It is widely believed that as a fresh graduate, the assurance of getting a job lies in the number of politicians and hiring managers you know. Well, that isn’t a lie, but without having relevant knowledge and skills, your career won’t amount to anything commendable.
Therefore, it is important you invest in your career, because knowledge, skills and image give as high a chance of securing a job as knowing a politician or hiring manager.
As an undergraduate or fresh graduate, start acquiring the knowledge, learning the skills and putting on the kind of image that characterize your chosen career, it is neither too early or too late to do such. This is one rule of becoming successful_ preparedness.
Here are ways you can invest in your career.
1. Become certified
If you’re a graduate of courses like project management and human resources, getting a professional certificate in this field might boost your career. Generally, certifications are less time-consuming and less expensive than degree programs. So, if you really want to give yourself a push in your career, just try your best to get certified.
2. Learn relevant skills
The university won’t teach you everything and I’m sure you know this. You’ll have to learn certain skills that’ll make you more relevant and valuable than other job seeking candidates out there.
For instance, if you’re a journalism graduate, you’ll need more than your writing and news judgement skills to shine in the field. Journalism these days go with photography, video and photo-editing skills. If you have these skills in your CV, believe me, you’ll have an edge over other candidates looking for jobs in media houses.
3. Build your brand online
While getting certified and learning new skills might require money, building your brand and promoting yourself online won’t cost you a kobo.
Your online profile can either get you or prevent you from getting a job, and this is why you have to be conscious of what you publish on your social media accounts. To sell yourself online to potential employers online, you’ll need to follow them on their social media platforms, contribute t industry discourse and express your opinions about industry issues. This might endear an employer to you if you’re consistent with it.
4. Get a mentor
One easy way to position yourself for growth in your career is to have a mentor. According to a career advisor, Dr Flo Falayi, ‘employees who were part of a mentoring relationship were found to have significantly higher engagement scores, more fulfilled than employees who were not’.
Having a mentor helps you to make important decisions in your career and also helps you develop yourself in any field of your interest.
5. Raise Your Professional Profile
Professional associations require you to invest both your time and money, but they are a good way to meet people in your industry. This is no doubt a good way to boost your professional profile.
If there’s any professional body relevant to your field, it’s important you join the association. You can learn from some of the experienced members of the association while you also grow in your career.
