So you’re finally at the end of your degree. You’ve spent years working towards this, countless hours have been poured into your assessments, and now you’re about to enter the working world with a qualification and a new beginning to your career prospects.
But for some, it can be stressful or cause anxiety – as studying and a university lifestyle has become a comfortable routine. Not to mention, the job-hunting experience can be daunting and overwhelming. So how can you ease your worries about life after graduation? Here’s some of our tips!
Take A Breather
Graduating from university is no small feat – and you deserve a well-earned rest. Especially if you’re also someone who went straight into uni from high school – you may also want to consider taking a break before entering the workforce. This isn’t to say you should do nothing, but you can use this time to refocus and figure out what you want in your future (whether that’s short-term or long-term). Don’t feel pressured to immediately find a job, and you will get there at your own pace.
Plan out your pathway
It can be stressful leading up to graduation (aka the deadline) if you don’t know exactly what you want to pursue or if you don’t immediately get into the position you want straight out of uni, and that’s okay. Try doing some research into the pathways your degree can offer you, or identify what experience you need to get the position you want.
Network for Work
The dreaded word…. But it doesn’t have to be scary! Networking is about getting to know people from your industry, and they’ve been where you are before. There are lots of opportunities and industry events for networking through UQU Clubs and Societies – so follow your industry and faculty clubs and socs to keep up to date!
As generic as it sounds, LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected with the happenings of your industry and find out about opportunities that may arise. It also offers many job opportunities that you wouldn’t find on Seek or Indeed, whether it’s a job ad, or an interaction with a fellow industry professional. Facebook is also a great place to find like-minded individuals for your industry and are often open to answering questions and helping you grow.
Value yourself
With the current working landscape and concerns over the growing hustle culture to achieve your goals, it’s important to remember that you are valuable as you are, and that you deserve opportunity. There’s a fine line between working hard and going above and beyond, and being taken advantage of. Everyone starts somewhere, but you should also be given opportunity to develop skills, receive additional training and be paid accordingly. Even when you’re just starting out your education, time and labour is valuable.
Be Open to Learning
No one knows everything, and there’s always room to grown and learn. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Be open to learning from people with more experience, whether that’s through networking, consuming industry-relevant content, or doing some short courses to add to your repertoire. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. While you don’t want to come off as if you know more than you do, you want to show that you are confident in being able to learn.
