How Students Can Improve Their Employability While Studying

Going to university can really open doors for you later in life when it comes to your career.

Many positions will require a degree as the absolute minimum to be able to apply, and so having that qualification means instantly many more jobs are accessible.

However, earning a degree doesn’t mean a guaranteed job is waiting for you at the end of your studies, there are additional things you’ll need to do to make yourself as employable as possible.

Here are some examples of ways you can go about it.

 

Get a good mark in your course

Choosing a good university is the first step, you might choose to go to the local university where you live or go online and study somewhere like Bradley University.

But that’s just the beginning, even with a good university you need to work hard. Aim to get the high overall grade in your degree since this will set you apart from many other students. It generally means making university a priority, we all have other things going on in our lives but your education should be right at the top of the list.

Give yourself plenty of time to get coursework done so it’s all completed to the very best of your ability. Set a revision schedule and stick to it, don’t just cram the night before. If you’re stuck with anything, arrange a one to one session with your lecturer or tutor to clear everything up.

While you do need to be smart to get a good grade, you also need to be organized and hard working. The socializing element can be fun, but remind yourself of why you came to university. The point was to get a good degree, so make that your number one priority.

 

Get additional qualifications

Your uni course will teach you a lot, but it won’t teach you everything that future employers might want or need. Thankfully it’s easy to take on further training or qualifications alongside your university work.

Online courses are flexible and can be done in your own time, even if you spend an hour a week getting a course done it could be all completed at the same time as your main education.

For example, if you were studying graphic design at university, you could study marketing, photography or art on the side which would give you a broader range of skills. You could take on some training in things like Photoshop or Illustrator, or into computer software like Office 360 for example will be appreciated by a lot of employers.

General courses like health and safety again will work for just about any career path you choose and you can do shorter ones in just a few days. Just make sure you have enough time to get everything done.

If you are able to juggle it, these additional qualifications will certainly help you to stand out when it comes to applying for jobs.

 

Gain experience

One of the problems that many graduates find when they leave university is that they have the qualifications but not any experience. It can be a frustrating situation since you need experience to be accepted for a job, but can’t gain that experience until you’re accepted.

There is a way around this however, and that’s with voluntary work. Volunteer at a relevant company and build up as much experience as you can, for example, if you’re studying to be a mental health nurse you could volunteer at a charity like Mind. If you’re studying criminology you could volunteer with the police, courts or prison system.

Even an hour each week over the space of a few years will really add up, it will help you stand out head and shoulders above other candidates and give you confidence too. When it comes to working a role linked to your degree, you already have some idea of what to expect since you’ve done it.

Have a think about what kinds of voluntary positions would apply to the job you eventually want, and find out if you can get a place. Be consistent, turn up each week and take on board what they have to teach you.

Not only will you build skills but you could get a glowing reference too. It also shows hiring companies that you’re serious about what you want to do, and have already worked hard to build up the experience you need.

What are you doing to improve your employability as a student?