Graduating soon? Nervous? Worried? 5 Tips to Take Control.

Nobody owes you a job. Not the state, nor any business and certainly not your university. A lot of the students I meet have this extraordinary impression that that is how the system works (or should work). 

No. 

Welcome to the 'real world' where nobody really owes you anything! Does that sound so terrifying? Well I don't think it should be something to worry about. Instead it should a personal revelation and a realization that it is now time to take control of your life.

Here are the words of wisdom I’ve gained from others over the last few years.

1.) Take ownership of your existence, liberate yourself from what ties you down, rigorously practice what you are good at and what you enjoy.

3.) Define what ‘you’ are, create a unique and powerful brand image, and then market yourself like crazy!

And so, if you find yourself in an internship or work experience placement for a company, working long hours for little or no gain with the promise of a well-paid job still unfulfilled. Then stop and think, is this working for me? Is this what I want? Is it worth it?

Consider both the long term and the short term but, as soon as it stops working for you then get the hell outta there! Remember your life is your own, and you owe them nothing. Once you get what you came for in the first place then that is surely enough. Time to move on to something else!

Now everyone needs to support themselves in life. Rent, bills, food etc. For most graduates that means getting another job to pay for all this. So the answer is to work part-time, work at the weekends, use the spare time around your work experience/placement/volunteering job/opportunity.  If you can get temporary work that is a helpful and useful experience then all the better!

4.) Every CV should have and repeat the phrase ‘Transferable Skills’.

I’ve worked part time at Tesco all the way through 3 years of university, it’s a boring and shit job but at the end of the day it serves a financial purpose. For the average person this is fine and should be expected, and if you feel otherwise then you’re just plain lazy!

5.) There is almost certainly no easy way to get the job you want, you will have to fight to get there. And if you can’t do that then you simply don’t deserve it.

Imagine the feeling of self-worth and respect you’ll gain. You owe everything to yourself, now go make your lives extraordinary!

I hope that in this life you all get the job you deserve.