When you finally complete your degree course, it can feel like you are ready to take on the world.
However, if you are unable to find your dream job within a few weeks or months of finishing your studies, it can also feel like the pressure is mounting.
Don’t worry though! There are so many people in the same boat, and the truth is that you don’t need to make a life-changing decision or commitment in the immediate aftermath of your degree course coming to an end.
You can take steps to further your career, or you can do something for yourself – many students get the traveling bug after they have finished their degree.
If you find yourself in something of a void after your degree has come to an end, here are a couple of ideas of what you can do next.
Postgraduate study
If you still have a thirst for knowledge, or your chosen path requires further qualifications, you can embark on a postgraduate degree.
Many students, in the course of their degree, decide that the subject they are taking is no longer for them. Taking a different path, via an online degree, is a useful route to take in this instance.
Remote study degrees, such as the Spalding University online programs, allow you to achieve a qualification in a way that suits you – you can study at home, and schedule your learning around other commitments such as family or a full-time job.
These courses are a great way to gain extra specialism in your field of interest or embark on a new path in a subject you may not have studied before.
Find an internship
If you are committed to your career path but are yet to find the right job, an internship is a great way to gain real-world experience that looks fantastic on your resume.
You will generally be working full-time or part-time in an environment that will resemble something like your first ‘real’ job, and you will, of course, be paid for your efforts.
Internships are a great way to add depth to your resume and perhaps secure a letter of recommendation or two from your line manager – this could prove vital in your search for full-time employment.
Some interns may even be offered a job at the company they are interning with, so there’s plenty of value to be found here.
Voluntary work
Voluntary work doesn’t help to pay the bills, but it does look excellent on a resume to employers seeking rounded, selfless individuals to employ.
You will benefit greatly from working on rewarding projects, and gain a whole host of holistic skills and perks.
Completing voluntary work shows that you have empathy and helps to build crucial workplace skills – communication, timekeeping, flexibility, attention to detail, and so on.
Travel
If you have a burning ambition to travel overseas, now is as good a time as any to embark on that adventure – once you are settled in your chosen career, the opportunity may not present itself again.
Consider your travel to be an opportunity to broaden your horizons and enhance your resume. You could volunteer on local community projects, or even secure a job teaching English.