Final year? Get prepared for the job market
If you’re finishing your studies sometime this year – congratulations! All that hard work and effort will soon be rewarded with a degree. But the next step – getting a job – has lots of students worried. This comment from a third year UK student writing about ‘The Fear’ in The Independent sums it up nicely:
I might fail the final and most important test of university: getting a graduate job. …The Fear is justified. First years get it when they haven’t prepared for an exam; third years get it when they haven’t prepared for life.
Not even fear can prepare you for life after university
So how do you overcome the fear of not finding a graduate job? Get prepared now before you graduate! Here’s a checklist of the Must Dos for Victoria students:
- Register on CareerHub if you haven’t already.
- Use CareerHub to find graduate jobs and internships.
- Create a targetted CV and have it checked. Use the resume builder and sample CVs on CareerHub and have it checked at Vic Careers Drop In sessions
- Use the ePortfolio on CareerHub
- Attend interview workshops and book a mock interview through Vic Careers
- Make a career planning appointment with a Vic Careers consultant.
- Attend the relevant Careers Expos. Make sure you prepare for these in advance.
- Research employers. Use CareerHub, Vic Careers website and employers’ own websites.
- Attend employer presentations and Careers in Focus events.
- Gain some work experience. This could be part-time, voluntary or a student role on campus. All work experience is invaluable.
And finally, don’t panic! The Fear can be overcome with a bit of time spent getting ready now.