As a student, until now summers meant rest and relaxation. A break from the alternating tedium and pressures of the school setting and a chance to recuperate before heading further down the track.
Only, now that you’ve graduated, the track is gone and you can feel the clock counting down the time until you need to find a job. This is a whole new type of pressure, and it can be very easy to become overwhelmed by both the open-endedness and the sense of urgency you feel.
Chances are though, that you’ve given yourself some time to think about what you really want out of your career — your dream job! But you may not feel ready to reach it just yet. If you’re unsure how to set out now that school’s behind you, don’t fret! We are about to show you the most important items on your post-graduation to-do list to help you land the career of your dreams.
Fill in the gaps
A bit of research into the day-to-day lives of those who already have your dream job will reveal to you the skills and experience that are the key requisites you’ll need to succeed.
Once you have a picture of what it takes to make it in that line of work, it’s time to compare your current skills and identify the gaps in your skill set, as well as in your resume.
Now don’t get overwhelmed; as you peruse job postings and go over the requirements you may feel that the distance between you and their ideal candidate is insurmountable. But there are two things to keep in mind.
First, many job postings will list above and beyond what is actually required. We’ve all heard stories like IT companies asking for specialists with 10 years experience in a software language that only came out 3 years ago. And while it could be a test to see if you’re paying attention, these things often happen when recruiters are looking to dissuade a larger amount of candidates — especially for competitive positions. Take a close look at the company itself, what sort of people work there, and what sort of goal they share. A motivated individual with less experience is worth 10 employees with experience but who don’t share the company vision. During the recruitment process, be honest about your experience, but share how your unique experience and your adaptability would be the best benefit for the company.
Next, when you approach adding to your skill set and putting a few more bells and whistles on your resume, make it manageable! You don’t need to pick up every skill at once. Start by doing some cursory studying or survey courses and gain familiarity before expertise. When you need a more in-depth understanding, you can break your learning into chunks. Focus on job openings that will let you learn while you work, too, to help you build your practical skills.
Go for growth
As we just covered, focusing your initial job search on positions that afford you an opportunity to learn is a powerful way to maximize your time as you strive for your ideal career.
While you may be sick of school, it’s worth investigating which companies offer educational perks, such as ongoing learning opportunities, paid training, and even flexibility should you wish to return to a formal education.
These are ways you can lay down the groundwork for your dream job, while still gaining valuable work experience. Other great options are mentorships with senior staff, and the ability to transfer departments so you can get a more rounded experience.
If you’re not sure how to check the vibe of a company in relation to professional development, have a look at the LinkedIn profiles of their employees. How many years do they spend in any position before moving upwards and onwards? Is it longer than you’d want to stay in their position?
If their own employees don’t have a high standard for where they’ll be in 5 years, you need to ask yourself if they’ll really help you get where you want to be either.
Informational interviews
When you don’t know, ask. And when you don’t know who to ask, start with who you know!
Now is the perfect time to leverage your social connections. A network is like a trapeze net — it’s there to support you when you need it. Maintaining contact with your professional peers not only keeps you informed, but it drastically improves your chances of referrals and job offers.
One of the best ways to approach your network is to ask for an “informational interview”. This type of interview is not an interrogation, nor is it about getting a job. In this type of interview, you set some time aside with someone who has made headway in the career path you want for yourself, and you ask engaging questions to get insight on how to build your own roadmap.
It can be a person who has already made it to (or beyond) your dream job, of course, but it can also be someone who’s currently on the same path as you! Reach out to connections from school and ask how they’re progressing, and what steps or leads they can suggest.
Be deliberate about who you ask for advice, however. Not everyone has the same aspirations or abilities as you, so try to focus on the ones who are most parallel to yourself.
In many ways, finding out what your dream is is much harder than finding out how to make it happen. But if you’re ready and determined to set out on your dream career path today, these strategies can help you turn your dream into reality!