Thinking about graduation and the next steps after university can be overwhelming. As a
result, it’s often something we tend to put-off until the last minute.
There’s no need to have final year panic, considering your possible next steps can be as easy as making a start on your CV or updating your forgotten LinkedIn profile. It might be easy to reduce the risk of feeling completely lost after graduation if you have an idea of the kind of career you want, but this doesn’t have to be set in stone – and it’s completely
normal to have no idea what you want from the future. Here are a few things you can do to
make that period after graduation a little easier:
Have a career brainstorm
If you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to do, a good starting point is to have a
brainstorm of all the areas you could go into. This can be as broad as you want so don’t
discount too much at this stage. From this, you can then start researching specific job
sectors and see which match your skills and interests the best. Consider things like what you enjoyed most during your degree, and what type of working lifestyle you’d fancy.
Sign up to job searching apps
Discover what’s out there using career-focused apps like LinkedIn, Indeed, Career Connect etc. Getting a feel for what’s available can further support you in deciding on your next steps or which roles to consider.
This may solidify your existing plans or push you in a completely different direction by
highlighting something you didn’t know existed. Navigating these sites can be difficult so
make use of the filters to prioritise your interests.
Creating a CV
It is important that you tailor your cover letter and CV to match a job description, but this doesn’t stop you from creating a good base to work off when it comes to applications.
A good CV should be simple, concise and well-structured including the likes of a personal profile, relevant work experience, education history, achievements and applicable skills. There are several templates and tutorials available online to support you with this. It may also be a good idea to attend a CV workshop or book an appointment with a career’s advisor.
Be sure not to mimic your CV in your cover letter. Your cover letter should be much more specific to the job you are applying to, including things such as why you’re drawn to the role and why you would be suitable to the role with reference to relevant experience and interests. You can use your CV to support you with this, for example, “as you
can see from my CV, I have experience in…”.
Remember that you can adapt any of your skills that may seem irrelevant in a way that is
complementary to the job description. For example, jobs in industries like retail and hospitality tend to require the universally desired skills of communication and working under pressure.
Interview preparation
When it comes to interviews, make sure you revise your CV, cover letter and the job
description as these are likely to come up. It is also a good idea to research the company
(e.g., history, values) as not only will this enable you with useful background knowledge on
the organisation but will also show an interest from your end. While it can be difficult to
predict interview questions, there tend to be a few common ones (e.g., “tell me about yourself”, “why would you be good for this role”, “what are your strengths/weaknesses”,
“give me an example of…”). You can come up with suitable draft answers for these. Finally,
make sure you present yourself positively by dressing appropriately and showing your
interest and enthusiasm (e.g., asking questions).
