nigeria. Need I also say that when permanent and better roles open up in any company, the interns or volunteers within that organisation are often contacted first before other applicants are considered. So writing to a company about an internship role will not be bad idea at all. Well organized companies will really love to have motivated people.
Do you think you need extra skills? Get them.
Having a university degree or diploma is only the beginning of your professional and academic career. It is equally important that you seek more knowledge by acquiring skills that would set you up for a fulfilling career. There are a number of professional courses and certifications you can undergo to stand out from the lot. If you are going into Digital Marketing for example, you can start learning SEO and in the long run see if you can build your own company. There’s certainly one fail-proof way to impact your career for the long-term — develop and maintain a vast network of contacts. While you may have originally be prompted to build your network during your job search, a large pool of professional contacts has more to offer than just connections to job openings.
The benefits to establishing a strong network for your career are seemingly endless.
Continuous Personal Growth
This goes without saying. If you will continue to be relevant and move up the rung in your career and industry, you must engage in continual personal and career development. Read books, take courses, attend seminars; whatever will make you better, do it.
Nice run won’t you say? Young graduates do have bright futures indeed if they plan accordingly. These 5 tips will definitely make things easier.
