Plan your career!
Career planning is not just about finding a job when you finish university.
Planning your career during university is a proactive process that can significantly improve your post-graduation prospects. It requires time, research and reflection.
It’s never too early to start planning your career!
Here's a step-by-step approach
Self-discovery
Knowing who you are and what you want. Understanding your interests, values, skills and personal attributes guides your career choices and identifies the kind of work you will find engaging and rewarding.
- What do you enjoy doing?
- What are you good at?
- What kind of work environment would you thrive in?
Consider the following factors:
Interests: Think about your recent endeavours (e.g. subjects you have studied, work experience, volunteering, travel, sports, arts, hobbies) and the aspects you found most enjoyable. Understanding what holds your interest will steer you towards career options that keep you motivated and engaged.
Values: Think about what is important and meaningful to you in life and how might that relate to your career choices. Values that influence people’s career decisions can include prestige or status, autonomy, money, work-life balance, helping others, and work culture and environment.
Skills: Identify and clearly articulate the skills you have developed or utilized during your studies, extracurricular activities, volunteering and life experiences. Eg, resilience from your sports activities, collaboration from team project and patience at your casual tutoring job.
Personal attributes: Your personality may inform your role preferences and the kind of working environment. Eg, analytical minds may enjoy a role that involves identifying and solving problems, and creative minds may thrive in environments where they can explore new ideas or try different things.
Explore career options: Research different career paths that align with your self-assessment. Utilize online resources like LinkedIn, job boards, attend career fairs and career advising to learn more about the job market, specific industries and roles.
Develop relevant skills: Identify skills needed for your target career paths and actively work on developing them. This could involve taking relevant workshops and training, joining clubs/societies, participating in extracurricular activities and career-related events, seeking internships, or pursuing projects or competitions.
Network: Start building your professional network early. Attend networking events, connect with professors and industry professionals on LinkedIn, and reach out for career and industry-specific information.
Refine Your Career Goals: Based on your exploration, narrow down your career options and choose a specific career path or a few closely related ones.
Gain experience: Secure internships, co-ops, or part-time jobs related to your chosen career path. These experiences provide valuable practical skills and build your CV profile.
Elevate your personal brand: Create a professional online presence (LinkedIn profile, portfolio if applicable). Refine your CV and cover letter to highlight your skills and experiences relevant to your target jobs.
Practice interviewing: Participate in mock interviews or practice with friends and mentors. Develop strong answers to common interview questions.
Research employers: Identify companies and organizations that align with your career goals and research their values, culture, and opportunities. Talk to employers at careers fairs or on-campus information sessions.
Job search: Begin your job search actively, utilizing online job boards, networking contacts, and the career center resources.
Ongoing throughout university life
Remember to be open to adapting your plans as you learn and grow. Don't be afraid to seek help and guidance from the Career Centre team and other professional mentors.
Utilize university resources: Take full advantage of the career center and seek advice from the faculty/school members.
Stay updated: Subscribe in any eNewsletter, job alerts to keep abreast of new programmes, events and opportunities. Keep learning and developing new skills throughout your university years. The job market is constantly evolving.
Grow personal brand: Connect with alumni and professionals in your field of interest and make your personal brand visible professionally on LinkedIn.