The transition from university to the working world can be incredibly difficult, but don’t worry! We’re here to guide you along the way.
From writing a graduate CV and cover letter to applying for jobs, get work-ready with our 7Â awesome tips for getting your first job after university.
Table of Contents
1. Visit Your University’s Career Centre
Something you might not know is that your university probably has a centre or department specifically dedicated to helping make the process of finding a job easier.
Some universities that offer career guidance to students include, but are not limited to:
Don’t see your university on this list? Then be sure to head on over to your university’s career centre and ask them about the career guidance services available.Â
Once you’ve enquired about career services at your university’s career centre, you may be wondering what to expect. Well, most university career centres will offer you time with a professional career advisor; this is someone who can help discuss your career options with you.
Certain universities also have career fairs and host recruitment events. During your time at university, make sure you go to these events and chat with recruiters that specialise in your particular industry.
2. Network With Recruiters and Companies
Networking is all about making and leveraging connections to help you get the job you want. An easy way to start networking is to visit the career days that your university hosts, as they’ll expose you to recruiters from companies that you may want to work for—and, even better, companies that are looking for fresh graduates to hire.
The second way to rub shoulders with people in your industry is to get to know your lecturers. Building a relationship with your lecturers will help you in multiple ways, which are outlined below:
- Firstly, more contact with your lecturers can mean more opportunities to ask them questions about class material, which can boost your performance on exams and assignments.
- Secondly, lecturers are often well connected to internship and job opportunities in their field of specialty. If you find yourself interested in that same field, you can ask them more about any possible positions to pursue now or in the future.
- Thirdly, over and above opening your eyes to job opportunities, they may be able to help vouch for you when you apply to a position by providing a letter of recommendation and serving as a reference.
Other ways to network while you are studying are to join clubs, do short courses, get involved with different programmes run by the university and see if there are any jobs on campus that you can do while studying.
Getting involved at university can help you build not only your CV, but also friendships, and these relationships can often end up in job opportunities. You may be surprised by how these connections will play out in your career.
3. Create a LinkedIn Profile
The next step in networking is to create a LinkedIn profile. As a student, the last social media network you probably think about is LinkedIn, however, when you start working it is the social media site where you will probably spend most of your time. When recruiters are hiring, LinkedIn is one of the first places they go after viewing your CV.
The reason why recruiters view your LinkedIn profile is that they want to find out more about you as well as confirm the information on your CV. Managing your LinkedIn will help recruiters have a good impression of you, while also potentially introducing you to new job opportunities.
If you’re a student who is unsure of how to create a LinkedIn account, then be sure to check out these 5 Steps to Creating a Student LinkedIn Profile.
4. Job Shadow
Job shadowing while wrapping up your studies can be a valuable experience that will give you proper work experience (if you don’t have any already) as well as open up new job opportunities.Â
If you’re job shadowing while you are still busy studying, you are more likely to have the time to work at a company within your industry that will show you how your job role would actually look. It’s also more beneficial for the company as you may actually be able to assist and help out with the skill you’ve acquired in your studies.
Job shadowing also gives you a new perspective on your industry and, thanks to your studies, will allow you to prepare for the working world. As an added bonus, you may also get paid while job shadowing, putting some extra cash in your wallet.
5. Get Work Experience While You Study
One of the best things you can do for your career after university is to get a head start with work experience while you study. When you are studying, there are a number of places where you can work part-time while completing your studies.Â
Gathering work experience while studying increases your chances of landing a job after you graduate for a number of reasons, which are outlined below:
- Firstly, you will have a better chance of getting a job at the company you have been working for. If you have a relationship with the company you have been working with, getting a full-time position may simply be a formality once you have graduated.
- Secondly, it will give you work experience that many of your peers don’t have. The work experience you gain while you are studying will help you stand out from fellow students that did not work while they were working.
- Thirdly, it should help you avoid having to do an internship once you have finished studying. Internships can be incredibly helpful, however, they can also be frustrating as some are essentially full-time jobs with a stipend as payment. If you have worked while studying you can circumvent this as you will have gained work experience, potentially qualifying for a number of full-time positions.
While you are studying this is probably the number one thing you can do to help you land a job straight out of university because you will have connections and work experience.
6. Write Your CV
When you are looking for work you are going to need to have a great CV. You may feel that you have a lack of work experience to put on your CV, but there are ways around that.Â
Here’s what to include in your CV as a student:
Personal Details
First things first, you’re going to need to include some of your personal details (but only the details that are absolutely necessary!).Â
Personal details to include in your CV are:
- Full name
- Physical address
- Email address
- Contact number
You are by no means obligated to state whether you are married, what your age is, or other minor details—unless your employer specifically asks and you feel comfortable sharing that information.Â
Academic History
Your employers and recruiters are aware that fresh graduates generally do not have much work experience, which is why you’ll need to include your academic history on your CV.
Be sure to list your most recent qualifications (whether it’s your matric certificate or undergraduate diploma). Include the dates that you received each qualification and be sure to list any awards you received while studying at school or university.
Work Experience
If you do have a bit of work experience, be sure to include it in your CV! Even though you may not have had full-time work yet, any work experience you’ve acquired while studying is definitely valid.
Work experience may include any one of the following roles:
- Volunteer work
- Part-time jobs
- Internships
- Previous/current employement
Skills and Interests
In terms of skills and interests, you’ll want to focus on skills first. If there’s room left on your CV, you can add it at the bottom of the page as “extra information” your employer may want to know about you.
When writing about your skills, be sure to only include skills that are directly related to the job you’re applying for.Â
For example, if you’re studying to become an electrition, you would rather list your strong ability to identify wires accurately as opposed to focusing on your people skills.Â
7. Apply to Companies and Get to Know Job Boards
The last step to finding a job is applying to companies and recruiters via job boards. Let’s take a look at both of these options and how you can go about them.
Applying for a Job at a Company
During your studies, you should have gained some knowledge of the industry you are entering and potential companies you could work for.
Go to the website of your favourite companies and look at their careers page to see if they have any jobs available. If you can’t find anything, you can also email them to ask if they have anything available. Sometimes, companies will have jobs available but haven’t managed to upload them to their careers page yet, which is why a direct email will only help your chances.
Applying for a Job via a Job Board
Additionally, it’s a good idea to get comfortable with job boards in South Africa. South African job boards are the best way to get in touch with recruiters and employers, as well as showcase your CV.
During your job search, there are a few websites you are going to want to know about.
Here are some job board websites to keep an eye on:
Fund Your Studies with Fundi
If you are still studying and need help with funding while getting ready for the working world, Fundi can help!
Fundi offers students funding that covers all their educational needs—from accommodation and tuition fees to technical devices.
Eager to find out if you qualify for a Fundi loan? Then be sure to check out the Fundi Loan Calculator and start your academic journey today!
