Thursday December 15, 2011
Making the transition from an undergraduate to a full-time member of the workforce can be a difficult time for many graduates.
Many graduates will be accepting responsibilities for their own lives and their own financial support for the very first time.
Many graduates are advised to simply apply for and accept any job that comes to their attention. Unfortunately, far too many new graduates are guided by this advice and settle for jobs in which they are undervalued and under-challenged.
But you don’t have to settle. You can find a challenging job in which you will be valued and in which you can thrive.
You've completed one journey, now how do you transition smoothly into the next one?
Here are some top tips to help you make the right decisions:
1 Know your skills, abilities and strengths. This applies to
both “hard” skills, and “soft” skills that allow you to interact well with others.
2 Know what you want to do. Focus on jobs that will allow you to do what you love. Remember that smart organisations hire for passion and train for skill.
3 Know the kind of environment in which you can thrive. If you know that tight, regimented routines with someone looking over your shoulder every minute do not work for you, look for environments that value and reward innovation and creativity.
4 Create a powerful professional pitch. Develop your own brief statement of who you are, what you can do, what you are passionate about, and why someone should hire you.
5 Dress for success. Whenever you are interacting with a potential employer, dress for the role you are seeking. “Be” the part and help the employer “see” you in the position.
6 Be yourself. Pretending to be someone you are not will lead to problems in time. Of course you should put your best foot forward, but be genuine.
7 Never give false or misleading information. Lying on an application form, in an interview or otherwise giving false or misleading information about your education, skills or experience will set you on a road to disaster.
8 Learn how to interview. Learn the etiquette and the expectations of interviews. Anticipate difficult questions and prepare appropriate answers.
9 Stand out from the pack. You may be applying for a job with hundreds of other applicants. You need to be memorable in the right ways.
10 Believe there are great jobs out there and that you can get one. Attitude is everything. Confidence is important. Plan to get the job of your dreams.
- Source: Singapore Straits Times/Asia News Network
Article by FiredUP Careers, a career counselling company.