If you’re currently attending university or simply considering a new line of work, there are a number of things you can do to prepare for your new career. Taking time to position yourself prior to entering a new field is crucial. Follow these 25 career preparation tips to give yourself a much-needed competitive edge.
Table of contents
- – Consider a specialisation
- – Plan your future carefully
- – Seek an adviser
- – Utilise career services
- – Get involved
- – Gain practical experience
- – Seek certification
- – Learn relevant skills
- – Create an online presence
- – Have a print portfolio
- – Write your CV and cover letter
- – Know what employers expect
- – Network
- – Do your best
- – Know yourself
- – Learn to write well
- – Appreciate diversity
- – Explore
- – Go to career fairs
- – Put Yourself Out There
- – Look everywhere
- – Learn public speaking
- – Know the lingo
- – Understand theory
- – Start early
1. Consider a specialisation
Choose an academic minor or specialisation area so you have something extra to offer employers. Take a class or learn a new skill that sets you apart.
2. Plan your future carefully
Plan your university credits carefully. Prioritise a list of goals for transitioning into a new career.
3. Seek an adviser
Talk to your academic adviser regularly for guidance on the best classes, internships or volunteer experiences. Find a mentor in your field to give you advice.
4. Utilise career services
University students should visit the Career Services office to gain information on choosing a career path that’s a good fit. Independent career counsellors serve the same purpose.
5. Get involved
Join clubs and organisations. Doing so will provide leadership and interpersonal skills and looks good to employers.
6. Gain practical experience
Whether through an internship, apprenticeship or volunteer work, hands-on experience is always beneficial.
7. Seek certification
If there is any type of licencing or certification available in your field, it’s a good idea to take advantage of it in order to add credentials to your CV.
8. Learn relevant skills
Be sure to take time to learn any CV skills that are relevant to or could enhance your job performance. Anything extra you can offer is appealing.
9. Create an online presence
Whether it’s a blog, a professional website, online portfolio or social media page, creating an online platform to refer employers to your professional knowledge is impressive.
10. Have a print portfolio
In most career fields, having a print or online portfolio of your work to show at interviews is advantageous.
11. Write your CV and cover letter
A CV and cover letter are essential to the job search. There is no avoiding them. Read here
cover letter writing tips to get a jump start on creating a powerful letter.
12. Know what employers expect
Begin researching early into the expectations of employers so that you aren’t missing anything when the time comes to find work.
13. Network
Begin as soon as possible developing your network of friends, colleagues, professors and advisers. You will need this support.
14. Do your best
Whether it’s maintaining a high grades or obtaining positive performance reviews, do your best to gain positive accolades and achievements.
15. Know yourself
Knowing what’s important to you will be beneficial in choosing the right work environment later.
16. Learn to write well
Writing is a skill that is needed in all industries. Master it.
17. Appreciate diversity
Travel, meet people from all over or learn about other cultures.
18. Explore
Take classes in various subject matters to expose yourself to as many interests as possible.
19. Go to career fairs
Even if not actively job searching, career fairs are a great way to research employers and get a feel for the job market.
20. Put yourself out there
Get your CV seen in as many places as possible. There are CV posting sites online to help with this.
21. Look everywhere
Search as many places as possible for job leads. School bulletin boards, online ads, company websites, your network.
22. Learn public speaking
Giving presentations is a universally needed skill.
23. Know the lingo
Learn the buzzwords of your field and use them properly.
24. Understand theory
Most areas of study are built on theory. It’s important to understand the foundations of your field.
25. Start early
It’s never too soon to begin preparing for your future. Use these career preparation tips to jump start your job search.
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