What Is a Career and How to Start One as a Graduate?

Why career seeking may be a harsh journey, especially as a graduate?

A career is a long-term path that requires you to set up a career development plan. Your career is a result of the jobs and experiences you’ve had and the certificates and training courses that have enabled you to make progress in your career.

Your career entry journey doesn’t begin when you graduate; rather, it should have begun long before with career planning. but it’s okay. You can start by making a career development plan sample that will enable you to develop your skills and knowledge.

This will eventually lead to your first job after graduation and make progress in your career. It will also attract employers and lead to higher wages and more job opportunities.

In this article, we offer a graduate career guide that includes tips on starting a career after graduation as well as the top careers in 2023.

Here are 7 tips to follow on how to start a career as a graduate:

1. Start as early as possible.

As we said at the beginning of the article, start looking for a job before graduation to save time searching for a suitable opportunity, taking exams and attending interviews.

If you can get a part-time job or an internship during your studies, this will help you build your work experience early. Get higher and more job opportunities. Determine if you want to work in your field or change it. You can also take a career quiz. You can also take a career quiz to know the right career that matches your personality.

2. Make your resume shine.

First, try to use modern CV formats to stand out from the crowd. Write a resume objective stating the type of job you want and your career goals.

As a graduate, you might have no experience but don’t worry. You should concentrate on what you do have, such as your education, academic projects, volunteer experience, hobbies, and interests.

Remember that companies are looking for soft skills, not grades, which are an inaccurate way of judging someone’s intelligence and are rarely asked for.

Many companies today use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes by keywords, so make sure to mention the keywords that match your job description.

Be original and real, and don’t make it too much. Also, make sure to send it as a PDF to maintain the same layout as you originally made.

3. Create your network.

Finding a job after graduating frequently relies on acquaintances more than other search methods. So, it is better to socialise and stay connected with everyone in college who is ambitious and focused.

You may find someone who assists you in taking your first steps in your career. You can ask your professor at the university to recommend you.

Attend networking events in your city and meet local professionals and get to know them. Connect with experienced people who work in your field, either in person or on social media. They can refer you to employers or tell you if there is a suitable vacancy for you.

No matter what you want to do in life, having a strong and trustworthy network is essential to your success since everyone will teach you something.

4. Build your brand.

Having a good online presence is essential for clients today. You can start by creating professional social media accounts other than personal ones. Try to focus on LinkedIn, which is the first place to get a job.

Ensure that all of your social media profiles reflect professionalism. All the data must be accurate and complete. Try to stay active and always post and share articles or any achievements that are related to your field. Also, comment on your member’s posts and suggest ideas.

The most important thing is to create a portfolio that includes your best work and reflects your experience, unique skills, and achievements. This is what the hiring managers will see and what will attract their attention. Put a link to your portfolio in your social media profiles.

5. Learn the best places to find jobs.

Use all job search and networking websites, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Seek, that are free to use to find a suitable job. Twitter and Facebook can also be great tools to find a job using hashtags and keywords.

Another way of job seeking is to keep an eye on potential employers’ social media feeds and official websites to see if they post any jobs or host any virtual recruitment events soon.

It should be known that many companies place the human resources and employment field on their website and offer available jobs, as well as being able to be contacted via email.

When you apply for jobs and get a response, make notes of the HR contact details, the company name, the location, and the interview date. And don’t forget to research the company well to better understand the needs of the employer.

6. Keep learning to progress in your career.

Don’t expect your degree to be enough to work. Find out what you are good at and improve it. No matter what your career level is, it’s critical to keep learning and acquiring new skills. This is how you will progress in your career. You will be different and more valuable to employers.

This includes internships, volunteer work, online courses, conferences, lectures, and workshops, as well as reading books or articles in your field of interest.

7. Don’t give up on your dreams.

With high competition for graduate jobs, it’s easy to feel disappointed when looking for a job. Job seeking may seem like an endless struggle, but perseverance and patience will pay off.

No one is not rejected; everyone experiences rejection in different ways, so it is important to expect that you will be rejected and to understand that this is normal and does not indicate that you are not competent enough. Each rejection will serve as a new opportunity and bring you closer to success. Best wishes!

Top careers for graduates in 2023

You have a big chance of being hired if you are interested in any one of these careers in 2023. These are the careers with the highest need for employees and the fastest rate of growth.

• Full Stack Developer
• Data Engineer
• Back End Developer
• Nurse Practitioner
• Medical and Health Services Managers
• Content Strategist and Creator
• Advertising and Digital Marketing Professionals
• Graphic and Web Designers, and Illustrators
• Information Security Analyst
• Human Resources Roles

Prepare yourself for the world of work!

We can help! Whitecollars career counselling and support services boost your job search with personalised support based on your needs, skills, and goals. A career consultant will work with you in various ways to help you establish a job-seeking strategy, optimise your online profile, create a professional resume, and find the right job opportunities.