Onwards & Upwards: 6 Ways To Improve Career Prospects For Students

In this cut-throat competitive world, it is important for every student to stand out. When it comes to employability, the organisations are looking for students who have knowledge beyond the classroom, students who are eager to learn and curious about the contemporary world. One can boost their chances of finding work if they have certain qualities that make them instantly employable in the workplace.

In this globalised and digitalised world, you must put in a lot of effort not just to find a job that meets all your expectations, but also to convince an employer that you are the best candidate. Students should take the initiative to develop specific traits that make them industry ready.

Read the full article to understand some ways of improving career prospects –

Understand the industry

The first step is to decide what profession you want to work in, and after that, it is crucial for students to understand the workings of that industry to gain a holistic perspective. The goal is to be informed of everything going on around you and keep an eye on how things are changing. Employers prefer to work with people who are up to date with current events and are aware of the world around them. Being informed about developments in an industry will surely help you ace your interviews!

Learn a foreign language

Learning a foreign language is crucial for personal and professional growth since it allows you to learn more about different cultures and, as a result, fosters a favourable attitude towards people from diverse backgrounds. It also allows you to work seamlessly with teams across the globe. Digital, gamified apps are some of the best resources to learn a new tongue. For instance, Duolingo now allows native Bengali speakers to learn English with the help of their own language – all for free! A lingua franca, English will enable students to explore opportunities on a global scale.

Upskill and reskill yourself

Given circumstances over the last couple of years, business models need to be agile and respond to changing times efficiently. Therefore, they are on the lookout for talent holding multiple skill sets. Keep updating your existing skills, while also trying to learn additional ones. Say you are a proficient writer – upgrade your SEO skills for sure but start reading up on the basics of finance too. This will help you write better about the finance genre. Upskilling and reskilling increase the chances of getting hired exponentially.

Create your personal website

Creating your own personal website is a great way to get noticed by potential employers. It gives you a competitive edge over other candidates. A website gives you the chance to show your creativity and the way you design it can display a part of your personality to recruiters. It acts as your own personal brand. You can keep adding your achievements, skills, awards etc. Add your portfolio, previous work, recommendations and let the website speak on behalf of you. There are multiple easy-to-use tools available online that can help you create your own personal website.

Get mentored

It is important to identify and find a mentor that can guide you through the course of your career. It can be a professor from your college or someone from the industry with whom you have worked with in the past. They can help you make better decisions, give honest feedback, and help you get your hands on important resources. Having a mentor can ease your transition from academics to industry and can even be useful in expanding your network. If the mentor is happy with your progress, they might introduce you to their colleagues, friends, and other relevant people in the industry.

Keep your social media profiles updated

When it comes to your professional life, your social media networks provide a first glimpse of who you are as a person. Therefore, make sure all of them are updated, especially, your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters look at a candidate’s social media presence to do a background check and to get them to know better. Be conscious about what you are putting up on your social media accounts and update your network with relevant achievements and skills regularly. Besides, sites like Twitter, Facebook can also help you network professionally and gain insights and news about the industry.