Once, higher education was seen as the be-all and end-all of respectable employment. Now, employers increasingly value experience over education, meaning that more than half of graduates end up underemployed within their first year of leaving college, with many of those never progressing to roles within their chosen specialties.
This is by no means to suggest that education can’t still benefit career prospects, but it does highlight a growing gap in feasible graduate employability. As such, as well as completing their studies, students are increasingly having to turn their attention to their employment prospects in advance.
This can feel like a lot to add to an already brimming plate, but it is a precaution worth taking if you want to walk right into your preferred job. The question is, how exactly can you boost your graduate employability?
Understanding a Student’s Role: Practical Steps to Take
It’s easy to feel alone when you’re looking down the long barrel of graduate employability and in some ways, you are. Luckily, there are key steps you can take to help your prospects both when you’re still in college, and as you take your first steps into the working world. They include –
# 1 – Develop Transferable Skills
It’s easy to rest all of your career hopes on your studies, but as the statistics show, qualifications are no longer a stand-alone benefit. Instead, you need to develop transferable skills that can also give you a career-led edge. Even something as simple as learning a new language could secure you a top position alongside your degree. Or, you might want to develop interpersonal skills and sales experience through, say, a part-time sales job as you study. These small steps will be a tick against your name for any employer, and will also, in the latter instance, prepare you for the working world.
# 2 – Enroll in Online Courses
If your college workload allows for it, it may also be worth enrolling in online courses that center on working life, rather than simply relating to your specialty. Qualifications in areas like customer service or management will certainly look appealing on your resume and are typically available through short online courses that you can squeeze in between lessons.
# 3 – Start Putting a Professional Head On
If you’ve been in education for your entire life, you’ve probably never had to think about developing a professional online presence. Yet, given that many of your peers will have already been in careers for some time when you graduate, you’ll need to learn to walk the professional walk pretty quickly. Start as you mean to go on by taking small steps towards professionalism even as you study. For instance, something scrapping your teenage Hotmail address for a business-ready email will work wonders, as will starting to build industry connections through things like a curated LinkedIn account.
# 4 – Practice Your Interview Skills
If you’ve only ever had educational interviews in the past, you could quickly stumble at this first hurdle of the working world. Make sure that isn’t the case by practicing your interview skills where you can. Simple role plays can be great for this, especially if you use online interview templates that highlight real-world questions you might not have come across before. Equally, if you’re willing to take on part-time work, this is a great way to get in some much-needed interview time that’ll come in handy later on.
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# 5 – Grow Your Network
You don’t need a job to build a network. In fact, ideally, a strong network will always come first. Paying attention to things like local industry events, or even simply reaching out to established professionals, can all help you to build up the right connections. Then, when it comes time to find a job, you can easily reach out to these contacts, or utilize them in some way to boost your opportunities.
How Can Your College Help?
So far, we’ve spoken solely about the ways you can boost your graduate employability, but you don’t have to handle everything alone. In truth, quality colleges also offer a range of options to help student career prospects, the most beneficial of which may include –
# 1 – Seeking Work Experience
Many colleges will offer work experience opportunities such as internships, or co-op programs that see students working full-time for three-twelve months of their course. Some colleges are undeniably better for this purpose than others, such as Cornell University with its focus on career-centric summer programs, but most higher-education facilities will offer something of this nature. Speaking with your advisor, or fully researching your options before you enroll, is the best way to enjoy these benefits.
# 2 – Accessing On-Campus Programs
Many colleges also offer programs that are specifically designed to help with employment. The most long-standing of these include options like the Job Corps Scholars Program, which provides technical career training and job counseling to students. More recently, options like the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) workforce development program, as funded by Arnold Ventures, aim to both increase graduation rates and see students walking straight into high-wage, high-demand careers. To enroll, simply check your eligibility, and then get in touch with your school’s financial aid office or advisors to see if they participate.
# 3 – Forging College Connections
Sometimes, the real educational benefit of college can come from the connections you make here. Remember, networking is key, and the chances are that your course provides a plethora of opportunities. After all, the majority of college professors have also worked within their specialty, meaning that shining on your course could be all it takes to invite opportunities. Equally, don’t be afraid to ask your professor if they could put you in touch with any of their contacts or provide a personal recommendation to give you a foot into a better career.
Graduate employability is an increasingly difficult challenge to master. Make the most of your opportunities by boosting your prospects in these key ways.
